Instagate
When Matt MacLean and Alex Lubin were freshmen at this university, they joked about combining their business and legal knowledge.
Now, the 2011 graduates are on the path to do just that with Instagate, a tailgate in a box.
“Since I knew Matt he’s always said, ‘I’m going to start my own company, and you’re going to be my attorney.’” Lubin said. “It’s kind of always been in his blood, he’s always had that itch to be entrepreneurial.”
Though Lubin isn’t quite his attorney, he has offered his friend legal suggestions during the beginning stages of MacLean’s company, EcoEasy LLC. Instagate is a way for tailgaters to manage all the necessary equipment for a tailgate while also keeping the environment in mind, MacLean said.
“I love tailgating, when I was at Maryland it was one of my favorite things to do,” he said. “My family always would come down and tailgate at least once or twice a year, but really that was the only time I was able to tailgate. Unless you are in a club, organization, fraternity or have family there, it’s not easy for the average student to tailgate.”
After moving to New York post-graduation, MacLean encountered the same problem he had in college; he didn’t have or couldn’t store the equipment needed to tailgate.
MacLean launched his tailgate-in-a-box on Kickstarter two weeks ago, hoping to raise $25,000 in pledged support by Oct. 10. As of Wednesday, donors had pledged more than $27,000, and can order their own Instagate for about $39 — plus $12 shipping — until Oct. 10.
“The support was overwhelming,” said MacLean, who graduated with a finance degree. “It’s really starting to take off in a good direction.”
The box includes 10 tailgate essentials, including a grill, cooler, grill tools, biodegradable plates, forks, napkins and cups, two ping pong balls, a lighter and bottle opener tool, condiments and biodegradable trash bags. When completely unfolded, two of the three platforms can serve as a beer pong table.
“We see the Instagate as an actionable step towards making tailgating a little more green, by making it as easy as possible to separate trash and recyclables,” MacLean said.
As president and founder of EcoEasy, MacLean said he is completely invested in the project and isn’t worrying about what he can’t control.
“I tested one out and it was working great,” Lubin said. “I haven’t gotten to use them at a game yet, but that’s soon to change. … My favorite feature is the ease of cleanup.”
Senior journalism major Nick Leimbach tailgates with The Crew for soccer games at this university most weekends, and found the eco-friendly idea appealing because he knows how much waste tailgates create. But he isn’t sure that’s how he’d spend his money.
“It’s pretty cool for people who don’t really do that too much,” Leimbach said. “I feel like the people who are already tailgating might have those supplies already, but for maybe new kids to college who want to get into the tailgating scene, it’s a cool kit.”
Junior psychology major Ria Datta said she usually tailgates for football games with her friends, but she said she would consider buying such a kit. Parents would probably buy it more often than students, she said.
“It would be easier to have it all together,” Datta said.
With a few more weeks on Kickstarter, MacLean is talking to manufacturers, suppliers and marketers to make sure he’s putting out the best product.
“I’m very excited for the future,” he said. “I can’t tell you, it’s the best feeling in the world to have an idea in your head, then put it out there and get positive feedback. It’s so rewarding. … I believe in the product.”
