How Circular Ring 2 Raised $3M+ on Kickstarter

The Challenge: Launching a Health Tech Breakthrough — Without the Typical Playbook

When Circular Ring 2 — the first smart ring with FDA-cleared ECG — partnered with TCF, the ambition was clear: turn an ambitious piece of wearable tech into a record-breaking crowdfunding campaign.

But this wasn’t a standard launch.

We were working with no functioning product samples for reviews, no influencer marketing, and just hours before launch Kickstarter banned some of the ring’s key medical claims. On top of that, we had to simplify complex technical features for a general audience, find the right price point, and build momentum from day one.

Instead of slowing us down, each obstacle became a test of how quickly and precisely our team could adapt. And it paid off.

Circular Ring 2 didn’t just hit its $700K goal, it passed $3 million, became the most-funded health ring in Kickstarter history, and laid the groundwork for a fast-growing e-commerce brand.

But before any of that could happen, we had to get one crucial decision right — how much to charge.

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Pricing Strategy: Testing Early, Winning Big

Once the product positioning was locked, we moved to one of the most critical levers in any campaign — pricing.

The original plan set the launch price at $209. But instead of relying on assumptions, we ran controlled A/B tests across multiple channels, testing $209 vs. $239 offers with real backers. The data surprised even us: the $239 price didn’t reduce conversions. In fact, it outperformed the lower price in terms of revenue per visitor.

That insight led to a bold move: we launched at $239.

This single decision boosted revenue by 14% from day one. And because it was grounded in real behavioral data, not guesses, we had the confidence to stick with it throughout the campaign.

But higher pricing means higher expectations and to meet them, we needed something just as strong behind it: a community that believed in the product before it ever launched...

Community Building: 10,000+ Backers Before Day One

Crowdfunding campaigns don’t go viral by chance — they go viral because they’re built on a foundation. And for Circular Ring 2, that foundation was a pre-launch community strategy designed to do one thing: build belief.

In just one month, we turned cold traffic into warm advocates:

• 2,696 product reservations
• 7,486 email subscribers
• 1,400+ active WhatsApp members

But this wasn’t just a numbers game. We used message testing, AI-modeled customer personas, and direct founder involvement to shape a voice and tone that resonated deeply. We didn’t send one-size-fits-all updates — we built tailored welcome flows for both reservees and subscribers, making sure every email spoke to what that specific group cared about.

By launch day, they were invested in the brand.

That trust showed up in real numbers: 259 conversions on day one alone, generating over $72,000 in just a few hours. It was proof that the groundwork had worked — and we were just getting started.

Because what happened next turned momentum into a movement…

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Launch Momentum: From Zero to $1M in 10 Days

When the campaign went live, the response was immediate.

• Fully funded in 4 minutes
• $200K reached in under 2 hours
• $1M milestone passed by day 10
• Final total: $3M+, including late pledges

These weren’t flukes — they were planned. Behind every spike was a trigger: perfectly timed email drops, WhatsApp nudges, and visual content mapped to each campaign milestone. We built high-energy loops where progress led to new bonuses, and new bonuses led to more backers.

Every post-launch hour was fueled by the energy we had banked pre-launch — founder videos, milestone celebrations, countdowns, and real-time updates that kept people watching, sharing, and pledging.

It was a near-flawless rollout…

Until, just 24 hours before we were set to go live, we got hit with a message that threatened to shut everything down.

Strategic Adaptation: Turning a Last-Minute Ban Into a Masterstroke

One day before launch, everything stopped.

Kickstarter sent an unexpected notice: the campaign could not use the words “FDA-cleared” or “medical-grade” — two of our core positioning pillars. It didn’t matter that the product actually had FDA clearance. We were told those terms had to go.

It was the kind of setback that could have killed the campaign before it even started.

But instead of panicking, we regrouped — fast. Overnight, we rewrote the landing page, restructured the messaging, and built a dual-channel narrative:

• On Kickstarter, we shifted the language to focus on user benefits and health empowerment — while staying fully within the platform’s terms.
• Everywhere else — email, social media, ads, WhatsApp — we communicated the full regulatory story through founder-led videos, expert language, and FAQ-style breakdowns.

This wasn't a workaround — it was a reset.

The result? We preserved the ring’s credibility, kept the campaign fully compliant, and avoided any launch delays. If anything, the messaging pivot made our communication sharper, clearer, and more user-driven.

But with no physical product samples to show or send… we had to make another big call.

One that would shape the entire tone of the campaign.

Founder-Led Credibility: No Samples, No Problem

With no working product samples available for influencers or tech reviewers, we had two options: delay the campaign, or turn the spotlight inward.

We chose the latter.

Instead of hiding the lack of physical units, we built the campaign around the people behind the product. The founders became the face of every message — explaining the science, sharing behind-the-scenes decisions, and documenting the journey in real-time.

