Chicago-based startups are no stranger to the lure of Kickstarter’s crowdsourced funding potential. Just last year, Carvey raised over $625,000 for their tabletop 3D carving machine, with more than 640 backers pledging their support. With products ranging from inspired to downright quirky, Chicago’s hottest Kickstarter campaigns are worth keeping an eye on.
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Key hooks are for muggles. At least, that's what the minds behind Rackless — the floating, magnetic key rack — want you to think. By making key racks more compelling to use, Rackless hopes to cut down on time spent looking for lost keys. Using rare-earth magnets embedded in solid oak or walnut shelves, this reimagined key rack can suspend up to 150 keys in midair, just like magic.
Backers: over 100
Funding: over $5200
Campaign deadline: June 17, 2015
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Attention coffee aficionados the world over: gone are the days of throwing half-finished cups of lukewarm coffee down the drain. Welcome to a new era of wireless, rechargeable, and self-heating coffee mugs that keep your coffee at the same, desirable temperature for 45 minutes. The Nano Heated Wireless Mug, brought to you by Design HMI LLC and Green Lama LLC, uses integrated nano technology to keep piping hot beverages, well, piping.
Backers: over 475
Funding: over $35,700
Campaign deadline: June 9, 2015
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Tinder for tattoos? Not quite. TatChat, an up-and-coming iOS and Android app, is busy building the world's biggest social body art gallery. Unlike Tinder, names, faces, and genders don’t matter. Instead, users display pictures of their ink or body piercings and connect with others who’ve got similar styles and tastes. TatChat allows users to share their stories, window shop tattoo artists, and stay up to date with what’s trending at the tat parlor.
Backers: over 25
Funding: over $500
Campaign deadline: June 25, 2015
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“In Chicago, we love our bikes, craft beer, and supporting local businesses.” So begins the campaign video for Roo, a locally manufactured, reusable leather pouch that makes it easier to travel with beer, wine, and liquor. Roo attaches safely to your bike or your messenger bag, meaning you can focus on getting to that barbeque on time. Bonus points if you’ve brought enough to share.
Backers: over 50
Funding: over $3,300
Campaign deadline: June 1, 2015
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What could be more fun than going to a party and hurling some witty insults at your generous host? Nothing, according to Frank, a brutally honest new card game in the same vein as Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity. This time around, players combine cards from their hands to form shocking, hilarious, and straight-up offensive insults and back-handed compliments, which are personally delivered to the dealer. Our bet? You’ll still lose fewer friends than if you played Monopoly.
Backers: over 60
Funding: over $1,700
Campaign deadline: May 22, 2015
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