From 19d566186b894f89952732584513396fd39723ad Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Marcos Diaz Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2026 20:42:16 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] Blog post about failed alpakka 2 crowdfunding --- src/pug/_mixins.pug | 2 +- src/pug/_template.pug | 6 +- src/pug/blog/_blog.pug | 1 + src/pug/blog/alpakka_2_crowdfunding_fail.pug | 88 ++++++++++++++++++++ src/pug/blog/future_developments.pug | 2 +- 5 files changed, 94 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-) create mode 100644 src/pug/blog/alpakka_2_crowdfunding_fail.pug diff --git a/src/pug/_mixins.pug b/src/pug/_mixins.pug index 7322467..28f463e 100644 --- a/src/pug/_mixins.pug +++ b/src/pug/_mixins.pug @@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ contribute: '/contribute/open_source', devices: '/alpakka', alpakkaManual: '/alpakka/manual/mouse', - blog: '/blog/future_developments', + blog: '/blog/alpakka_2_crowdfunding_fail', } const loadMathJax = [ diff --git a/src/pug/_template.pug b/src/pug/_template.pug index 8915142..f24d75a 100644 --- a/src/pug/_template.pug +++ b/src/pug/_template.pug @@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ html ) body - div.banner - a(href='https://www.indiegogo.com/en/projects/input-labs/alpakka-2' target='_blank') - img.banner(src='/static/img/alpakka_2_banner.png') + //- div.banner + //- a(href='https://www.indiegogo.com/en/projects/input-labs/alpakka-2' target='_blank') + //- img.banner(src='/static/img/alpakka_2_banner.png') header include _header.pug diff --git a/src/pug/blog/_blog.pug b/src/pug/blog/_blog.pug index 6bffb79..369977e 100644 --- a/src/pug/blog/_blog.pug +++ b/src/pug/blog/_blog.pug @@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ block page h3 News div + +wikilink('alpakka_2_crowdfunding_fail') Alpakka 2 crowdfunding fail +wikilink('future_developments') Future developments +wikilink('report_30') Progress report 30 +wikilink('report_29') Progress report 29 diff --git a/src/pug/blog/alpakka_2_crowdfunding_fail.pug b/src/pug/blog/alpakka_2_crowdfunding_fail.pug new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d0a4402 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/pug/blog/alpakka_2_crowdfunding_fail.pug @@ -0,0 +1,88 @@ +extends _blog.pug + +block append subtitle + | Alpakka 2 crowdfunding fail + +block content + h2 Alpakka 2 crowdfunding fail + +news_header('2 March 2025', 'future_developments', '') + + h3 Results of the campaign + p From the 2nd of February to the 2nd of March #[em we ran a Indiegogo campaign to fund the Alpakka 2], unfortunately the campaign was #[em not funded], as it did not reach the target we set. + p We needed about 900 backers, but only #[em 115 people backed the campaign]. So it only reached about 1/8 of the goal, which is still a significant amount of money, but not enough to justify the cost of injection molding and certification. This also means the campaign is cancelled from the Indiegogo point of view, so #[em no money will be taken from backers], and we will not receive any funds. + p This surely is a big letdown for us. We still want to #[em thank to everyone that backed the project], and say sorry to them because we failed at making this product a reality (at least for now, more about future plans below). + + hr + h3 Why we think it failed + p We believe the #[em Alpakka 2 features and design were on point], as it received a lot of positive feedback, and the pre-campaign had #[em 800 followers] before the launch (we needed 900 backers), which is above average for most campaigns. But something went wrong, #[em.wrap very few of these followers converted into backers]. Why? Here are our theories: + + h4 The price was too high + ul + li The cost for an #[em Alpakka 2 PRO was 220 euros + VAT], but this price tag was not visible during the pre-campaign. While people in our community knew more or less what price to expect, people less familiar with our project were likely surprised, #[em.wrap expecting a pricetag around $70] (the cost of basic controllers). + li We knew that the high price would be a friction point, but #[em as an independent developer] we were caught between a rock and a hard place, the relationship between unit price and funding is not linear, so for making the cost per unit half the price we would have to secure ~10x the total funds. We tried to balance these numbers into a ratio with a realistic chance of success. + li A lot of people understood that an independent company cannot manufacture small product batches for cheap (because we lack the economies of scale of bigger companies). But ultimately a dollar is a dollar, and #[em we failed to provide an interesting value proposition] given our limited reach. + + h4 Lack of reach and visibility + ul + li Several content creators talked about us, and we would like to give #[em special thanks] to them: #[+ax('https://www.youtube.com/@NerdNest') NerdNest], #[+ax('https://www.youtube.com/@FlickStickVids') FlickStick videos], #[+ax('https://www.hackster.io/') Hackster], #[+ax('https://www.youtube.com/@ResenasCortas') Reseñas Cortas], #[+ax('https://www.youtube.com/@Ciudadanos_de_Gotham') Ciudadanos de Gotham], #[+ax('https://www.youtube.com/@fpsgyro') FPS Gyro], #[+ax('https://www.youtube.com/@IPlayController') IPlayController]. + li But overall #[em very few media outlets talked about the Alpakka 2]. This wasn't because we didn't try, we reached out to a hundred of these outlets multiple times (if you can think a name, we contacted them) and we were either #[em ghosted], or #[em asked to pay]. + li There is a hard lesson to learn here: Most gaming media will only talk #[i "for free"] about