After launching a crowdfunding site, a Wanaka entrepreneur has raised $145,000 in over a month.
KEA Outdoors entrepreneur Matt Butler launched Kea Stash on Kickstarter last month, after the success of his first product, the Kea Kit — a comprehensive survival first aid kit, specifically designed for the outdoors — gained over $300,000 in 30 days, in 2021.
It became the second-most funded product design project on the platform in New Zealand.
After launching his first product, Mr Butler went to the United States.
It was during this trip he spotted another gap in the market.
‘‘I started looking at the retail stores in the States. A lot of the stores there are sectionised into camping, fishing, and they’ve got a section for trash, but there’s nothing there.
‘‘There were a couple of plastic bags and a rubbish bin, because nobody’s made anything decent,’’ he said.
His own experience of hiking with leaky rubbish bags in 2020 confirmed the need for a leak›free, smell›free rubbish bag.
After months of turning the idea into reality and refining it, his second product, Kea Stash, was formed.
He launched the product on to Kickstarter in August.
The Otago Daily Times reported on August 10 that funding for Kea Stash had already received $52,500 from 520 backers.
At the time of print, $145,269 had been pledged by 1441 backers.
Mr Butler hoped to build a foundation for a business that he could over the next five years, and hoped to go global within 10 years.
‘‘Looking back, it’s amazing how the dots join together because at the time, it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere . . . it’s the whole thing of making goals, because when you look back they are so important.’’
