ERIE 2016
Sunday, February 14, 2016 | Erie Times-News | GoErie.com | 3M
Big idea, quick results
CROWDFUNDING: Quickstarter helps local campaigns get attention, funding
ABOUT THE
PROJECTS
By KARA MURPHY Contributing writer Quickstarter was the brainchild of a Mercyhurst University professor who saw local entrepreneurs coming up short when they tried to use crowdfunding to finance their new ventures. Kickstarter, one of the best known crowdfunding websites, reports an overall success rate of 36.5 percent for those who seek funding for their ventures. Kris Wheaton, an associate professor of intelligence studies at Mercyhurst, was convinced that a team of students with a range of skills — including video production and copy writing — could help Kickstarter participants succeed far more often. It turns out he was right. So far, the Mercyhurst-based Quickstarterprogramhashelped13 entrepreneurs and nonprofits with crowdfunding campaigns since the end of 2014. Of those, 12 have been successful — a 92 percent rate. “Their knowledge and expertise gets you excited to build your campaign,” said Humble Elephant owner Lisa Van Riper, who used Kickstarter to raise money to produce child-sized patterned rolling pins. “Their guidance and drive goes beyond Quickstarter — their team wants to see you succeed and helps you get there.” Humble Elephant’s team — like most of the other projects — included college students. Depending on the project, Penn State Behrend and Mercyhurst students are hired to help create a successful crowdfunding campaign, Wheaton said. Dozens of students have worked on campaigns, Wheaton said. “It’s all about getting students real work,” he said. “They’re getting paid. They’re expected to be
FILE PHOTOS/Erie Times-News
TOP LEFT: An effort to preserve artifacts at Hornby School raised $1,565 on Indiegogo with 21 backers, 155 percent of the goal. BOTTOM LEFT: Carolyn Beck, left, and Emily Beck dine at Like My Thai in July. The restaurant received $13,684 in Kickstarter funding with 140 backers, 342 percent of the goal. RIGHT: Richard Eisenberg, left, and Jamie Trost are helping to restore the Porcupine, shown under construction in August. A Kickstarter campaign to build and install a deck on the schooner raised $13,177 with 175 backers, 264 percent of the goal. professional. It’s not for a grade, and they have to understand how to manage clients and work with them. This is real-life experience.” Wheaton has been approached by 79 people in the region about starting crowdfunding campaigns. Of those, 13 projects have been completed. Another dozen are currently in the pipeline, he said. While Wheaton can provide plenty of numbers and data on how to make a crowdfunding campaign work, his ultimate goal is less quantifiable. By embracing and encouraging entrepreneurial success, he’s hoping to begin to change the negative mindset he said he believes permeates the region. “My whole goal here is to start to create an environment where people change the way they think of Erie,” he said. “I think we can do
that by not only generating creativity, but by supporting it, embracing it and celebrating it.” Wheaton’s enthusiasm, buoyed by Quickstarter’s success, has led to Quickstarter being recognized as a legitimate enterprise by the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority and Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania. Both have awarded funds to Quickstarter so it can build on its success. ECGRA awarded $50,000 a year for three years to the Quickstarter program through its Ignite Erie: Industry-University Business Acceleration Collaborative, led by Mercyhurst and Penn State Behrend. Ben Franklin Technology Partners, meanwhile, upped the $10,000 grant it awarded Quickstarter in 2015 to $35,000 in 2016.
“Quickstarter is not only a remarkable vehicle for fundraising, but also for prepping a business for product and service launch,” said Perry Wood, ECGRA executive director. “It’s intimidating to start the entrepreneurial process, and Kris and his team carefully lead business owners to answer critical questions — who will they sell to, how will they sell it, how does that model compare to the competition. ... That type of mentorship can be the difference between early success and failure.” Wheaton said the funding will help pay operating costs for the campaigns, conduct research, and market the program to creators.
K A R A M U R P H Y is a freelance writer in Erie. Contact her at www. karawrites.com.
Here’s how several of the projects Quickstarter was involved with performed on Kickstarter: ▀ “Unearth,” a feature-length horror film created by John C. Lyons. Funding: $22,620 with 257 backers, 151 percent of the goal. ▀ Acoustic Sheep’s SleepPhones Effortless: Wireless Headphones and Chargers. Funding: $65,609 with 496 backers, 656 percent of the goal. ▀ ReCap Mason Jars’ Explore Bug Catcher Kit. Funding: $2,722 with 101 backers, 136 percent of the goal. ▀ Build America’s next highspeed railroad. Funding: $5,222 with 54 backers, 174 percent of the goal. ▀ Kid-sized rolling pins by Humble Elephant. Funding: $1,237 with 25 backers, 494 percent of the goal.
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