Crowdfund Salaries

[brunobald]

I would contribute a small donation say £2 for a speculative punt on the whim that something might arise. I bet you could find 1,000,000 others that would do the same. We could buy an old church or something and fill it with lab equipment. Pay some pro active members to run the place and tout for others to come and volunteer.

[hellouser]

This is why I don't think it's going to work. This idea is all over the map. The current plan is basically just to ask for millions of dollars so it can be spent on an undecided or undiscovered treatment/cure or whatever, no one is going to donate to that especially considering the history of the hairloss world with unending snake oil after snake oil. Successful crowdfunding campaigns are always for clearly defined products or technology, most of which already have a prototype or patent. You're not going to raise anything by simply asking for bald people to donate to a "cure" without any idea what that cure is.

Youre only validating my point about your pessimism. Nothing is set in stone, and only we're only planning on what to do yet you make everyone else reading your comments believe that everything has already been completed. We aren't even 100% set on the name/logo and youre already claiming failure and saying the 'idea is all over the map'. Thats pretty disingenuous. I would advise you either don't make further comments that are misinforming or actually contribute ideas to the project that is in its infancy. You don't realize how much time, strategy and planning is involved before things are actually set in stone before its even executed. Youre correct this has to be done perfectly, so we're trying to cover all the bases. This isn't a 5 minute or weekend project. So far there are only a handful of us putting some effort into a strategy.

[greatjob!]

Youre only validating my point about your pessimism. Nothing is set in stone, and only we're only planning on what to do yet you make everyone else reading your comments believe that everything has already been completed. We aren't even 100% set on the name/logo and youre already claiming failure and saying the 'idea is all over the map'. Thats pretty disingenuous. I would advise you either don't make further comments that are misinforming or actually contribute ideas to the project that is in its infancy. You don't realize how much time, strategy and planning is involved before things are actually set in stone before its even executed. Youre correct this has to be done perfectly, so we're trying to cover all the bases. This isn't a 5 minute or weekend project. So far there are only a handful of us putting some effort into a strategy.

I'm not being pessimistic, just realistic. Good luck I hope it works out well.

[HairBane]

We can easily raise millions if enough people put in an honest effort into the cause rather than a pessimistic approach to it.

Its yet to be decided what the funds will go for specifically, but definitely not CB for Cosmo, thats not a cure, only a bandaid solution.... so not good enough.

Yeah absolutely. You seem pretty knowledgeable, so which of the up and coming cell-based biotech solutions seem the most promising to you? I heard Ji Gami only works for 60% of people, and I've seen nothing impressive in terms of numbers or pictures from anyone else. Also, is your name pronounced hello-user? I've always wondered.

[hellouser]

Yeah absolutely. You seem pretty knowledgeable, so which of the up and coming cell-based biotech solutions seem the most promising to you? I heard Ji Gami only works for 60% of people, and I've seen nothing impressive in terms of numbers or pictures from anyone else.

The way I see it is whos in and whos out:

In:
Histogen - Apparently Gail Naughton was running the company on her credit cards. I think thats ground for financial support. At 85% responder rate and continued growth after 1 year from small doses, that is great.

Out:
Cosmo & CB - Kane already has CB. We don't need it.
Replicel - They've got Shiseido dumping millions for them, they don't need any more cash.

Undecided
Follica - already has funding from PureTech Ventures, however this could be looked into. I've actually got more faith in them than Aderans; they've got Dr. Cotsarelis and are in Phase II right now (or just about to begin Phase II).
Aderans - they got their funding cut, so they could use some cash, although I have little to no faith in them actually making deadlines, theyre the laziest of all biotechs out there.

Other Goals - Dr. Lauster?
I proposed this before; *all/most proceeds* go to anyone who can show a complete working cure. The rest goes to the other initiatives. Now, seeing how Dr. Roland Lauster pretty much already has this, I'd like to see this be made available TODAY. Its sad though thats as many options as we have.

Also, is your name pronounced hello-user? I've always wondered.

Yup, Hello User, like 'Hello World' the basic programming language project for noobs.

[DesperateOne]

So the funding will go directly to companies to speed up the process? I thought it was going to be something like hiring an overseas cheap company and conduct and perform trials really fast on techniques based on follica. Are we even allowed to do such a thing? Or are there too many patents for that. I don't think millions would be raised on something like this, people just don't want to give anything these days.

Also hellouser, so you do programming at your work? What language do you use.

