Kate Drane is the Director of Marketing Development for Indiegogo. She gave a presentation about how crowdfunding can help hardware startups. Crowdfunding allows companies to raise money, prove demand, connect with customers, and gain visibility. It removes gatekeepers and lets anyone launch a project. Indiegogo has funded over $120,000 campaigns in 196 countries since 2008. Hardware campaigns should have an engaging pitch that connects with people who care about their idea and companies need to communicate proactively with backers.