The Prop's Kickstarter project will help it take its initial steps to go from concept to product as the funds raised will be spent to help manufacture it. Screenshot from kickstarter.com.

A crowdfunding campaign started just over a month ago by four former and current University of Nebraska–Lincoln students has ended in success, raising almost 120 percent of its initial $18,000 goal to begin the manufacturing of the Prop, a patent-pending portable laptop stand.

The group behind the invention, MAKE Collaboration, conducted its fundraising on Kickstarter, one of the popular crowdfunding sites – Inc. Magazine says there are dozens of them – that entrepreneurs and inventors are using to help make ideas become reality. In all, MAKE raised $21,597, 5 percent of which will go to Kickstarter for the use of its platform (the site only awards funds if the goal is reached).

What will the team do with the remaining $20,517?

"Right now we are working on finalizing our digital model to be produced (in Omaha) as an injection mold tool," Justin Brouilette of MAKE said in an email interview today (left, photo from makecollab.com). "Next it should be a fairly quick process to get it manufactured with a local Omaha plastics manufacturer."

And when can the 601 backers of its Kickstarter campaign level that incentivised a Prop expect delivery?

"Originally we were hoping to get incentives out in time for Christmas but that may prove difficult," Brouilette said. "Still our intent though."

According to the successful projects pages on Kickstarter – see: Omaha and Lincoln – the Prop is the highest funded project to come out of Nebraska. In a close second ($16,137) is a campaign conducted in August to fund a new album by Vota, a Christian rock band from Lincoln, Neb. A majority of the other projects in Omaha and Lincoln are, like Vota, posted by artists to raise funds for albums, exhibitions, shows or tours. For comparison, according to Inc. Magazine, the average Kickstarter project pulls in $5,000.

Though the Kickstarter page for the Prop is no longer active, those interested in pre-ordering it can do so on MAKE's website. 

For more on the Prop, see our story rounding up the early praise it received: "Nebraska designers’ laptop stand draws praise, needs funds".

For more on Kickstarter projects in Nebraska, check out the Omaha World-Herald's article today: "Midlands entrepreneurs find a Kickstart".