Brewing in Public

Brewing in Public

Hey, you can’t be brewing that!

Let’s talk about the game-changer that is Kickstarter in the coffee world. Crowdfunding has done more than just raise money—it’s revolutionized how coffee products hit the market. Recent funding campaigns which have caught our eye;

DREO BaristaMaker – $593,141 USD

Meticulous Espresso – $4,960,578 USD

Meraki Ultimate Espresso Machine – $1,467,039 USD

TIMEMORE Electric Coffee Grinder – $5,132,150 USD

Rite Press — The ‘No Mess’ French Press – $1,086,974 USD

Innovation, Funded by Fans

Not just cool ideas, these are innovations brought to life by the community backing them, committing to their use-case. Early adopters fund what they want to see, helping push the boundaries of coffee brewing and enable creativity in invention. Note, not all projects are green grass and smooth pasture, there’s some sour grapes in the mix.

Some of the most impactful Kickstarter campaigns focus on sustainable supply chains.

Did you know that roasters and coffee producers are using the platform to pre-sell coffee?

Kickstarter’s real power? The community. Creators get feedback, test ideas, and build a loyal customer base—often before their product even launches. Backers feel like part of the process, creating a win-win for everyone. Take our word for it, word-of-mouth marketing is the strongest form of marketing in existence.

Success Stories

Many coffee companies owe their start to Kickstarter. These campaigns don’t just fund projects; they build brand loyalty and create lifelong fans. Take September Coffee as an example, they funded their roasting business in 2022 through a Kickstarter campaign and the Canadian company has since continued to see international success

If you’re a coffee innovator with big ideas, Kickstarter might be your secret weapon.

Going through the catalog of creativity and invention on Kickstarter makes me want to put pen to paper and bring a coffee gadget into the world

Have you considered bringing your dreams to reality through crowd-funding?

Have you considered participating in the funding of someone else’s dreams?

Dave’s Take

Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter have certainly helped bring some exciting coffee gadgets to life. It’s an interesting way to source funding, with some high-profile campaigns raking in millions. But over the years, it’s become increasingly clear that it’s often a winner-takes-all game, with just 5% of projects dominating the funding pool.

Take Rite Press, the “no-mess” French Press (oh, thank goodness). It raised over $1.3 million on Kickstarter, and if that wasn’t enough, another $1.7 million on Indiegogo (oh my…). What followed? Manufacturing issues, repeated delays, and a controversial plea for more funds ($30 per backer) left many supporters empty-handed. To rub salt in the wound, the French press became available on Amazon while many backers were still waiting for theirs. Eventually, the company shut down its website and email, leaving thousands of backers in the dark and hunting for a refund.

It’s hard to believe so many people backed this—48,856, to be exact. While crowdfunding platforms give us a chance to support new ideas, they also remind us that sometimes, the hype far outweighs the reality. Be careful what you back

Cole’s Take

Personally I love the idea of crowd-funding or even building in public.

I don’t have any tools to present to the world that need financing, though there’s been many times I’ve had thoughts and considerations. I’ve also backed two Kickstarter projects in my life.

Thinking out-loud here, I really like the idea of crowd-funding a coffee farm project. There’s a business model that exists in my head for sure, just haven’t found the energy to bring it to life. Well, not yet 😉

Reading: “Pour-over coffee has long been popular with coffee enthusiasts, but it frustrated coffee shops because it takes so long to make. That’s changing.” the piece shows how science, creativity, and community transformed pour-over coffee into an art form, with an emphasis on precision, quality, and the experience of savouring a great cup. The history and future of pour over coffee, by Works in Progress

Watching: following up on last weeks newsletter and the Sleep Debates, watching Dr Cheri Mah break down sleep patterns and studies within sport and enterprise, as well as talk about the nappuccino 👀

Listening: Fred Again, is a British producer and musician known for blending electronic beats with emotional storytelling.  His new album – Ten Days – features ten songs reflecting on 10 key days in his life.  It crushes! Really liking “fear less”

Brewing: This week we’re rocking some coffees from our friends at One Half Roastery in Malaysia. The El Obraje Washed Geisha is pretty darn sweet and floral. Nicely roasted and easy to extract. Would highly recommend flipping through their infinity-scroll list of coffees online – love seeing the length of menu.

My coffee seems consistently papery on this machine…

Are they recycling the same grounds!?

Is this that no-mess Coffee maker I Kickstarted?

respond with a photo of your brew bar or get creative with an AI generated scene and we’ll feature and share in an upcoming week of BTD

Distance: Buy the Drip run club. Clocking some kilometers. This week we covered from Los Angeles to Las Vegas

“Success is not for the ones who never fail, but for those who never quit. Keep going—every step forward brings you closer to your goal.”

Want to join us as we hit the road? Let’s connect on Strava! or, join our Whoop group – just respond to the email and let’s grind together!