Kickstarter means a lot of different things to the variety of people and projects mounted on the site for backing. For some it means mere one-time exposure and then ideally a success, for others it means the beginning of an entire long-range company business plan and for still more, it can mean tapping into as many cool independent projects as possible, if for no other reason than to be a part of something from the ground upward.
Surprisingly, despite the massive number of endeavors posted to Kickstarter to date, there had yet to be a company that could launch more than one fully funded project through the site’s crowd funding strategy. Berkeley, California based KMI, (Keith McMillen Instruments) revealed via press release this morning, that they are the first to hit this milestone. The accomplishment marks not only a celebratory occasion for both the instrument company and Kickstarter itself, but also shows a increasing position of reliable consistency for KMI that could reinvigorate how entrepreneurs and consumers look at the platform power of Kickstarter.
KMI considers itself an “innovative hardware and software technology” startup geared toward new methods of musical interface, as explained in their company description. Yet, with the speed of funding completion for their benchmark second product, the QuNexus, KMI comes across more as a firmly established figure in the technology realm. The brand has clearly proven its worth in delivering quality equipment for the tech-oriented musician, as well as being a brand with strong business sense.
The QuNexus, which is an extremely versatile keyboard controller with “smart sensors,” came to Kickstarter already “fully designed and prototyped,” as stated on the campaign page, before KMI even received its first dollar. The product itself is extremely appealing, as the list of its innate functions shows consumer range, not confined to those with specific sets of other tools or experience levels:
QuNexus is the first keyboard controller to unite four generations of synthesis:
- MIDI, Control Voltage, OSC and USB.
- 25 Smart Sensor Keys detect Pressure, Location, and VelocityPolyphonic Aftertouch
- 7 Octave range
- Pitch Bend Pad
- 2 CV/Gate InputsGate and 3 CV Outputs (16-bit)
- Blue and White LED Illumination with 16 levels of brightness
- Portable: 14 oz, 3.5″ x 10″ x .5 “
- Plug and Play: USB powered, no drivers needed
- MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux
At press time, status of the QuNexus’s campaign stands at an excess of approximately $7,200 from its $20,000 goal, with just under a month of time still active for additional ‘gravy’ donations. Its controller predecessor, the QuNeo, which required only $15,000, reached its goal with a shocking excess of approximately $150,900. It remains to be seen if KMI will surpass this little bonus record in the time left. Having Kickstarter at KMI’s disposal is like having a free outlet for additional business and exposure. Knowing there is now a well established relationship of consumer trust, KMI can almost treat Kickstarter as a separate online store but keep the consumer-friendly simplicity and transparency of Kickstarter’s accountability structure.
Below is KMI’s promotional Kickstarter video for the QuNexus. The campaign continues until December 18.
Kira is an old school music nerd with a love for all things creative; always searching for music’s common ground. She graduated with an M.A. in Performing Arts Administration from New York University. Drop her a tweet @shadowmelody1
Comments are closed.