Crowdsourced Initiative

Ægis First Production Run

A community-funded initiative to bring the first Ægis devices to life.

Founding Cohort — 300 units. No unlimited preorders.

Our goal is to sell enough to order 1,000 Ægis units. We are starting with an initial cohort of 300 founding families at $99 each. At ~$30/unit cost, we need about $30,000 net to fund tooling and the first production run — so we aim for 300 orders to get there. We are not seeking venture capital; we are building with families who believe childhood does not need to be rushed. Funds go toward tooling, first production run, and quality control, with full transparency through Open Collective.

  • Keep the product aligned with families, not investors
  • Transparent budgeting and milestones
  • Community-led roadmap and feedback

How you can contribute

Supporter

Any amount. Your name on our backers list and our thanks. Every contribution helps us reach the first production run.

Founding Family

Most popular

Founding Family Contribution — includes one Ægis unit from the first production run. Meaningful savings vs future MSRP, early access, direct updates on manufacturing and shipping, and a place in the story of Ægis. Limited cohort.

Champion

Larger contribution for those who want to go further. Recognized as a Champion backer and invited to early feedback sessions.

Transparent funding · Community-led · No hidden backers

Current Manufacturing Stage

We are being explicit about where we are. This is founding production support, not a finished retail purchase.

  • · Factory not yet locked — manufacturing discussions resume post–CNY in February.
  • · Tooling begins after we reach our funding threshold.
  • · Target delivery: targeting Summer fulfillment to founding families.
  • · Updates will be shared transparently throughout (progress, delays, and decisions).

Refund policy

  • Refundable in full before tooling begins.
  • After tooling starts: partial refund minus processing fee. We will communicate the exact cutoff and terms before any non-refundable commitment.

Founding price

Founding Family contributions are priced at $99 (vs future MSRP $149). We keep that delta real by design:

  • Custom housing and low-volume run
  • Card system and independent production
  • No ads or data model — you own the experience

How the math works

Our goal is to sell enough to order 1,000 units; we start with 300 founding orders at $99. At full initial cohort, contributions (minus payment processing) fund tooling, production at ~$30/unit, packaging, and freight. We need about $30,000 net to proceed. If the numbers do not add up, we either adjust cohort size or secure additional capital before committing — and we will say so clearly.

At full founding cohort (300 units × $99)

Gross $29,700 · After ~3% payment processing ≈ $28,809 net

Where it goes (indicative)

  • Tooling & setup $14,000
  • First production run (300 units @ $30/unit) $9,000
  • Packaging & materials $2,500
  • Freight & logistics $2,500
  • QA buffer & contingency $2,000
  • Total allocated $30,000

These figures are indicative and will be updated as we lock factory and BOM. Open Collective allows backers to see allocation and expenses.

We proceed with tooling once we reach our funding threshold ($30,000 net). If we need to adjust, we will say so clearly.

Risks & transparency

Manufacturing involves real risk: delays, supply issues, and quality tradeoffs. We do not yet have a locked factory or final tooling. We are not promising a guaranteed ship date — we are targeting Summer fulfillment and committing to clear, regular updates. If timelines or scope change, we will communicate early and honestly. Our audience values integrity over speed; we are building trust, not a one-time gadget launch.


Join the first production cohort. Help us build something slower.

Support the First Production Run

Contribute through Open Collective