This Cornish Invention Smashed Its Funding Goal – You’ve Got Less Than 48 Hours to Back It

Tide.lamp hits 146% on Kickstarter as Cornish-made innovation nears deadline

A smart lamp that shows live tide times for your favourite beach – built in a Cornish garage – has sailed past its crowdfunding target with just 48 hours left for backers to get involved.

Tide.lamp, created by Cornish inventor Alex Tweed, has reached 146% of its Kickstarter goal and is still climbing. The handcrafted device connects to the coast in real time and was originally made to help Alex and his family plan paddleboarding trips. Now it’s become a fully-fledged business supported by Cornwall’s Good Growth Fund.

The most significant boost in interest came after CornishStuff featured the invention earlier this year, with Alex crediting the coverage for helping the campaign take off.

“I’d like to thank CornishStuff for the attention their story brought to the project,” said Alex, founder of Tidelight. “It sparked a lot of engagement celebrating the idea, as well as discussions on the costs and merits of manufacturing a local, sustainable product rather than outsourcing to China.”

The original CornishStuff story can be read here.

Built in Cornwall, Backed by Cornwall

Keeping production rooted in the region, Alex has partnered with Sellectronics for manufacturing and HiYield for app development. The goal is a product that not only looks good but supports wellbeing by helping people stay connected to the Cornish coastline.

“Tide.lamp is a handcrafted product which is made locally, and that will never change,” said Alex. “Our aim is to create something that is not only beautiful and useful but also supports wellbeing.”

The product has already drawn praise from Cornish businesses:

“Thank you for showcasing your beautiful lights. We believe our guests will thoroughly enjoy the atmospheric ambience and watching the tide changes throughout the day and evening,” said Carpuan, The Collection.

“We were impressed with the design and quality of the product. These would make a fantastic addition to our high-end camper van conversions,” said ChilliJamVans.

“I would personally love to have one of these units for my autistic son. The constantly changing light would captivate him and help him feel calm and relaxed,” added a spokesperson for Sellectronics Ltd.

Just Two Days Left

With the Kickstarter deadline closing on 2nd May, supporters still have time to order a Tide.lamp before production begins. Alex plans to use the campaign’s momentum to grow the product range and continue building a Cornwall-based company focused on sustainability and local talent.

To find out more or back the campaign, visit the Kickstarter page or Tidelight.co.uk.