products and companies that are already successful (since it generates traffic). So it creates a rich-gets-richer situation that is #[em extremely hard to overcome for indie devs]. + + h4 Lack of funding + ul + li There is a common theme for both of these previous points, they could have been alleviated #[em if we had more initial funding]... to create a funding campaign... well, the Catch-22 problem is obvious. + + hr + h3 A retrospective of Input Labs shop + p #[em Selling controllers was never a goal for us], but a means to keep our #[em research into input methods and accessibility] going. In fact when we started Input Labs we did not even have a shop, our only income came from #[em Patreon] supporters. + p #[em We opened the shop] only after people showed interest on getting electrically conductive filament from us (since it is tricky to source). Later we introduced more 3D-printed parts, PCBs, pre-soldered kits, and ultimately full DIY controller kits. + p Managing the shop, fulfilling orders, and supporting customers was progressively #[em taking a bigger chunk of our time], with a promise of becoming a sustainable way of funding. + p But the sad truth is that selling #[em.wrap DIY kits in the shop was never a good source of income], and while it helped paying the bills, it was only viable by having underpaid workers (the 2 founders!). Our attempt to grow sales by having a more mainstream, streamlined, and scalable product (the #[em Alpakka 2]) also failed. + p So at this point we can argue that #[em.wrap funding Input Labs via hardware sales failed], or at least we have to accept that we are not able to pull it off while #[em remaining independent]. + + hr + h3 Previous efforts to fund Input Labs + p Something we mentioned when talking about last year goals was to find #[em alternative ways of funding], and during 2025 we put a significant amount of effort talking with: + ul + li Social foundations. + li Government funding representatives. + li Angel investment organizations. + li Venture capital firms that matched our principles. + p Unfortunately #[em none of these materialized] into getting any financial help, but wasted a lot of resources, the effort was barely visible in the community, and it took a big chunk of our sanity 😫... I mean #[i "— It required significant resource allocation but had a negligible impact"]. + + hr + h3 Options moving forward + h4 The ambitious way / Venture Capital + ul + li Take venture capital to #[em fund Alpakka 2 development]. + li This would require a #[em bigger scope], growing the team, getting a bigger lab, more tools and cool stuff. + li But would also require aggressive marketing, more focus on the core business, bigger sales expectations, and #[em less margin for error]. + li Ultimately VCs expect their investment back with interests. + li This approach is #[em exciting but also risky], we make it big or bust. + + h4 The modest way / Videogame hardware partner + ul + li #[em Accepting our limitations] as a small team, and focus on our strength: Engineering. + li Entering a partnership with a videogame hardware maker. + li The partner would take care of the commercial aspects (manufacturing, logistics, marketing, support) and #[em monetize our innovations and patents], while we focus on the research and accessibility aspects. + li We could consider #[em Input Labs making the DIY] version of the devices, while a #[em partner makes the PRO] version. + li In this scenario the #[em Alpakka 2 as a concept might take a different shape or name], depending on the nature of the collaboration. + + h4 The community way / Open source as a hobby project + ul + li Giving up on the idea of Input Labs as a full-time job. + li We (the founders) will be #[em back in the job market], most likely with boring corporate jobs as we had before. + li We keep contributing to Input Labs as an #[em open source project in our free time]. + li The lab (our office) and the #[em shop would be closed]. + li In this scenario the #[em Alpakka 2 PRO] would not happen. The #[em Alpakka 2 DIY] might happen later, or not. + li Input Labs Oy. (the company) would still exist, and still own the patents. We believe gyro is inevitable, so maybe in a few years we come back. + li We can #[em be proud] about what we built: a very successful #[em open source] project, an amazing #[em community], and having #[em helped a lot of people] with disabilities. All of these will keep going. #[i (or IDK, maybe we are coping)] + + hr + h3 The immediate future + p During the #[em next months] we are going to explore partnerships and venture capital options #[em more intensively]. If none of these work, we might go for the #[em open source as a hobby project] approach. + p Please share your #[em feedback] about these options with us #[em on Discord], we are legit interested about what do you think. + + + hr + p Thanks for the support! 🤍
- Marcos and Michael diff --git a/src/pug/blog/future_developments.pug b/src/pug/blog/future_developments.pug index 40abb24..75a8ff3 100644 --- a/src/pug/blog/future_developments.pug +++ b/src/pug/blog/future_developments.pug @@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ block append subtitle block content h2 Future developments update - +news_header('1 December 2025', 'report_30', '') + +news_header('1 December 2025', 'report_30', 'alpakka_2_crowdfunding_fail') h3 State of funding p Small recap: When we launched Input Labs in #[em 2022] the plan was to fund the project via Patreon, later in #[em 2023] we started 3D-printing some parts and selling them in our shop, then since late 2023 we have been selling complete DIY kits in the shop, and that became our main funding source.