Kiwi innovation pitches for international success!
‘ThirstBat’ launches on Kickstarter
Kiwi entrepreneur Torben Landl is a man who loves start-ups! Together with kiwi business partner Matt Taggart, they have
spent 18 months designing a fully functioning cricket bat that also doubles as drinking device. This uniquely Kiwi
product also features a bottle opener and slow release valve for drinking with ease.
ThirstBat has been designed with summer and one of NZ’s most popular sports in mind - backyard cricket. This long loved
family and ‘mates’ sport will have a new purpose this year as players get to enjoy their favourite summer game with a
fun, thirst quenching twist!
On August 2nd ThirstBat went live on Kickstarter, giving the public a chance to be one of the first to secure their orders. In the first 24 hours of launch ThirstBat
has already achieved over $4,613 of sales in the form of pledges. Once the project hits $20,000 worth of pledges this
brand new product will go into its first round of production, with orders being sent out worldwide.
It’s not just New Zealand customers that have the chance to buy their very own Thirst-Bat! Landl and Taggart have their
sights set on an international home run with their uniquely kiwi invention. They have developed a second Baseball style
‘ThirstBat’(Chugger) which they expect will meet the demands of customers from the US and Japan.
“We have travelled with the prototypes to make sure there is international demand for ThirstBat, and people love it! In
the states we took a Chugger to the AT Park, home of San Francisco Giants, and the fans couldn’t get enough of it, they were coming up to us and wanting to
purchase the product then and there ” says ThirstBat Founder Torben Landl.
“We are so lucky to live in a digital age where two Kiwi guys can develop a product like ThirstBat and take it to the
world. Online forums like Kickstarter mean we can look further than our own backyard and get people from all corners of
the world pledging to buy this product,” he says.
Co-Owner Matt Taggart knows more than most about developing and growing outdoor leisure products. As the founder of
‘Ozone’, world leaders in Kitesurfing and Paragliding, he understands the importance of getting things right from the
start.
“Protecting the I.P was important to us as it’s not every day that you come up with such a unique and original product,
to date we have trademarks and design patents secured or in examination in USA, Japan, Europe, UK, Australia, India and
in NZ,” says Taggart.
“We will be manufacturing this global product in Te Rapa Hamilton with the help of ES Plastics and exporting offshore to
buyers around the globe,” he says.
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