Earlier today, Sony announced First Flight, an internal crowdfunding platform that’s designed to finance projects from internal Sony employees. Think Indiegogo or Kickstarter but just for internal projects that will allow Sony employees to crowd fund their projects. The only slight twist or addition is that First Flight will also let backers pre-order and buy new devices developed by Sony workers.

Currently, First Flight seems limited to Japan only with only workers who are stationed there having access to the service. First Flight also seems to be only available to Japanese consumers so even if you can navigate the site, it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to pledge or purchase anything.

Kaz Hirai, Sony CEO and President, has allowed more freedom than his predecessors in hopes of reinvigorating the passion and unique innovations that Sony was known for. The hopes for First Flight is to allow workers to come up with projects and hopefully products that may have otherwise not made it had it been a sanctioned Sony product. Presumably, if the project garners the right attention, be it during its initial design phase or after its release on First Flight, Sony would then full invest in it and bring it to market in a way that crowdfunding sites can’t.

First Flight also allows for unique experimentation from Sony’s end without heavy capital investment; a win-win for Sony. Tomorrow, we’ll bring to you the first three projects on First Flight.

Discuss:

Do you think Sony should be funding these projects themselves, or do you think First Flight allows for Sony to find investment-worthy projects without risking too much?

[Via First Flight]