Birmingham start-up Buckt has reached 70% of its crowdfunding target this week after being invited to pitch to five ‘dragons’ at national entrepreneurial conference MADE 16.

The business, a subscription box inspired by the idea of a bucket list, delivers 8-10 activities to subscribers’ doors each month for as little as £15.

Users will get tickets to top venues and attractions, discounts on higher-end bucket list activities, as well as invitations to local events and money-can’t-buy challenges.

Launching in the West Midlands in January, the start-up has achieved early success.

Last week they pitched in front of five ‘dragons’ and an audience of 1000 budding entrepreneurs at MADE 16 in Sheffield, and later that week narrowly missed out on winning £20,000 from Tamworth-based Baldwins Accountants in their Kickstart business competition.

They have currently raised just over £3500 of their £5000 crowdfunding target with backers coming from across the globe including countries like Japan and America. They plan to use the funds raised to launch their West Midlands operation with a region-wide advertising campaign.

Buckt founder - Birmingham-born entrepreneur Daniel Bridgewater - shared his thoughts on the experience: “it’s been a whirlwind so far. We’ve gone from an idea, to launching the crowdfunder, to pitching in front of thousands of people and investors in such a short space of time”.

He continued: “it’s definitely been hard work! A crowdfunder is a stressful process to say the least. Sleepless nights, long days and a lot of begging! I’m sure it’ll be worth it in the end”.

The business was inspired by heartbreak after Daniel broke up with his then girlfriend. He wrote a bucket list and began completing tasks on it to focus himself on the things to come, including completing a bungee jump, going on a lads holiday and growing a beard for the first time.

After reflecting on a subscription box business idea he had whilst studying at the University of Birmingham and seeing how he could link it to the idea of a bucket list, Buckt was born.

Research found that 94% of people ‘liked’ or ‘really liked’ the idea, which prompted him to launch his crowdfunder.

You can find out more about the business and support their crowdfunder here -www.crowdfunder.co.uk/buckt.