Will Navicula Crowdfunding Effort be Successful?

Navicula, a band from Bali, is raising fund through Kickstarter. Through a project named “Golden Green Grunge for Rare Red Apes: Navicula Borneo Tour”, this band is hoping to get funding in the amount of USD3,000. When raised, the money will be used to fund their tour project to Borneo.

Navicula is what they call psychedelic grudge band. They made a lot of songs with environment theme such river pollution (Kali Mati), pollution in Jakarta (Metropolutan), and a song about Orang Utan (Orang Utan). By holding a tour to Borneo, Navicula hopes to raise the public’s awareness about environment issue especially Orang Utan, directly to the Orang Utan’s habitat.

Until today, 25 days to the deadline of the fundraising, Navicula could only raise support from 30 people with total fund of USD 1,096. For those supporters, Navicula offers reward in the form of their songs, Navicula CD album, Orang Utan shirt until private concert.

Other than Kickstarter, Navicula also raise funding through a local crowdfunding, Patungan. At Patungan, Navicula is only trying to raise IDR5 million. Until today, 12 days before the deadline, Navicula’s project in Patungan managed to raise IDR 3,935,000.

This project fits to test my previous opinion about crowdfunding project’s formula to work in Indonesia. For me, this project fits the two criteria which will make a crowdfunding project to be able to success in Indonesia. This project, with the environment theme brought by Navicula, touches the social element. Other than that, for music appreciates, supporting this project will make them look cool because they have supported an indie band with environment issue. This is similar to Mira Lesmana’s film project which brought Timor’s culture.

At Patungan, even though not yet successful, this project has gained 78.70% of the fund they need. This percentage is good considering many projects in Patungan usually get only 10% of the amount needed.

I predict Navicula’s crowdfunding effort will succeed. Other than meeting the two criteria according to my theory, the small amount of fund needed makes the chance for the project to realize is bigger.

Meanwhile in Kickstarter, because the formula I mentioned is only valid in Indonesia, I dare not to predict the result of their effort. But I think Navicula needs quite big promotional effort for their crowdfunding in Kickstarter to succeed.