Hasta La Ideas

Coffee drinkers: How many disposable coffee cups do you go through a year? Some of you might carry a travel mug on your commute, but the bulk of you probably get your caffeine hits out of paper or plastic cups, which then go into the trash or recycling. Ben Melinger, the founder of NYC-based Smash Cup, claims that you worker drones each throw away some 500 cups per year.

Melinger, by the way, is essentially a self-taught industrial designer who quit his corporate job to make stuff. “A few years ago, I went on an adventure off the corporate track,” he writes. “I had always loved the idea of making physical products, so with a product in mind… and some expert mentors, I learned 3D CAD modeling, protoyping, manufacturing sourcing, IP drafting, and so much more—all the ins and outs of making a great product.”

And now he’s got his first successful Kickstarter. Melinger came up with the Smash Cup, a collapsible travel mug that “smashes” from five inches to less than two, so it doesn’t take up much space in your bag when it’s not in use.

Here’s the pitch video:

Since going live last week, Smash Cup has easily blown past its $10,000 target, with nearly five times the funding at press time. While the $12 buy-in units are all gone, there’s still 23 days left to get yourself a Smash Cup at $15 or more.

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