In March, the trio won a $2,500 Prototype Fund grant from Northeastern University’s Center for Research Innovation. Seven or eight prototypes later, the three friends are trying to raise the $60,000 needed to start manufacturing their Orbit turntable, which will retail for about $150, according to Bob Hertig, one of the company’s cofounders.

Hertig, who graduated from Northeastern in the spring with a mechanical engineering degree, said the friends launched a Kickstarter.com campaign this month, and got about a quarter of the way to their goal in 24 hours. They have until Jan. 21 to reach their target, or the money evaporates.