Revisiting traditional fundraising techniques and utilising new technologies, TapTin is revolutionising the idea of a fundraising network.
Our increasingly cashless society has opened up new opportunities for the fundraising sector to embrace technology and reach a new generation of contributors.
Through their simple Tap & Go payment system, charity donations can be performed quickly and easily through a contactless card reader system. This world-first digital donations platform will impact the way people choose to donate to and support causes they are passionate about and provide an alternate solution for charities and fundraising organisations.
The Team behind the technology
Alicorn Ventures partnered with Paypal and the RSPCA to develop TapTin, an entirely self-serve, contactless and straightforward donation system that effectively replaces the convenience of the old ‘donation tin’ at point-of-sale locations.
Their challenge – to improve fundraising performance and reach
Changes in the payments landscape have slowly crept up on the fundraising sector, creating a raft of ripple effects that have disrupted the industry. Maintaining and improving fundraising performance in an evolving and challenging market required an outside-the-box innovation.
Donation tins have become antiquated due to theft and a lack of trust in the eyes of the consumer. Ineffective reporting to both donors and the charity recipients due to out-dated software and the cost of upgrades resulted in a lack of transparency. The industry’s high reliance on human labour to solicit donations was also a factor in driving change.
TapTins Make Change
The solution was a digital platform, one that could solve the issues of donor trust, ease-of-accessibility, and operational efficiency. However, an appropriate housing unit was required. The technology needed a robust, portable and contactless housing unit, suitable for use across various settings.
TapTin approached B&C Plastics with some basic design principles mapped out and a clear idea of how they imagined the product would look and feel. With their design outline drafted, they had hit a roadblock and needed the right partner to refine and develop the housing, and bring the product to market.
Plastics design, prototyping & manufacture
Donation system’s plastic enclosure
B&C Plastics provided a revised design solution, prototype, machine tooling, mould and production of TapTin’s plastic enclosure for this innovative donation system.
Our team at B&C Plastics used their wealth of experience to enhance the basic design. We prototyped the components to ensure the two lots of electronic technology fit securely within the electronic housing unit and tested to ensure full functionality.
We manufactured TapTin’s electronic housing using ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), which resulted in a light-weight, durable product with an impervious surface. ABS is widely used for electronic housings and enclosures due to its impact and heat resistant properties, relatively constant electrical properties and the overall toughness of the material.
The unit’s internal design required cradles to securely hold the electronic devices, and guide and capture the electronic cables within the product’s housing.
Once the prototype received approval for fit and functionality, we then proceeded to machine the mould ready to manufacture the components which would make up the TapTin housings.
Together we have created increased opportunity and provided leverage for non-profit and charity organisations to expand their fundraising reach. Utilising the power of digital platforms, plastics manufacturing and on-the-go giving solutions, fundraisers now have an effective way of maintaining financial donor awareness, growth and operational efficiency.
