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Mycroft said it could not fulfill the remaining rewards from its Mark II Kickstarter because it lacked funds to continue meaningful operations. The campaign had raised $394,572 from 2,245 backers against a $50,000 goal, but the funding total did not guarantee every backer would receive a device.
What happened to the Mycroft Mark II Kickstarter?
The Mycroft Mark II was promoted as an open, privacy-focused voice assistant. Its Kickstarter campaign ran from January 25 to February 24, 2018, raising $394,572 from 2,245 backers against a $50,000 goal. The campaign page records a last update on February 10, 2023. Kickstarter campaign page
A later update titled “The End of the Campaign” announced that remaining rewards would not be fulfilled. The underlying update text is not available in the cited contemporaneous coverage, so the account of its contents rests on Hackster.io’s reporting and quotations from Mycroft CEO Michael Lewis. Hackster.io report Kickstarter update
Were all backers left without rewards?
No. The reporting says Mycroft could not fulfill the remaining campaign rewards; it does not establish that every backer went without a device. No reliable total for unfulfilled rewards, the share of backers affected, or the campaign’s overall losses is established by the available figures. The total raised cannot be used to calculate how many people received or did not receive a reward.
#1 Best Overall
- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
Lewis distinguished crowdfunding rewards from direct website purchases. Hackster quoted him saying, “We will still be shipping all orders that are made through the Mycroft website,” while also reporting his statement that the company lacked funds to continue fulfilling Kickstarter rewards or meaningful operations. That described the situation at the time of the report, not a guarantee of current retail availability. Hackster.io report
Why did Mycroft say it could not finish fulfillment?
Lewis attributed the financial strain to the cost of producing the revised Mark II and to ongoing litigation. Hackster reported his explanation that the original hardware partner could not deliver, the original design was shelved, and the replacement used off-the-shelf components and differed substantially from the original concept. These are the CEO’s account as reported by Hackster, not independently audited company figures.
Rank #2
- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
- Lewis said components for the revised design initially cost about $99 per device, then supply-chain disruption raised costs by around 50 percent.
- He described the out-the-door cost, including manufacturing and import expenses, as roughly $300 per device, before spreading about $100,000 in injection-mold costs across units.
- He called ongoing litigation with an unnamed patent holder the company’s most expensive unanticipated expense.
Hackster reported a historical retail price of $499. That was the price at the time of its coverage, not a confirmed current price or evidence that the Mark II remains on sale. Hackster.io report
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Does Mycroft’s current service status change the campaign outcome?
No. Mycroft’s status page reported its Core API as operational and all listed services online in a status record last updated September 29, 2026. That indicates the status of the listed service only; it does not show that hardware is currently being sold, that the company has funds for operations, or that old Kickstarter rewards will be shipped. Mycroft status page
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Alexa can show you more - Echo Show 5 includes a 5.5” display so you can see news and weather at a glance, make video calls, view compatible cameras, stream music and shows, and more.
- Small size, bigger sound – Stream your favorite music, shows, podcasts, and more from providers like Amazon Music, Spotify, and Prime Video—now with deeper bass and clearer vocals. Includes a 5.5" display so you can view shows, song titles, and more at a glance.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart devices like lights and thermostats, even while you're away.
- See more with the built-in camera – Check in on your family, pets, and more using the built-in camera. Drop in on your home when you're out or view the front door from your Echo Show 5 with compatible video doorbells.
- See your photos on display – When not in use, set the background to a rotating slideshow of your favorite photos. Invite family and friends to share photos to your Echo Show. Prime members also get unlimited cloud photo storage.
Rank #4
- Meet Echo Dot Max: Experience rich room-filling sound that automatically adapts to your space and fine-tunes playback. Features a built-in smart home hub and Omnisense technology for highly personalized experiences.
- Music to your ears: With nearly 3x the bass versus Echo Dot (2022 release), it fits beautifully in any space, delivering your personal sound stage with deep bass and enhanced clarity. Listen to streaming services, such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and SiriusXM. Encore!
- Do more with device pairing: Connect compatible Echo smart speakers and smart displays in different rooms, or pair with a second Echo Dot Max to enjoy even richer sound
- Simple smart home control: Set routines, pair and control lights, locks, and thousands of smart home devices that work with Alexa without needing a separate smart home hub. With Omnisense technology, you can activate routines via temperature or presence detection.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot Max doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
Rank #3
- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
