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littleBits Electronics

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Open-source library of electronic modules that allows users to learn electronics via prototypes

New York City, United StatesFounded 2011Robotics
Valuation $100–500M Latest valuation · 2015
Headcount <100 Current team size
Total funding $50–100M Disclosed equity funding
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About littleBits Electronics

littleBits Electronics, now part of Sphero, operates within the educational technology and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) market, providing tools that demystify electronics for learners. The company was established in September 2011 by Ayah Bdeir, an engineer, interactive artist, and an alumna of the MIT Media Lab. Bdeir's background in computer engineering, sociology, and media arts, combined with her passion for the maker movement, directly shaped the company's mission to make hardware accessible to everyone, regardless of their technical background. She first developed a prototype as an experiment to help designers engage with electronics, debuting it at the Maker Faire in 2009 before officially launching the company two years later.

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The company's core business revolves around the sale of its modular electronics kits. The product line consists of small, color-coded circuit boards called "Bits," each with a specific function like light, sound, or sensors. These Bits snap together with magnets, eliminating the need for soldering or complex wiring and allowing users to build and prototype inventions quickly. This modular system enables a vast number of potential combinations, fostering creativity and hands-on learning. The company has released numerous themed kits, including a Space Kit in collaboration with NASA and a Droid Inventor Kit with Disney. In 2014, littleBits introduced the "cloudBit," a module that enables creations to connect to the internet, expanding possibilities into the Internet of Things (IoT).

littleBits' business model is multi-faceted, generating revenue primarily through the direct sale of its kits via its website and retail partners. It also engages in collaborations with educational institutions, offering bulk purchasing options and curricula tailored for schools. The company serves a broad market, from individual consumers and families for at-home learning to K-12 schools, after-school programs, and makerspaces. Its products are designed to be adaptable for various age and skill levels, from elementary school to university. In August 2019, littleBits was acquired by Sphero, another key player in the educational robotics space. This merger combined the strengths of both companies, creating one of the largest entities in the educational STEAM market, with a joint portfolio of over 140 patents. Following the acquisition, founder Ayah Bdeir moved on from the company.

Source: Dealroom company data

At a glance

Status
Acquired
Founded
2011
Headquarters
New York City, United States
Employees
22
Open positions
None listed
Dealroom signal
60.9/100
Industry
Kids, Robotics
Sector
Robotics, Open Source, Children, Spinout, DT and LS, science-based
Technology
IoT InternetOfThings, Hardware, Deep Tech
Business model
Manufacturing, SaaS
Client focus
b2b, b2c
Investment activity
1 company, latest Aug 2018
Capital deployed
Preferred round
ACQUISITION

Latest news

Press, funding announcements and product moves mentioning littleBits Electronics.

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Funding history

7 recorded events

Company financing events and reported valuations.

Deal typeDateAmountValuationInvestorsSource
ACQUISITIONOther financing Aug 2019 $0 Sphero
SERIES BOther financing Jul 2015 $42M $169M Grishin Robotics · DFJ Growth · Wamda Capital · Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners
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Growth signals

littleBits Electronics website traffic

Latest recorded traffic for littleBits Electronics is 200 monthly website visits, down 84.6% over the last three months. littleBits Electronics's team declined 8.3% over the past year.

Latest monthly visits200 3-month web change-84.6% 1-year team growth-8.3%
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Similar companies

Closest operating peers by Dealroom taxonomy

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Investments and acquisitions

Capital deployed

Recent portfolio relationships for companies that also act as investors or acquirers.

Investors

12 investors on the cap table

From Dealroom's funding and investor records, grouped by the round each investor first entered.

Seed1 investor entered at this stage

  • Neoteny Labs

Series A9 investors entered at this stage

Other known investors2 additional known investors

  • MIT Media Lab
  • Sphero
Team profiled 31 named & role-tagged
Founders Hidden — book a demo/100 quality score
Key operators Hidden — book a demo quality score
Potential founders Hidden — book a demo likely future founders
Startup mafia Hidden — book a demo alumni-founded startups
Talent movements Hidden — book a demo in · Hidden — book a demo out past 12 months

Source: Dealroom Talent Intelligence.

Global footprint

Workforce and web traffic by country
Workforce by country
2 countries with
team presence
🇺🇸 United States85.7%
🇵🇰 Pakistan14.3%
2 countries shown

Market sentiment

Posts on X, past 7 days

An AI-synthesised read of the highest-engagement posts about littleBits Electronics on X, ranked by likes and reposts, corporate channels excluded.

Reading the room on X — pulling top posts and synthesizing themes…

Source: X recent search ranked by engagement (likes + retweets) · Synthesis by Claude · Cached for 1 hour

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