#HTE

By Designing a System Rather Than a Product, Solgaard Kills it on Kickstarter With the HomeBase Ecosystem

Gear developer Solgaard recently launched an ambitious campaign on Kickstarter. Rather than designing a singular product that would solve a simple user need–in this case, wireless charging–the company looked at other needs that same user might have, then designed a system to meet them.

The end result is their HomeBase Ecosystem. The backbone of the system is the HomeBase, a simple, minimalist floating shelf that can wirelessly charge multiple devices:

image

image

The Juicepack is a wireless powerbank that can be charged from the HomeBase, as well as via its built-in solar panels. It can then be used to charge other devices, either wirelessly or via USB/USB-C cables:

image

image

The Boombox is a wireless speaker that, like the Juicepack, can be charged from the HomeBase and/or its built-in solar panels. It can also wirelessly charge up other devices placed on top of it. And when placed on the HomeBase, its sound is amplified through built-in channels built into the HomeBase itself:

image

image

image

Here’s how the system is meant to work together:

Solgaard’s system-based approach to design paid off handsomely here. They’d been seeking $25,000 in funding, but at press time over $350,000 had poured in, with two days left to pledge.

It’s not difficult to imagine this project starting out with a brief to merely design a better wireless charging pad. But by pushing to see what other user needs they could meet, Solgaard’s design team drove themselves into crowdfunding smash territory. Kudos to the team.


image
https://www.core77.com/posts/101041/By-Designing-a-System-Rather-Than-a-Product-Solgaard-Kills-it-on-Kickstarter-With-the-HomeBase-Ecosystem