Proposed Business: 15 Best Examples That Attracted Instant Funding

A proposed business is essentially a new startup idea or plan that an entrepreneur presents to potential investors. When a proposed business plan is clear and compelling, it can sometimes attract funding almost immediately. For example, the U.S. Small Business Administration notes that crowdfunding lets entrepreneurs raise money from many backers without giving up equity. In this article, we share 15 US-based case studies where a this business idea won funding very quickly – through crowdfunding campaigns, venture capital, or angel investment. These real-world examples span tech, consumer products, entertainment and more, and show how a smart this business concept can capture funds in days or even hours.

Crowdfunding Success Stories for Proposed Business Ideas

Many founders use crowdfunding to finance their proposed business concepts. Oculus VR headset – one of the first major Kickstarter hits – was a proposed business for a consumer virtual reality system. The Oculus Rift campaign set a $250,000 goal and hit it in just four hours, ultimately raising $2.4 million. This early viral success shows how a strong proposed business (even from a garage startup) can find backers almost instantly.

Glowforge 3D printer was another hardware startup with a clear proposed business: a consumer desktop laser cutter. The crowdfunding campaign blew past its goal, raising $27.9 million in just one month. Interest was so high that the company later raised an additional $10 million from venture investors. Glowforge’s story illustrates how a popular proposed business can capture both crowdfunding and VC dollars quickly.

A simpler proposed business – Flow Hive honeybee boxes – also went viral. In 2015, the founders launched an Indiegogo campaign with a $70,000 target. Buzz around the product was huge: they raised $250,000 in pre-orders almost immediately and became the fastest campaign to reach $2 million. By the end of the campaign over $13 million had been pledged. In this case, a proposed business (an easier way to harvest honey) won funds very fast thanks to a passionate community.

Games and entertainment ideas can draw instant support too. The card game Exploding Kittens was a fun proposed business idea (“a game for people who are terrible at charades”) that hit Kickstarter in 2015. It set only a $10,000 goal and quickly blew past it – over 219,000 backers later, the campaign raised more than $8 million. Similarly, a nostalgic proposed business for the cult TV show Veronica Mars – making a movie for fans – raised $5.7 million from over 90,000 backers. These examples show that even media projects, not just products, can be pitched as a proposed business and attract instant funding from supporters.

Tech gadgets show up again with Tile, a Bluetooth tracker for keys and wallets. The founders’ proposed business plan was simple and useful. On Kickstarter they hit their $200,000 goal within 24 hours and eventually raised $2.6 million. This fast fund-raising proves how a practical business can energize backers.

Consumer product ideas have had big wins too. The Coolest Cooler – an “ultimate tailgate cooler” with blender, speakers and more – is a famous example. Its business (making leisure time cooler) raised a record $13.28 million on Kickstarter. Likewise, BauBax, a travel jacket with built-in pillow, gloves, and other gadgets, had a proposed business of “travel comfort” and raised $9.2 million on Kickstarter. Even though both ventures later faced delivery challenges, their campaigns show how an innovative business can draw massive crowds online.

A simple office toy – the Fidget Cube – was also a proposed business that caught fire on Kickstarter. Described as “a baby toy for adults,” this little 6-sided desk gadget hit its goal and raised $6.4 million in its campaign. This story shows that a compelling business design (toys relieving stress) can excite investors of all kinds.

Other everyday items got funded too. Brooklinen, a bedding startup, proposed to sell luxury hotel-quality sheets at affordable prices. On Kickstarter in 2014 they raised $236,888 from 1,733 backers, well above their goal. This initial crowdfunding success helped launch Brooklinen as a retail brand. Similarly, Peloton began as a proposed business to bring spin-class bikes and online workouts into homes. On Kickstarter their 2012 campaign raised $307,332 against a $250k goal. That early funding (and buzz) helped Peloton become the well-known fitness company it is today.

Sustainable and health products also benefited from quick funding. Allbirds, the eco-friendly wool shoe company, started with a modest Kickstarter: they raised $119,196 for 1,064 pairs of shoes in just 5 days (far exceeding their $30k goal). This rapid sale-out was a proposed business proof-of-concept for Allbirds’ founders. The Oura Ring, a health-tracking smart ring, had a proposed business to help people monitor wellness. It set a $100k crowdfunding goal and ended up raising $651,803 from 2,383 backers. Both stories show that consumer-focused proposed businesses in the US can gain funding from hundreds or thousands of backers very quickly.

One surprising product example is the Ooni Pizza Oven, a portable wood-fired oven brought to Kickstarter by a Scottish founder. Its proposed business was to bring pizzeria-quality pizza to home chefs. In August 2019 Ooni’s campaign raised $695,662 from 2,160 backers and hit its $50,000 goal in just one hour. This blazing start demonstrates how even a very niche proposed business idea can draw rapid funding when it resonates (and in this case, appeals to pizza lovers everywhere).

Venture and Angel-Funded Proposed Businesses

Not all success stories were pure crowdfunding. Sometimes entrepreneurs pitch their proposed business directly to investors. For example, Entrepreneur magazine told the story of a US e-sports startup founder who posted a single LinkedIn image and instantly raised $1.3 million in venture funding. The founder’s proposed business (an app for competitive gaming) grabbed investor attention with fast user growth on social media, and an anonymous backer sent an investment check after one post. This shows that a strong proposed business concept presented creatively can lead to instant funding even without a formal pitch meeting.

Established startup accelerators and angel networks also reward clear proposals. In one case above, after its Kickstarter triumph Glowforge attracted a $10 million venture round. Likewise, many tech firms pitch to angel investors or VC firms on demo days; a well-articulated proposed business plan – complete with user metrics – can secure rapid capital. (For instance, companies like Casper or Uber, not listed here, famously raised millions shortly after their first pitches.) While our examples focus on crowdfunding, they underline a general principle: a compelling business plan with proven demand can fast-track venture capital or angel funding too.

Conclusion and Key Takeaway

These 15 proposed business examples demonstrate that a clear, innovative idea can win funding very quickly. In each case, the founders crafted a strong proposal and showed early traction – and investors or backers responded immediately.

• Takeaway: A well-defined proposed business concept – especially one that demonstrably meets a need or excites a community – is a powerful magnet for funding. Focusing on a concrete product or service and showing early support (even via crowdfunding) can help entrepreneurs lock in capital almost instantly.

For more on funding strategies, resources like the U.S. Small Business Administration offer guides on raising capital. But the common thread in all these stories is the same: a compelling proposed business pitch opens wallets. These examples suggest that, with the right idea and presentation, entrepreneurs can turn a business proposal into instant funding.

Sources: Real-world campaign and funding reports from Kickstarter, Indiegogo, business publications and official sites were used to verify the above examples.