By Jacob Serebrin With the campaign running until Sept. 20, the company is now aiming for $200,000. “It’s a good feeling,” said Russell Ure, the company’s president and co-founder. “We set out in this campaign to get validation.” Blacksumac ’s Piper is a camera-equipped home security and automation device that sends security alerts directly to a user’s smartphone or tablet. Launching a campaign on Indiegogo, rather than attempting to get their product into stores through more traditional methods, was a key part of the company’s strategy, said Mr. Ure. “It allows you to pre-sell significantly earlier than any other channel,” he said. The company is currently in talks with a large box store – Mr. Ure declined to name the company – to get Piper on the shelves. However he said selling the product months in advance wouldn’t have been possible if the company had only gone that route. “You get a chance to test your market,” he said. Going the crowdfunding funding route also allowed the company to gather feedback about the product before it launched. “We’ve learned a lot,” said Mr. Ure. He said that customer concern over the security of data stored in the cloud prompted the company to give users the option to store recorded data locally. The company also expanded their target market through the process. “Initially, we started off focusing on apartments,” he said. “Most people who live in apartments don’t have security systems.” […]

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