Dear Kickstarter,

 

After spending years and tens of thousands of dollars developing Lumawake and preparing for our launch on Kickstarter, we were extremely disheartened to hear that our project was rejected. We have read over the guidelines countless times and are confident that we are not in violation. That said, we are more than happy to elaborate on and/or change the information within the submitted project page. We are honestly not sure what it is that is preventing us from moving forward. Please help us understand the problem so that we can rectify it as soon as possible.

Below you will find our rebuttal in response to the Kickstarter guidelines as we understand them. Again, if there is a misunderstanding please point it out so that we can make the appropriate modifications and move forward.

Functional prototypes and adequate demonstration(s) are required.

  • We have multiple fully functioning prototypes, which were shown.
  • We have supporting images to add as well.
Simulations of functionality and photorealistic renderings  are prohibited.
  • No simulations or renderings were used. All images and functions were either still shots or captured on film as they were performed via working prototypes. Note: At 2:36 we combined 7 still shots to create a visual collage. The colors shown were not photoshopped or simulated in any way.
Detailed information regarding the creator’s background and experience is required.
  • Our bio was complete and a link to individual team member bios was also included @ http://lumawake.com/team/
A thorough manufacturing plan is required.
  • We’ve identified all of the risks and challenges with respect to production. We feel that there’s nothing that will prevent us from manufacturing and shipping this product. We’re planning to include a detailed Production Schedule prior to launch and we’re willing to elaborate more on the manufacturing process if required.
  • We’ve been an MFi licensee for over 4 years and have multiple project plans approved by Apple. With almost 30 years of engineering experience, we’ve designed manufactured and shipped countless products.
Offering more than one unit as a reward is prohibited.
  • Our rewards adhere to Kickstarter’s guidelines. There should not be a problem here.

Again, we’ve spent tens of thousand of dollars and over 2 years developing this product in preparation for a launch on Kickstarter. In fact, we launched an early version of what is now Lumawake last February seen here.

To be honest, we were somewhat confused by the new submission process. We were under the impression that we could continue to add content to the project page even after submission. While we feel our submission was not in violation of the guidelines set forth by Kickstarter, we were planning to add additional supporting content such as product photos, use-case diagrams and a more detailed production schedule.

In addition, we’re compiling several updates to be release throughout the duration of the campaign. As you know, frequently engaging our backers is very important. The updates were currently working on include:

1. Manufacturing process details
2. Lumawake’s sleep algorithm vs. competitors
3. Design philosophies and inspiration
4. Project roadmap (past/present)
5. Our affiliation with SmartThings (Recent Kickstarter success) and Belkin / WeMo
6. Details regarding our open API for developers
7. Our affiliation with the Apple MFi program

In order to continue to provide fresh content we were planning to release the updates above throughout the campaign.

We understand that the submission process is more rigorous this time around and we can appreciate your reasons for making the change. However, we’re looking for clarification as to what it is we’re missing. We hope you will help us understand the reasons for not accepting our project so we can take the steps to rectify the concern(s).

In closing: we’ve developed fully functioning prototypes that perform each function mentioned or shown within our project page. We’ve developed a strategic relationship with SmartThings and have signed agreements with Apple and Belkin to fulfill the promise we’re making to our backers. We understand that there are inherent risks with every hardware related project, but with our combined experience we’re more than capable of delivering.

We have a lot invested in this relationship with Kickstarter. Please help us overcome this issue.

Respectfully,

The Lumawake Team

    No Twitter Messages