For example, I want to order a development of a mini-PCIe video card for old laptops (BTW in fact, I actually want to).
I calculate a reasonable price for one card and place an initial bounty. Placing it creates a project anyone can join (and pay the same amount for each card). After collecting enough money, a manufacturer can take the project, develop this card and produce the test bunch. Each supporter (including me) receives a card, and you let the manufacturer get the money.
If no manufacturer take the project before the deadline, all bounties (except my initial one) are returned back.
Initial bounty can never be returned to the project author: it prevents the service from being spammed with unrealistic prices, unrealistic parameters and unrealistic deadlines. "Too cheap" means no manufacturer, "too costly" means no crowdfunding. There is no risk for supporters (they'll get the product or their money back) but the author is responsible for the project properties and will lose money if they are too crazy.
The intellectual property itself becomes a Github repo. It's still a development encouragement tool, not an Aliexpress clone.
For example, I want to order a development of a mini-PCIe video card for old laptops (BTW in fact, I actually want to). I calculate a reasonable price for one card and place an initial bounty. Placing it creates a project anyone can join (and pay the same amount for each card). After collecting enough money, a manufacturer can take the project, develop this card and produce the test bunch. Each supporter (including me) receives a card, and you let the manufacturer get the money. If no manufacturer take the project before the deadline, all bounties (except my initial one) are returned back. Initial bounty can never be returned to the project author: it prevents the service from being spammed with unrealistic prices, unrealistic parameters and unrealistic deadlines. "Too cheap" means no manufacturer, "too costly" means no crowdfunding. There is no risk for supporters (they'll get the product or their money back) but the author is responsible for the project properties and will lose money if they are too crazy. The intellectual property itself becomes a Github repo. It's still a development encouragement tool, not an Aliexpress clone.