Kickstarter and 3D printing have been linked together in the news quite a bit recently because of an impending patent lawsuit. Well we are here to shed some light on how 3D printing can actually be used to enhance your future Kickstarter campaign and hopefully reel in the big investors!

With this new lawsuit, it is almost guaranteed that Kickstarter will crack down even more on their acceptance of new projects and they will continue to strictly follow guidelines that are set in place. The updated Kickstarter New Hardware and Product Design Project Guidelines states that ‘Product renderings are prohibited. Product images must be photos of the prototype as it currently exists’. This means that in order to even begin your Kickstarter campaign it is imperative to have a functional prototype of your product. By requiring a product prototype, Kickstarter is limiting the risk exposure potential investors face — You are not able to “promise” that your product will have certain functions, you must prove that your product does indeed have the described functionality. (This is where 3D printing comes into play.)

3D printing is a technology that can help you fabricate a completely functional prototype of your product. Businesses use 3D printing to test out new products before sending them on to manufacturing. The 3D printing technology really lets you get your hands on an actual product to test, modify and finalize the design. Entrepreneur magazine recently posted an article about creating a prototype and the distinct benefits associated with it (article: Creating a Product Prototype). Even if you do not plan on having a Kickstarter campaign, having a prototype will help you test the functionality of your product, describe your product more effectively and encourage others (i.e. potential investors) to take your idea more serious.

Here at 3D Innovations we have had the opportunity to help numerous small business design and develop functional prototypes. If you are interested in learning more about our prototyping services please contact us at: info@3d-innovations.com or by phone at (808) 722-8667. We help businesses all over the globe, so do not be shy about contacting us even if you do not live in Hawaii.

About us: 3D Innovations is a full service 3D Engineering/Design company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.