Right now, there’s only one thing that’s hotter than a fresh cup of chai, and that’s our client ChaiEasy. They currently have dozens of investors lining up to get a piece of the action. They’re already well over their goal of seeking an investment of $130,000 through FrontFunder; they’re currently at 135 per cent already! But it’s not too late for you either. You can become an investor in the ChaiEasy as well!
Want to learn about how ChaiEasy accomplished this? If you’re looking for investment help for inventors, you’re at the right place, this blog is for you.
Laying the Groundwork
There’s no such thing as an overnight success.
All good things take time.
So, let’s hit the rewind button before taking a deep dive into learning about how inventors can get investment help through FrontFundr. Let’s go all the way back to November of 2020, when our team of engineers and designers, led by our Design Strategy Manager Robert Colgan, completed the first fully functioning prototype.
And boy, was it something to behold – beautiful, robust, and it solved a specific problem like a dream.
As Samir, Bobby, and the rest of the ChaiEasy team love to say, it’s “Fresh. One press. No mess.” It’s chai like you’ve never seen before. They took the complex process of making authentic chai and made it as easy as making a cup of joe with a Nespresso machine. With an incredible prototype in hand, it was time to roll in the marketing. The objective? Hype the masses with this groundbreaking product.
Their Kickstarter campaign was an instant hit. By the time the dust settled, they raised over $33,000 from 164 backers. Here’s an important lesson, though. While the campaign was ongoing, they didn’t waste time leveraging other channels to generate even more brand awareness.
In December, they went to take on the Dragons of the hit TV reality show Dragons’ Den (Canada’s version of Shark Tank). Thanks to a well-executed pitch and super-smooth – not to mention tasty –demonstration of the ChaiEasy, they got a few of the Dragons to fight amongst themselves for the opportunity to invest in this product!
Now, what does one do with all that momentum? Smart entrepreneurs looking for investment help for inventors go to FrontFundr. Just like ChaiEasy did.
FrontFundr
It’s one of the most prominent crowdfunding sites that provides investment help for inventors, startups, and small-scaling businesses. They connect investors and entrepreneurs on a single, easy-to-use platform. In short, they are the “new capital market.” Previously, investment opportunities were only accessible to the wealthy such as angel investors or venture capital firms.
Identifying the limitations of the existing paradigm, FrontFundr leveraged technology to open up investing to a significantly larger community. By giving regular consumers the opportunity to invest in business ventures they believe in, they’re helping businesses divert their focus from raising capital to actual, meaningful growth.
They will hold your hand the whole way as well It’s just the kind of personal level of service that they offer to businesses from the get-go! As soon as inventors start their journey to getting investment help, a dedicated FrontFundr account manager will build a personalized campaign based on your company’s strengths and objectives.
Those who aren’t well versed in legalese will be happy to know FrontFund takes care of all of your paperwork, payments, and closing documents as well. Using ChaiEasy as an example, here’s exactly what FrontFundr will do to help ensure your campaign is as successful as it can be.
How FrontFundr Works
- Educate: FrontFundr appreciates the fact that the complexities of securities regulations aren’t for everyone. Thus, as they learn about what your objectives are, they’ll work hard to ensure your message is communicated as intended.
ChaiEasy: They’re transparent and honest. On their landing page and FAQ, they address the recurring question their backers and investors had following their successful Dragons’ Den pitch. Specifically, what happened with the initial investment from Manjit Minhas? Not only did they address this on their Overview page, but they also provided a satisfying and detailed response in their FAQ to help retain the confidence of their investors. - Prepare the Campaign: FrontFundr will conduct due diligence to help inventors prepare their investment pitches for investors and marketing plans.
ChaiEasy: They already found success once with the slide deck they used in their successful investor pitch on Dragons Den. Additionally, you’ll also notice on their overview page that the information brief and salient – a strong balance of creative and copy to entice would-be investors to learn more. - Make it Happen: Draw attention to your campaign while FrontFundr takes care of the admin duties. You can check out the Campaign Dashboard to monitor and get real-time insights on your investors as you monitor your campaign.
ChaiEasy: Thanks to their success on Kickstarter and Dragons’ Den, they were able to generate a large following. Whether it was Instagram or Facebook, fans flocked to all of ChaiEasy’s social media channels. They leveraged their high follower counts through all of their channels to focus their followers’ attention on this FrontFundr campaign. The key here is that they only announced the FrontFundr campaign once their Kickstarter one was over. - Brand Champs: The best part of the campaign is congratulating yourself on your new investors! Now’s the time to complete your regulatory filings and receive your funds!
Conclusion
So that an overview of this equity crowdfunding platform and the story of ChaiEasy’s success on Kickstarter, Dragons’ Den, and now, FrontFundr. Growing a business is never a one-size-fits-all model. But we hope this gave some new insights and inspiration on how to take your product hardware business to the next level.
Want more investment help for inventors or to learn more on how you can get your project started with FrontFundr? Click here.
Want to become an investor and be a part of ChaiEasy’s fairytale journey? Click here.
About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!
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