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Kimberlite

A modular camping system built to simplify and elevate the outdoor experience through smarter, adaptable design.
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kimberlitetech.com
About this idea
Whether you're hiking, camping, or enjoying a picnic, when you head into the outdoors, most of your gear ends up scattered across the ground. Cooking becomes a balancing act in the dirt, your essentials mix into messy piles, and you're dealing with a situation that feels chaotic from the start. The alternative? Lugging a load of bulky, heavy equipment just to stay clean and off the ground. Outdoor enthusiasts have accepted those as the only choices. Until now. The solution is Kimberlite’s patent pending system that is comprised of a 10 in. by 10 in. modular tree table. The Tree Table secures to a tree at working height, holds up to 20 pounds, and keeps your gear clean, organized, and off the ground making it the centerpiece of every campsite. It weighs one pound, packs up just larger than a Nalgene water bottle, and is built from premium materials like aircraft-grade aluminum, glass-filled nylon, and seatbelt webbing. The modular design comes from the table surface itself, which quickly converts into a ground table or a lap table whenever you need it. What really elevates this system is the line of proprietary accessories that lock directly into the aluminum table surface. To keep cooking clean, safe, and efficient, we developed a stove canister attachment that secures unstable cooking equipment, cutting board attachments that let you prepare meals comfortably, a windscreen to shield your stove, and a raised lantern hook to keep your camp kitchen illuminated at night. For organization, we created a series of snap-in hooks and a hanging basket to keep gear accessible at all times. The tree table strap not only stabilizes the table, but also supports up to one hundred pounds of gear, keeping your backpack and belongings organized and off the ground. Each piece works across every configuration and simultaneously with one another so users can scale up, pare down, or reconfigure for any trip. This isn’t just innovation in design, it’s innovation in business. No one else offers a lightweight modular table with an accessory ecosystem. Once a customer buys into our system, they’re locked in. Just like power tools, you don’t mix brands once you’ve bought your first drill and battery. That same principal drives repeat customers, brand loyalty, and high-margin accessory sales. This isn’t just a new camp table. It’s the start of a new category in outdoor gear: lightweight, modular systems that redefine what it means to be organized, comfortable, and prepared outside. Kimberlite’s long-term vision is to become a leader in outdoor recreation, synonymous with premier gear. Founded by two product design engineers, we’ve leveraged our expertise to achieve in-house what would have cost nearly $300,000 externally. Along the way, we’ve built a trusted network of suppliers, manufacturers, marketing partners, and logistics coordinators, giving us a proven foundation for growth. Now, the only step ahead is securing modest capital to fund tooling and activate our advertising campaign, driving us into a presale launch in late 2025.
Impact
Kimberlite is transforming how people experience the outdoors by addressing some of the biggest challenges in outdoor recreation: cluttered campsites, limited adaptability, and the constant struggle to keep gear clean and off the ground. Today’s adventurers rely on bulky, single purpose equipment that complicates setup and limits flexibility. Kimberlite introduces a modular ecosystem that brings structure, cleanliness, and versatility to the outdoors, allowing users to be organized, stay out of the dirt, and adapt their setup to any environment while carrying less. Our system allows people to build their ideal setup for each trip without adding more equipment. Whether backpacking deep in the woods, cooking at a picnic, or enjoying the beach, users can easily reconfigure their gear to fit the experience. This flexibility enhances comfort, cleanliness, and efficiency, creating a better connection between people and the outdoors. Michigan is uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of innovation in the outdoor recreation industry. With both a strong outdoor community and world class manufacturing expertise, the state has everything needed to become a hub for gear design and production. Kimberlite, with its integrated product ecosystem that encourages long term brand engagement, is positioned to be at the forefront of that movement, proving that great engineering and outdoor passion can thrive together in Michigan.
What I'll do with $5,000
With a recent Demo Day win, we have secured funding that will allow us to begin producing our first production ready injection molded parts. However, the most pivotal component of our entire system, the surface, still requires dedicated tooling. The surface is the centerpiece of the Tree Table and the foundation of our modular accessory ecosystem. Its design is critical not only to function as a durable, stable workspace but also as the interface that connects every accessory in our lineup. This surface can be produced in two ways: laser cut and bend or progressive die stamping. Progressive die stamping is the superior method, cutting the part cost in half while also providing critical performance and safety benefits. Through progressive stamping, we can coin the edges of the metal where accessories interface, removing the burr left from laser cutting. This smooth, rounded edge is vital for both safety and functionality, preventing injury, ensuring a premium feel, and allowing polymer snap fits to engage properly. Without this process, burrs would damage the plastic components over time, shorten service life, and make parts difficult to remove. Progressive stamping guarantees a refined, reliable, and high-quality product that performs as designed. The tooling required to produce this component was quoted for exactly $5000. Funding this tool will complete the final piece of our manufacturing puzzle, enabling us to deliver a production ready product that meets our quality, safety, and performance standards.
Quick Bio
Kimberlite was founded by engineers Robin Petersen and Casey McKellar, who hold six patents between them and have worked with more than 40 companies to design, develop, and bring products to market.
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