Crowdfunding spotlight

by Mary Caperton Morton
Monday, June 30, 2014

Science writers at Columbia University used Kickstarter funding to create a calendar of glamour shots of Columbia scientists, including Lisa Goddard and Kátia Fernandes of the International Research Institute for Climate and Society and Richard Seager and Jason Smerdon of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Credit: all: Charlie Naebeck.

NAME: Rebecca Fowler & Francesco Fiondella, science writers at Columbia University

CROWDFUNDING PLATFORM: Kickstarter

FUNDING GOAL/AMOUNT RAISED: $10,000/$11,449

PROJECT: Printing a calendar of climate “models,” featuring glamorously dressed climate scientists

REWARDS OFFERED: A climate models calendar for a $25 donation, an autographed calendar for $250

RF & FF: “The great thing about crowdfunding is that it comes with an audience, and on Kickstarter, we found an incredibly engaged audience, outside of our usual choir.”

NAME: Anastasia Kierst, grade school teacher/publisher

CROWDFUNDING PLATFORM: Kickstarter

FUNDING GOAL/AMOUNT RAISED: $8,000/$8,340

PROJECT: An illustrated book on Yellowstone’s geology for kids

REWARDS OFFERED: A copy of the book for a $25 donation, a guided trip to Yellowstone for $3,000

AK: “There aren’t nearly enough books for kids on science and geology. Kids are naturally curious, and if science is presented in the right way, they get really excited about it.”

NAME: Gimmy Chu, product development manager, Nanoleaf

CROWDFUNDING PLATFORM: Kickstarter

FUNDING GOAL/AMOUNT RAISED: $20,000/$273,278

PROJECT: An energy-efficient LED light bulb called the Nanoleaf

REWARDS OFFERED: A light bulb for a $30 donation, or travel (including airfare and accommodations) to the manufacturing facility in China for $10,000

GC: “Raising so much money created a lot of work for us, but it was a good problem to have.”