Hand-crafted bags, 3-D printers and Space Janitors top crowdfunding list
Kickstarter and Indiegogo, two of the most popular donation-based crowdfunding sites in the country, give creative people the opportunity to fund their projects via online donations or pre-purchasing of products or experiences. Each month, The Report on Small Business will provide a snapshot of the top 10 Canadian entrepreneurial crowdfunding campaigns of the moment. The figures are accurate as of Feb. 3, 2014.
<font face="calibri" font size="4" <b> <a href=" http://bootsindustries.com/">BI V2.0.</a> </b> Designed by Boots Industries, the BI V2.0 is a delta style 3-D printer featuring widely available and self-replicating 3-D printed components. Innovation is at the forefront of the reinforced frame and triple pulley system, allowing for a large build volume and high quality 3-D printed pieces. The Quebec-based company has raised $210,830 of its $30,000 goal <a href=" https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1784037324/bi-v20-a-self-replicating-high-precision-3d-printe"> on Kickstarter. </a> </font>
<font face="calibri" font size="4" <b><a href="http://www.palettegear.com/ ">PALETTE</a></b> is a freeform interface that offers hands-on control of you favourite software. Developed by Calvin Chu, it's a hardware platform made up of a variety of modules. Each module has a single physical input, like a button, dial or a slider. You snap together modules like Lego. No coding or soldering required! The Waterloo-based company has raised $158,470 of its $100,000 goal<a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cchu/palette-a-freeform-interface-that-controls-any-sof"> on Kickstarter. </a> </font>
<font face="calibri" font size="4" <b> <a href=" http://www.venque.com/">VENQUE.</a> </b>The Toronto-based company launched in late 2011 with the passion to fulfill our childhood dreams and an idea to create bags that both looks good yet lasts. They partnered with the best fabric and bag factory, and in collaboration with them, learned the basics of the craft and of its raw materials. The group has raised $88,285 of its $10,000 goal on Kickstarter. <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/venque/venque-fine-bags-made-with-innovative-fabrics?ref=live"> on Kickstarter. </a> </font>
<font face="calibri" font size="4" <b> <a href=" http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/calgary-animal-abuse-fund">CALGARY ANIMAL ABUSE FUND.</a> </b><a href="http://vetstogo.com/">Vets To Go</a> has pledged a $5,000 reward for anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the monster who perpetrated this incredible abuse. Inundated by people who want to support this cause, they have created this project to allow them to add to the reward being offered, as well as contribute funds for the fight to hold those who abuse animals responsible. The campaign has raised $71,229 of its $5,000 goal<a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/calgary-animal-abuse-fund"> on Indiegogo. </a> </font>
<font face="calibri" font size="4" <b><a href=" http://www.youtube.com/user/SpaceJanitors">SPACE JANITORS.</a> </b> This sci-fi comedy series about a group of 20-somethings working dead-end jobs aboard a gigantic evil space station. The Toronto-based group has completed two seasons which are available for free on YouTube and have been seen over 2 million times. They have raised $63,122 of their $30,000 goal <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/635272374/space-janitors-webseries-season-3?ref=live"> on Kickstarter. </a> </font>
<font face="calibri" font size="4" <b> <a href=" http://www.vancouverobserver.com/">TAR SANDS REPORTING PROJECT.</a> </b>The Vancouver Observer's award-winning team seeks to create one year of stories about the people, places and conflicts associated with Canada's tar sands that go deeper than daily journalism. Story-by-story, they plan to illuminate the lives of workers in the tar sands, the love-hate relationship with industry on Canada's West Coast, the resistance by First Nations leaders, and the difficult relationship between activists and the industry. The group has raised $53,040 of its $32,000<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1207098285/tar-sands-reporting-project?ref=live"> on Kickstarter. </a> </font>
<font face="calibri" font size="4" <b> <a href=" http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/idle-no-more-2-0-support-an-indigenous-led-movement-to-transform-canada">IDLE NO MORE 2.0.</a> </b>This campaign supports the Indigenous-led movement to transform Canada. They are about to launch a major new stage of the campaign – one that will focus the grassroots power already mobilized in order to produce change through coordinated, strategic, cross-Canada campaigns and successful non-violent direct actions guided by grassroots Indigenous communities themselves. So far the campaign has raised $37,362 of its $30,000 goal <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/idle-no-more-2-0-support-an-indigenous-led-movement-to-transform-canada"> on Indiegogo. </a> </font>
<font face="calibri" font size="4" <b> <a href=" http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/jeffrey-baldwin-memorial">JEFFREY BALDWIN MEMORIAL. </a> </b>Jeffrey is the five-year-old Toronto boy who died of pneumonia, septic shock and starvation at the hand of his maternal grandparents, who had been named his guardians. The campaign is raising money to erect a 700-pound bronze monument in Jeffrey's honour. The campaign has raised $36,015 of its $25,000 goal<a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/jeffrey-baldwin-memorial"> on Indiegogo. </a> </font>
<font face="calibri" font size="4" <b> <a href=" http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/use-your-liberty-help-us-make-the-film-burma-s-voices-of-freedom">VOICES OF FREEDOM.</a> </b>This Indiegogo campaign, to fund the film "Aung San Suu Kyi & Burma's Voices of Freedom," offered freely to reform a Constitution banning Suu Kyi from President has raised $34,385 (US) of its $50,000 goal <a href=" http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/use-your-liberty-help-us-make-the-film-burma-s-voices-of-freedom">on Indiegogo. </font>
<font face="calibri" font size="4" <b> <a href=" http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/campaign-for-ingrid-eating-disorder-treatment-urgently-needed">CAMPAIGN FOR INGRID.</a> </b>Ingrid, a 23-year-old woman who has been struggling with an eating disorder for several years now, needs intensive treatment that she cannot afford. Her family is asking for support in order for Ingrid to reach full recovery and take back her life. So far the campaign has raised $34,047 of its $60,000 goal<a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/campaign-for-ingrid-eating-disorder-treatment-urgently-needed"> on Indiegogo. </a> </font>