Ukrainian startup Carsifi raises over $650k on crowdfunding platforms

Carsifi, a Ukrainian developer of adapters for wireless connection of Android Auto to smartphones, has raised over $650,000 on the crowdfunding platforms Kickstarter and Indiegogo. As Ekonomichna Pravda reports, its initial fundraising goal on Kickstarter was only $10,000, and it has been exceeded almost 50-fold.

What does Carsifi develop?

Carsifi is an adapter that helps you connect your phone to the Android Auto head unit wirelessly. Early versions of this system were not equipped with wireless technology — so the only way to use it with smartphones was a cable connection.

You do not need Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to use Carsifi, as the adapter works as a Wi-Fi hotspot itself. The adapter connects to the Android Auto head unit via USB, then Carsifi links with your Android device via Bluetooth. Your car detects the adapter as an Android device and starts transmitting data to it, which Carsifi redirects to your Android smartphone via Wi-Fi.

Carsifi works on all cars and multimedia head units that have wired Android Auto. It also works with all Android smartphones (starting Android 9) and supports 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.

Fundrising

Carsifi has raised over $650,000 in total, $175,000 of which was crowdfunded on Indiegogo and $475,000 on Kickstarter. In October, the project even got into the list of five startups that raised far more money on Kickstarter than planned.

However, the original stated goal on Kickstarter was only $10,000, but this was a deliberate approach by the developer.

“If we hit the $10,000 goal on the first day, the startup would appear in a high position for search queries on Kickstarter, meaning the campaign would be considered a success. That’s what happened: $10,000 was raised in a few days,” Igor Martsekha, co-founder of Carsifi, told Ekonomichna Pravda.

The largest number of devices on Kickstarter was ordered by backers from the United States — 70%. In second place is Germany — 4.7%. Next comes Canada (3.7%), Australia (3.4%), the UK (3.2%), Spain (1.6%), and Italy (1.4%).