[hellouser]

So the funding will go directly to companies to speed up the process? I thought it was going to be something like hiring an overseas cheap company and conduct and perform trials really fast on techniques based on follica. Are we even allowed to do such a thing? Or are there too many patents for that. I don't think millions would be raised on something like this, people just don't want to give anything these days.

Also hellouser, so you do programming at your work? What language do you use.

Starting a biotech was suggested by someone else, I don't know how/why some of you think this is our plan. Its not even feasible; would require pre-clinical, phase 1, 2 and then 3, hired scientists, a team, lab, etc. Not going to happen. We need to focus on whats already in the works and get it out the door in quick time.

I'm not a programmer... well, not really, I went back to school not too long ago for web development; html, css, php & javascript. However, my bread and butter is still graphic design/photography/marketing. I've been in the creative field for about 10+ years, so I've done my share in doing all the grunt work for these kind of projects.

Follica's technique should already and easily be replicated by us right now anyway; dermabrasion + FGF-9 injection via diabetic needle in saline solution. However I've already pointed out elsewhere that we'd need 1 or more willing candidates to experiment with this route and have them supplied with FGF-9... slight problem is that FGF-9 is quite expensive.

Axel has suggested though using some of the funds for our own community trials, perhaps the money COULD be used for those initiatives, however I wouldnt want to run into any legal problems with authorities giving us hell about such a venture.

[DesperateOne]

Starting a biotech was suggested by someone else, I don't know how/why some of you think this is our plan. Its not even feasible; would require pre-clinical, phase 1, 2 and then 3, hired scientists, a team, lab, etc. Not going to happen. We need to focus on whats already in the works and get it out the door in quick time.

I'm not a programmer... well, not really, I went back to school not too long ago for web development; html, css, php & javascript. However, my bread and butter is still graphic design/photography/marketing. I've been in the creative field for about 10+ years, so I've done my share in doing all the grunt work for these kind of projects.

Follica's technique should already and easily be replicated by us right now anyway; dermabrasion + FGF-9 injection via diabetic needle in saline solution. However I've already pointed out elsewhere that we'd need 1 or more willing candidates to experiment with this route and have them supplied with FGF-9... slight problem is that FGF-9 is quite expensive.

Axel has suggested though using some of the funds for our own community trials, perhaps the money COULD be used for those initiatives, however I wouldnt want to run into any legal problems with authorities giving us hell about such a venture.

I see, that does make more sense now. I also took a web design purse and learned some php and JavaScript and Wordpress about two years ago. I had to stop because of some stupid politics in my life, but I am making a comeback now that I have an opportunity. Are you mentor me a bit hellouser? Maybe in graphic design or some other things, I just want to break in the business in some way. I know it's a long shot but I thought I would ask.

[NeedHairASAP]

I wasn't suggesting we "crowdfund a cure"

I was also not suggesting it would be easy, or could be start immediately.


I'm suggesting, we find some top researchers, who are maybe not finding the necessary grants, or are not being paid enough to incentivize them to work on a day by day basis-- and giving the money to go H.A.M.

There are some sharp guys on the forum who have really targeted the several questions left to be answered by researchers, we just need to narrow that list and find a consensus-- then find some person capable of running the experiments, and then we just need the money to do it--- and BAM we have effectively sped up an added onto, what was prior to, a given set of possibilities. A net addition from value added efforts.


If we could get them to say where the money would go (ex. to fund so and so experiments/papers/ etc) and we had them sign on contingently (based on if the money was raised etc.), then it could happen.


I just spent $75 on what will probably be snake oil....if we all did that, we could have some dough, even if it was just $1-2 per person.

[NeedHairASAP]

This is why I don't think it's going to work. This idea is all over the map. The current plan is basically just to ask for millions of dollars so it can be spent on an undecided or undiscovered treatment/cure or whatever, no one is going to donate to that especially considering the history of the hairloss world with unending snake oil after snake oil. Successful crowdfunding campaigns are always for clearly defined products or technology, most of which already have a prototype or patent. You're not going to raise anything by simply asking for bald people to donate to a "cure" without any idea what that cure is.

totally agree. we need not only a specific idea and plan-- but a TEAM of people that can make it happen.

Hellrouser, you are sharp individual and could probably run some stuff yourself I'm sure, but my opinion, being invovled in startups and venture capital, is to try to assemble a team that could really and truly execute whatever plan you decide on.

see my above post for suggestions and guidance in this.