Penn State students are engineering an innovative and simple design for clipboards to incorporate smartphones or the iPad called Clipboard+. Using Kickstarter, the students are hoping to raise $10,000 for the project before July 18th.

The idea behind Clipboard+ came from Kevin Merlini, who is in charge of overall operations. Clipboard+ eliminates the issue of people having to balance a clipboard along with their smartphone or iPad. Instead, the clipboard holds it for them, and provides easy access to everything they need. For smartphone models of Clipboard+, a sturdy suction cup holds the smartphone on the clipboard in either portrait or landscape orientation. Clipboard+ for the iPad allows the user to slide either the iPad 2 or the new iPad into the backside of the clipboard, so that it is easily accessible by simply flipping it over.

Kickstarter allows startups to raise a specific amount of money over a month or two, and if the startups don’t achieve their fundraising goal, the donors get their money back. By pledging certain amounts, donors will receive gifts. For a $20 donation, donors will receive a Clipboard+ compatible with smartphones, and for $40, donors will receive a Clipboard+ for an iPad. If funded, the money will be used so that the project can be produced in the United States and to make enhancements on their current products.

The students within the project are a combination of Smeal College of Business students who are leading the project, and College of Engineering students, who comprise the design team. The group also collaborated with Innoblue, SparkPlug@PSU, and Lion Launch Pad which are all groups that promote entrepreneurship within the Penn State community.