Crowdfunders put up $1m in pledges for $99 computer kits venture A London-based start-up trying to make computer programming as simple and fun as Lego has smashed its initial fundraising target by attracting over $1m in pledges in two weeks through crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Kano, whose founding team includes Index Ventures partner and Lovefilm co-founder Saul Klein, wanted the money to create a batch of $99 computer kits that could enable primary schoolchildren to build and code their own device. The idea was inspired by Mr Klein's seven-year-old son Micah, who asked for a computer that was as simple and fun as Lego that he could build himself. However, it quickly captured the imagination of people across the world, attracting tens of thousands of pounds in funding pledges within hours of being put on Kickstarter. As a result of this early success, Kano has announced that it will make its computer kits available more widely than initially planned and translate its literature into 10 languages, including Arabic, Mandarin, Thai, Japanese and Hebrew. The founders also plan to embark on a global trip to introduce Kano to young inventors in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America. "We've been absolutely stunned by the response from all around the world," Yonatan Raz-Fridman, another of Kano's co-founders, said. We use technology more than ever before, but very few of us understand what's inside those hermetically sealed devices. We make it possible for anyone, young and old, to learn about the technology that's powering our world. Central to the $99 Kano kit is the Raspberry Pi, a credit card-sized minicomputer, manufactured in South Wales and which, at £24 ($35), is a contender for the world's cheapest PC. The coding platform, which is based on dragging blocks and playing games, will be made available over the web. Among those who have backed the venture on Kickstarter is Leart, a 16-year-old from Kosovo. "When I read about you, I had to tell people," she wrote on the website. While my country is way behind with technology you can help us grow. Zach Sims, founder of Codecademy, a New York-based education start-up, said: "Kano is amazing because it brings us back to where computing started with the idea of making things and experimenting." Kano's fundraising success also illustrates the power of crowdfunding platforms in enabling early stage ventures to reach potential backers. Its achievement comes hot on the heels of Seedrs, the equity crowdfunding business, which this week used its own platform to raise money for its European expansion plans and raised more than £2m from over 850 investors in a week. Jeff Lynn, chief executive and co-founder of Seedrs, said the achievement was "a tremendous validation" of crowdfunding his company's business model. "For most entrepreneurs, raising £2m is a long, painful process," he said. "Using our own platform we've shown how start-ups can harness their customers" enthusiasm to raise money quickly and efficiently."