GE’s FirstBuild is a global co-creation community that harnesses the brainpower of the maker movement to change the way major home appliances are conceived, designed and manufactured. The elegant stainless steel unit includes a crystal-clear, removable ice bin that slides out and tilts forward for easy access to the ice. Opal produces its first nuggets in just 15 minutes, and can produce 1 pound of ice per hour. Opal is a compact countertop design that plugs into any electrical outlet and holds 3 pounds of ice, about as much as a typical refrigerator. The air pockets in each nugget also absorb the flavor of the drink while cooling, leaving a chewable and tasty refreshment for those who enjoy snacking on ice after they have finished their drink. Nugget ice chills beverages faster than conventional ice cubes. The Opal nugget ice maker works by packing together small ice crystals, creating nuggets of soft yet crunchy ice. The design of Opal is a result of ideas generated by the maker community and prototyped by FirstBuild engineers. The FirstBuild community of makers was asked to design a residential ice maker that would appeal to nugget ice enthusiasts. Opal is an idea that was generated through a challenge set forth in March by FirstBuild. “Our product has certainly been of interest to consumers and one of the most successful launches in Indiegogo history.”įirstBuild is a new model of manufacturing that challenges makers around the world to ideate and help design innovations in home appliances. “The benefits of launching a new product like Opal using the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform allows us immediate feedback on market acceptance,” said Natarajan Venkatakrishnan, director of FirstBuild. The Opal ranks ninth in Indiegogo’s top 10 list of campaigns that have raised the most funds in 24 hours, and the 13 th fastest to reach the half million dollar mark. The ice maker will be shipped to Indiegogo backers in mid-2016.
Early bird pricing began around $399 or less, with future retail pricing expected at $499. Opal is an affordable countertop nugget ice maker designed by the FirstBuild community and priced well below other currently available nugget ice makers. The campaign, which went live on July 28 through Indiegogo, has surpassed its funding goal of $150,000 and crossed the $1.25 million threshold this weekend. (August 3, 2015) -Consumers are crazy for nugget ice, the soft, chewable ice especially favored in the South and associated with restaurant chains and convenience stores, as evidenced by the hugely popular Indiegogo campaign for the Opal ™ nugget ice maker from GE’s FirstBuild ™.
Indiegogo Campaign Ices Funding Goal and Blows Past $1,250,000 in Sales in First Week
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