Borderless Electronics found success once already on Indiegogo. The outfit of “hackers, makers and tinkerers” launched a campaign earlier this year for the $9 Arduino compatible starter kit, a small kit of electronic parts that backers could use to begin to learn how to tinker with the “Internet of Things.”
This first campaign raised over $164,000 on a relatively paltry $12,000 goal in just 30 days and closed in August. Shipments to backers are now in process.
It was started as a campaign running for 35 days with the goal to manufacture at least 1,000 of these boards. A dream. It ended a week ahead of schedule after I had to limit the quantity to 15,000 boards. What can I say? Even in my wildest dreams I would not have imagined this outcome.
Now Borderless Electronics is back on Indiegogo with a second offering, this time for the BE MAKER! Kit. In a basic sense, it offers those interested in learning more about Arduino-powered technology a chance to buy the bits and pieces they need to take their learning to the next level.
600 bits and pieces, to be exact, as that is how many components are included in the basic kit. Promised in return for a $29 pledge, those 600 pieces include an LCD display, dozens of LEDs in various colors, transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors and more. Oh, and of course the BE BOARD from their first campaign is available. For $59 backers can secure a deluxe kit, two boards (including one that allows connection to the Internet), printed instruction book and access to private online lessons.
On the campaign page, Harold Timmis of Borderless Electronics explains the ethos behind his effort and the two crowdfunding campaigns he is now associated with…
With just an electronic board and few components everyone can start to learn something about electronics, but to receive a better education a complete kit and a good learning system is necessary, and this is what many of my supporters have asked me.
There are several kits available on the market, including the official one from Arduino™.
Looking at the price tag for a single kit and thinking about the markets in North America or Europe, 80 to 120 US dollars can be considered affordable, but if you want to organize an average class like the one I usually teach at or if you want to teach in a less developed Country, then this cost could be too high.
The other problem is that most of the tutorials and lessons are available only in the English language, and mostly only in the written form. This is one more huge limitation.
Education on electronics is getting easier and affordable, but it is still not enough.
This is why I proposed Borderless Electronics and now this second part of the project: BE MAKER
Both campaigns participated in a partnership between Indiegogo and SmartMaker.com, an e-commerce site for maker components.
The campaign just launched on October 25th of this year and has 27 days left. It has already raised almost $140,000 at the time of writing.
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