I'm Back receives a thirtyfold amount in crowdfunding

I'm Back, a start-up based in Ticino, is on the mission to help photographers give a second life to their vintage analogue camera.  With "I'm Back 35", the startup has developed a digital back that can be mounted on 99% of all analogue cameras in the world to enable photographers to transform their 35mm cameras into a hybrid camera working with photographic films or in digital mode.

Behind the device is an innovative chip sensor that can record JPEG and Color RAW formats and software that gives the possibility to take photos with the manual mode, leaving the user in  full control of the shutter speed and the diaphragm aperture of the camera. Moreover, the device records the images, as though they were set through the analogue camera, and thanks to the upgrade, analogue camera users also have the ability to see the images they shoot instantly.

The new solution has struck a chord with customers from all over the world, as demonstrated by the success of the crowdfunding campaign. In the previous campaigns on Indiegogo and Kickstarter the startup already raised CHF 220'000. The ongoing campaign on Kickstarter for the new version is even more successful with over CHF 350'000, over thirty times more than the initial target of CHF 10'000.

The recipe for a successful crowdfunding campaign
The underlying reasons for this tremendous success include hard work especially when building an audience prior to and during the campaign, as well as engaging everybody afterwards, as revealed by  Filippo Nishino, Co-founder and Business developer at I'm Back. He says: " A lot of public relation is needed before the campaign; we contacted many bloggers, YouTubers, specific photography press and opinion makers as well as all our personal contacts to create an expectation before launching the campaign. Once the campaign was launched, we were present on all social media, answering all questions and comments from every single backer".  

The start-up team runs the campaign by themselves including the preparation of a complete press release package and customizing it by request. "We pay for a few content customization and PR’s but they are only a marginal part of the campaigns", explains Filippo Nishino. 

The startup has also benefited from its positive track record defined by its credibility and ability to deliver the promised products. To date, the company has sold approximately 1800 units. The new funds will enable the company to manufacture the new edition of I Back 35. Shipping is planned for December this year.

(RAN)