But we didn’t stop at talking heads.

Every major campaign milestone was paired with a symbolic video:

• $1M milestone? Filmed near the Eiffel Tower.
• $2M? Shot at the Liberty Statue of Paris.
• Each one told a visual story of growth, gratitude, and global reach.

These weren’t just updates. They were moments. And they worked.

Backers saw a team that was transparent, excited, and deeply committed to what they were building. That authenticity became our greatest trust signal — one no reviewer or sample could have matched.

And while that trust carried weight, we still had to go find the rest of the backers — spread out across multiple platforms, channels, and ecosystems…

Multi-Platform Reach: Finding Backers in All the Right Places

Crowdfunding isn’t just about having a great product. It’s about putting that product in front of the right people — in the right place, at the right time.

So that’s what we did.

We ran a multi-platform campaign that blended precision targeting with message testing across six major ecosystems:

• Meta (Facebook/Instagram): Core channel for discovery and retargeting, powered by Advantage+ to let the algorithm expand reach in real time.
• Google Ads: Search campaigns targeting “smart ring,” “sleep tracking,” and “health wearable” keywords — catching high-intent buyers.
• YouTube (Performance Max): Video storytelling focused on use cases, lifestyle, and social proof.
• Reddit: A dark horse that exceeded expectations, especially in smartwatch and wearable tech forums.
• TikTok: Hook-driven creatives for younger audiences, built for viral potential.
• LinkedIn: A smart move to build credibility in the B2B health tech space.

The result?

We didn’t just reach typical Kickstarter users. We pulled in an entirely new wave of backers — many of whom had never crowdfunded anything before. They weren’t platform loyalists. They were health-focused, tech-aware consumers looking for a smarter alternative to watches and wristbands.

And once they clicked, we had to keep them engaged — not just for a day, but for weeks…

Content Strategy: Keeping 10,000+ Backers Engaged for Weeks

In crowdfunding, most campaigns peak early… and then flatline.

We didn’t let that happen.

From week one to the final countdown, we kept the momentum alive with a disciplined content engine — turning complex tech into simple, visual storytelling that backers wanted to follow.

Here’s what that looked like:

• 5–6 new creatives produced weekly
• 70+ content assets across the campaign
• 20+ product-focused reels highlighting different use cases
• Strategic comparison posts vs. other smart rings
• Seasonal content tied to the four product colorways (e.g. “Gold for summer,” “Black for winter”)

This wasn’t filler. It was content with a job to do — driving engagement, reinforcing value, and helping people feel good about what they’d backed.

And it paid off: over $132,000 came in from organic social channels alone.

The founders stayed at the center of it all — not just in ads or emails, but in short updates, personal videos, and live community chats. When people backed the product, they felt like they were backing the people too.

But even with strong momentum and a great story, we weren’t done. We wanted to push not just conversions — but contribution per backer.

So we looked for one last lever to pull…

Order Value Optimization: From $239 to $300+ Without Pushy Upsells

The base price for Circular Ring 2 was $239, but that wasn’t where most backers stopped.

We built out smart, meaningful add-ons that felt like part of the experience, not an upsell. Everything offered solved a real user need:

• Extra warranty to keep the ring safe
• Partner bundles so couples could track health together
• Other accessories designed to match healthy lifestyle

They were carefully chosen extensions of the core product — things a health-conscious user would actually want.

And they worked.

By launch week, the average order value was over $300 — a 25% lift from the base price, without increasing acquisition costs.

It wasn’t just about more revenue per backer. It was about offering more value, in a way that felt intentional and aligned with the brand promise.

But beyond the numbers, what we built went deeper. We weren’t just running a campaign — we were helping shape a brand…

Long-Term Impact: From Kickstarter Campaign to Health Tech Brand

The $3M raised wasn’t the end goal — it was just the beginning.

Throughout the campaign, we weren’t just selling a ring. We were helping build a brand people could believe in. And that belief didn’t disappear when the timer hit zero.

Those 1,400+ WhatsApp members? Many of them stayed. They turned into beta testers, community advocates, and feedback sources as the product moved into production.
The 10,000+ backers? They became the brand’s first customer base — loyal, vocal, and ready to refer others.
The founders? They didn’t step back. They kept showing up in videos, comments, and private groups, maintaining the same level of energy and care they had before launch.

That’s the kind of momentum you can’t manufacture. You earn it.

Key Results

• $3M+ raised
• 10,000+ backers
• Most funded health ring on Kickstarter
• $300+ AOV
• $132K+ organic social revenue
• 1,400+ active community members

We faced medical claim bans, had no working samples, and still turned a bold idea into a seven-figure launch — with a roadmap that now lives beyond Kickstarter.

If you're building something real, and you’re ready to do it the smart way…

Let’s talk.

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