Assertion Supported AI assessment confidence: 95% certainty 4/5 debate potential 1/5

Particle's first Kickstarter failed after raising $125K on a $250K goal

Zach Supalla · EP 590 :Particle.io Raises $14M, Passes $5M In Revenue, Helping Usher in IoT Connecting Keurigs to Internet with CEO Zach Supalla · Mar 6, 2017 · at 10:10

Zach Supalla, CEO of IoT platform Particle (formerly Spark), explains the early failure of their first consumer hardware Kickstarter campaign.

0:00 / 0:08exact quote · 8.4s

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“We had a 250,000 dollar goal. We raised 125,000, but Kickstarter is all or nothing. So that means we raised zero and that product never came to be.”

quote is from the automated transcript, cleaned for reading: filler sounds and stutters are removed, nothing is rephrased. names can be misheard (the analysis reads context, assessments check outside sources). how →

The claim, plainly

Particle's original Spark Socket Kickstarter campaign had a $250,000 goal, raised $125,000, and failed to fund.

a quote alone can be ambiguous, so this restates it with the references and context of the conversation around it resolved. AI-written; the tape below the player is the source.

Assessment

Zach Supalla's historical statements regarding the 2012 Kickstarter campaign for the Spark Socket (launched under Spark Devices, which later rebranded as Particle) are fully corroborated by contemporary and retrospective reporting. The campaign launched in November 2012 with a target goal of $250,000 and concluded in December 2012 having pledged $126,588 (matching the rounded figure of $125,000). Under Kickstarter's all-or-nothing model, the campaign was deemed unsuccessful and collected zero funds.

Twin Cities Business reported on February 3, 2013, that Spark Devices launched a Kickstarter campaign in November 2012 aiming to raise $250,000 for the Spark Socket, but failed to hit the goal and the funding was canceled.
Silicon Republic reported on June 14, 2013, that the initial Spark Socket campaign closed with $126,588 pledged from roughly 1,600 backers, falling short of its $250,000 goal.
Fast Company reported on January 14, 2014, that the Spark Socket campaign fell short of its $250,000 goal by nearly $125,000 and therefore did not fund.

Checked against

[1] tcbmag.com [2] tcbmag.com [3] siliconrepublic.com [4] fastcompany.com [5] hackaday.com [6] particle.io

"spark-upgrade-your-lights-with-wi-fi-and-apps" "Spark Socket" Kickstarter 250000 "Spark Socket" Kickstarter failed goal

assessed as of 2026-09-02

This assessment is an AI reading of a public statement, made against the cited references with the confidence shown. It can be wrong. The quote, the tape and the references are all on this page; if something is off, use report an error below. full disclaimer →

Mentioned

Kickstarter Particle Spark

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Prediction Not checkable as stated

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Insight

Crowdfunding campaigns should be treated as product-market fit experiments

“I look at a Kickstarter campaign or really any crowdfunding campaign as an experiment.”

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Assertion Supported

Particle raised approximately $10M in late 2016

“We raised about ten million dollars late last year.”

Zach Supalla Mar 6, 2017 ▶ 4:44 EP 590 :Particle.io Raises $14M, Passes $5M In Revenue, Helping Usher in IoT Connecting Keurigs to Internet with CEO Zach Supalla

Assertion Not checkable as stated

Particle's revenue is currently driven by upfront hardware sales

“These days, most of our money comes from selling hardware because of where we are and sort of how long we've been around. Most companies start by buying a bunch of hardware upfront and then the recurring stuff kicks in later. So right now, most of our revenue …”

Zach Supalla Mar 6, 2017 ▶ 5:23 EP 590 :Particle.io Raises $14M, Passes $5M In Revenue, Helping Usher in IoT Connecting Keurigs to Internet with CEO Zach Supalla

Assertion Partly supported

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Zach Supalla Mar 6, 2017 ▶ 8:08 EP 590 :Particle.io Raises $14M, Passes $5M In Revenue, Helping Usher in IoT Connecting Keurigs to Internet with CEO Zach Supalla

Particle's first Kickstarter failed after raising $125K on a $250K goal

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