From Mobile Phones to Sneakers: How Croatians Found Millions on Kickstarter

Albert Gajšak’s new campaign for a DIY mobile phone opens a broader story about Croatian entrepreneurs who sought funding and their first customers on Kickstarter. From electronics and board games to sneakers and designer furniture, local experiences demonstrate how much the platform can assist in entering the global market, but also why successful fundraising is not the same as a successful business.

The first deliveries of CircuitMess are expected in August 2027, with a clear note that this is an estimated, not guaranteed timeframe. Between these two moments lies an important part of Kickstarter’s business logic, which is that the audience financially supports the project before delivery, and the manufacturer takes on the task of turning promises into a product that will actually arrive at their addresses.

MAKERphone 2.0

This September, CircuitMess introduced MAKERphone 2.0 on that platform, a new generation of educational phone that needs to be assembled by the user. According to the official presentation, unlike its predecessor, it does not require soldering, supports 4G calls and messages, and can be programmed using VibeBoy, MicroPython, and Arduino C++. The company positions it as a device that should introduce children from the role of consumers of digital content to the role of its creators.

The initial goal of $30,000 was surpassed in the first days of the campaign, which is open until October 10, and Gajšak revealed to Večernji list that this is the fastest-growing Kickstarter campaign of his company. This is not Gajšak’s first such campaign; it could be said that campaigns on Kickstarter have become a recognizable way to present new products from CircuitMess.

From the First Console to a Repeatable Model

Gajšak’s journey on Kickstarter began in 2017 with the MAKERbuino console, a DIY assembly kit that, according to the final result of the campaign, raised $100,745. A year later, the first MAKERphone attracted 2,154 backers and $324,453. For a small company, these were not just financial injections but also publicly visible proof that there is an audience willing to take on some risk in advance for its products.

This was followed by STEM Box, a series of educational electronic kits that raised $408,749 on Kickstarter in 2020, and Batmobile, a DIY robot car whose campaign ended in 2021 with $388,783. Later came projects based on recognizable space and television motifs: the Perseverance rover and Butter Bot from the world of the Rick and Morty series.

CircuitMess highlights a total of $2.24 million raised in previous Kickstarter campaigns on the new mobile phone’s page. This amount includes the partnership project of the Perseverance rover, whose campaign was formally led by Geek Club.

From Drone Pilots to Horror Enthusiasts

A different path is shown by Osijek’s Orqa, which, according to the official company history, was founded by Srđan Kovačević, Ivan Jelušić, and Vlatko Matijević. Its FPV.One drone control glasses raised €364,306 from 606 backers on Kickstarter in 2019, with an initial goal of only €30,000. A clearly defined audience stood behind the product, and the appearance at the CES fair before the campaign brought international attention and business contacts, which were reported by the media at the time.

Orqa returned in 2021 with the FPV.Ctrl controller and, according to the result of that campaign, raised €25,999. In March 2026, the Expeditions fund announced an investment round in the company of €12.7 million. Orqa’s example previously shows how the platform can be one stage of development, after which different sources of capital and different business requirements follow.

Large campaigns are not reserved for electronics. The board game Machina Arcana by Juraj Bilić and Adream Games raised over a million dollars in two campaigns within the observed decade. According to Kickstarter’s results, the From Beyond edition in 2018 attracted $442,895, while To Eternity in 2020 raised an additional $618,305. The latter campaign was supported by more than eight thousand people.

However, in video games, the results of campaigns and the ranges of funds raised vary. According to results published on their Kickstarter campaign pages, Saint Kotar raised €50,178 in 2020. Bura: The Way the Wind Blows, backed by Rea Budić and Renato Lovreković, raised $37,860 in 2024 for an adventure inspired by Dalmatian culture and landscape. Osijek’s Downtown Game Studio concluded its campaign this year for Dark Queen of Samobor, a game inspired by Slavic myths, with $15,695.

Not All Innovations Are Electronic

Domestic attempts from the past decade extend far beyond video games and electronic kits. Baggizmo raised $39,303 for the Wiseward smart wallet on Kickstarter in 2017. According to the team’s presentation on the campaign page, the project was led by Ladislav Jurić, with Izvorka Jurić responsible for product development and branding. The campaign combined the design of an everyday item with electronic functions, seeking customers for whom a regular wallet is not enough.

In the same year, Modulos by Matej Grozdanović raised $34,333 for a modular desk. Its offer was understandable even without technology. It was a desk whose shape, size, and functions can be adapted to the user. The company states on its page that modular desks were subsequently delivered to customers in ten countries.

There are also brothers Hrvoje and Domagoj Boljar with the MIRET brand in 2020, who raised $68,210 for sneakers emphasizing natural materials. Five years later, Dubrovnik’s Marjan Žitnik raised $18,809 with the Floaties project for floating sunglasses with frames made from recycled plastic.

The Real Test Comes After the Campaign

Domestic examples show that Kickstarter can help finance production, find first customers, and test interest in a product. However, a successful campaign is not proof of profitability, just as an unsuccessful one does not necessarily mean that the idea is bad.

According to Kickstarter’s rules, funding is only realized if the project reaches its goal within the specified timeframe. For successful campaigns, the platform charges five percent of the amount raised, and payment processing costs approximately another three to five percent. The remaining money must cover project costs, from development and marketing to production, delivery, and tax obligations. Therefore, the hundred thousand dollars displayed on the campaign page is not a hundred thousand dollars in profit.

For Croatian authors, there is an additional obstacle because, according to the official list of the platform, Croatia is not among the supported countries for launching campaigns. Domestic teams can therefore operate through appropriate foreign legal entities or partners, while meeting Kickstarter’s conditions.

It is also important what backers receive in return. Their contributions do not grant ownership stakes in the company, and the delivery of promised rewards is not guaranteed. Although such funding often resembles pre-sales, backers take on some risk, while authors are responsible for managing the project and reporting on progress and difficulties.

As for Gajšak and his new product, with the current MAKERphone 2.0 campaign, that business is just beginning. CircuitMess states that the hardware is completed, the software is undergoing final testing, and they are raising funds for serial production.

For Gajšak, as well as for other domestic authors, the ultimate measure of success will not be just the amount raised by the end of the campaign. It will be the delivered product, satisfied customers, and the calculations that allow for the continuation of business. Kickstarter can bring money and audience trust, but a sustainable business only arises when promises are fulfilled and profit remains after all costs.