Georgia Southern University Student Launches a Kickstarter Campaign to Expand his Longboard Manufacturing Company

July 11, 2018

Evan Duffield, owner of Displacement Board Company, launched a Kickstarter on July 3, 2018, to begin the first phases of his company’s expansion. Duffield and Garret Howze, both senior mechanical engineering students at Georgia Southern University, began Displacement in 2017 after tiring of the traditional construction of wooden longboards. Using their experience from Georgia Southern’s Formula Society of Automotive Engineers, Duffield and Howze decided to manufacture longboards using high-quality carbon fiber found in formula-style competitive motorsports.

“The success of this company means everything to me,” Duffield said. “…you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg for a high-quality longboard.”

Duffield, like many young entrepreneurs, used the Business Innovation Group’s 3 Day Startup (3DS)  program to network, build entrepreneurial knowledge and expand his business. 3DS is an international entrepreneurial startup intensive program offering students the hands-on experience, tools and knowledge needed to start a business. The three-day program has taken place in 179 schools across six continents, facilitated the launch of 135 companies and raised $157.5 million.

“3DS helped me in the growth of the company by providing me a space to present my ideas to an audience of critics,” said Duffield.

Displacement Board Company hopes to meet its $15,000 Kickstarter campaign goal by July 27, 2018.