It’s still Women’s History Month, but we definitely don’t plan on ending the celebration come April, because Crowdfunding is a Female Founder’s Best Friend. Women are really good at crowdfunding, because they are really good at communicating in a friendly, inclusive way. Don’t forget to tell the smart ladies you know that now is the time to get started.
Tech News
This week, action sports fanatics will want to take a look at Y Combinator’s Revl Arc camera, which includes stabilizing technology that keeps the camera level with the horizon and creates incredible adventure footage. According to TechCrunch, “Revl just launched a smart action camera that solves the two worst things about action cams: shaky footage and a cumbersome editing process.” Revl offers easy editing through its app that has Snapchat-like features to tell everyone your altitude and how fast you were traveling.
If you are the kind of non-morning person that has been known to hit snooze for an hour, or your significant other is a snoozer, it could be time to invest in a Spritely. It comes with a sensor that attaches to your bed, and connects with your phone (obviously). There is no snooze or stop button. It won’t stop ringing until it’s sure you’re out of bed. It sounds cruel, but it may be the only way for some of you. It also gives you information on your sleep patterns so that you can figure out how to sleep better, which can be useful. If you think turning off your phone is a loophole, you’re wrong. The sensor knows all and will start ringing an independent alarm. You’re nothing against the machines.
Social Innovation News
The subscription box phenomenon has now extended far beyond Birchbox. There are boxes that bring you different types of international snacks, and even one that sends stuff for your dog. Leave it to our campaigners to create one for an often overlooked demographic: people who are transgender or gender non-conforming. Diverse Xpress uses a give-one-get-one model to provide people with the items they need to begin the journey to their real selves. The idea is to provide these to young people who often feel like suicide is the only way to escape a life that doesn’t feel like their own.
Art Crowdfunding
Whoever said technology is killing art was wrong. A Buddhist priest turned performance artist is creating an opera through text message. The lyric content comes in each text message, and the music is created by the buzzing of the phones of the contributors/audience members. The contributors’ names are also woven into the lyrics through an algorithm, which makes them an integral part of this living work. Head on over to the campaign page for a detailed look at exactly how this works.
Where are they now? Indiegogo Success Story
Because of the incredible gender disparity in education in Afghanistan, Razia Jan started the Zabuli Education Center for girls K-12 in the conservative villages in Deh’Subz district in 2008. In that year alone, the Taliban killed nearly 150 teachers, students, and school employees, but the school is thriving and providing free education to more than 480 girls most whom live on less than $1 a day. Despite concerns from parents and religious leaders that education would make these girls rebellious, Razia Jan raised over $120,000 to build a college for the girls who graduate from Zabuli to study nursing and midwifery. This means that not only are these women able to continue their educations, but when they are finished they’ll be able to provide health services that were very difficult for villagers to access before.
Feeling inspired? Download the free Indiegogo Field Guide and get started today!
