The cloud has been a game-changer for tech entrepreneurs, in terms of helping to launch a new company way more affordable. Amazon, Google, Microsoft, IBM – all of the big players have gotten into the game.
From a small office at Cowork.rs, the Flatiron District-based coworking space, it seems that yet another player has emerged. Her name is Danielle Baskin and she’s founder of the Cloud Storage Unit, an affordable storage system that requires no monthly fees. She’s funding the undertaking with a Kickstarter campaign, and is here to tell us what it is that sets her solution apart.
Tell us about the product.
It’s the Cloud Storage Unit, the first cloud storage system that fits on your desk.
How is it different?
Since this is the first cloud storage system that can fit on your desk, it’s a total game changer for personal cloud services.
How much are you looking to raise?
To start producing the clouds, I’m looking to raise $9,000 via our Kickstarter campaign.
What are you going to do with money?
The bulk of our goal will go towards the purchase of a laser cutter, so these could be manufactured in our studio as well as customized with branded engraving. The other portion of the funds will go towards buying larger quantities of the materials involved: wood, acetone, polycarbonate, and silicone. Once we have those costs covered, we can start selling them through our website.
Why should people fund you?
Through Kickstarter campaign, we’re offering special prices for the cloud storage units. The prices will go up by $30, once we’re producing them with our tools, so now would be a good time to get a deal on personal cloud storage. I hope that we can get the funding to produce these objects to make the world a more magical, whimsical place.
What market are you attacking and how big is it?
Well, we have lots of competitors, such as Amazon Web Services, iCloud, Ubuntu, Google Drive, but none of them provide physical clouds that you can put on your desk 😉
What is the business model?
These will make wonderful gifts, as well as art pieces. They’re also genuinely useful as file sorters. The goal is to build a physical cloud infrastructure and sell them through thecloudstorageunit.com. They are both useful and aesthetically appealing, but the utility of object is in how surreal they would look as a collection of clouds in the office place. Our idea is to provide novelty cloud storage solutions.
Why are you launching in New York?
Our art studio is based in New York, in the Flatiron district (at Cowork.rs), and we’d like to be connected to the active tech community that surrounds us — but really, we can connect anyone in any location, with the cloud.
