The CEO of LiveMap and his usability expert, Dmitry Sizonov, are in the midst of a West Coast tour showing off the first prototype of the start-up’s augmented reality motorcycle helmet. It’s an awesome idea, but so far, it’s been rough going.

“You can’t raise venture money in Russia,” Artishchev tells WIRED as Sizonov sets up an intricate array of electronics, wires, and mounts. “Russia is like the U.S. They only want to invest in software, not hardware.”

That’s a common cry from ambitious entrepreneurs around the world, and it’s one reason crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter have come to prominence.