A Tooting entrepreneur has set up an innovative new business inspired by Kickstarter.
A Tooting entrepreneur has set up an innovative new business, inspired by the UK launch of the world’s biggest funding platform for creative projects, Kickstarter.
Kickstarter allows users to seek money for their creative and product-based ideas and has generated funding for more than 70,000 projects – everything from films and games to design and technology schemes.
Until October 31, businesses hoping to raise cash for projects could only set up accounts from the US. But now Kickstarter’s doors are open to UK businesses and British entrepreneur Nick Allen, 28, was quick to spot the potential.
Nick’s newly-launched business on Brick Lane, Brikstarter, is not looking for funding. Instead, it provides a service that aims to launch new businesses, by helping them perfect their Kickstarter pitches.
Like a friendly version of Dragon’s Den, it’s the new one-stop service for anyone who has a brilliant idea, but lacks the funding they need to make it a reality.
“What Kickstarter did was to bridge a gap between spending tens of thousands of pounds to launch a product to market to making it down to a couple of thousand pounds,” Nick says.
“And what we’re doing is bridging a gap from zero budget to Kickstarter. You don’t have to raise any money, you just have to come to us with the idea.”
From there, Brikstarter say they can help clients by producing all the necessary components of their project pages, from website design and building 3D prototypes, using their in-house facilities, to financial projections and making videos.
And when the client is happy with his or her Kickstarter page, Nick and his team will help launch it and provide the necessary support to generate bids from the online community.
Brikstarter’s costs are covered by taking a 10% cut of the whatever cash is eventually raised for the project – a calculation that is factored in – and comes on top of the 5% Kickstarter itself takes from each successful pitch.
“This covers the rest of our costs and gives us that extra incentive to make the product work,” Nick explains. “Plus it allows products to be launched for a fraction of the cost they used to be.”
For more information visit www.brikstarter.com or contact Nick at [email protected], or pop into 214 Brick Lane (opposite the Bagel Shop).
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