littleBits Electronics
littleBits Electronics designs modular, snap-together electronic building blocks and the Fuse coding app for STEAM education, serving K-12 schools, educators, and families through direct e-commerce and the Savvas distribution partnership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What littleBits Electronics does
littleBits Electronics, founded in 2011 and headquartered in New York, is an open-source library of modular electronic components designed to teach electronics, engineering, and coding through hands-on prototyping. The company's core product is a system of magnetic, snap-together hardware modules called "Bits" that allow users to build circuits and interactive projects without soldering or wiring expertise, paired with the littleBits Fuse digital app for coding instruction and a library of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) and Coding lessons. The platform serves two primary customer segments: K-12 schools and educators (the dominant vertical), and individual consumers and families using kits for home-based learning.
Revenue is generated through direct hardware kit sales via the littlebits.com e-commerce storefront and institutional sales routed through the Savvas educational distribution partnership, with the littleBits Fuse app positioned as a potential recurring-revenue digital layer. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; bulk orders are handled through dedicated US and international sales representatives. The company operates as a wholly-owned brand under Sphero Inc., with littleBits, Bits, bitLab, and several tagline trademarks registered to the parent. Acquired DIY.org in August 2018 to broaden its digital learning footprint, bringing total disclosed venture funding to approximately $70M across rounds spanning 2011-2018. The brand is identified as a key industry player in the global STEM toys market alongside LEGO Group, Mattel, and Kano Computing.
littleBits Electronics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- littleBits Electronics
- Legal name
- Sphero Inc.
- Website
- https://littlebits.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- littleBits Electronics designs modular, snap-together electronic building blocks and the Fuse coding app for STEAM education, serving K-12 schools, educators, and families through direct e-commerce and the Savvas distribution partnership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
littleBits Electronics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- STEM Educational Electronics
- NAICS
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (3344)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Maker / DIY Electronics & Physical Computing Platforms (EDAFANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Electronics, Circuits & Soldering Programs (EDAMADAG)
Keywords
Where littleBits Electronics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
littleBits Electronics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Kits: Physical electronic building block kits sold to consumers, educators, and schools for hands-on STEAM learning experiences
- littleBits Fuse App: Digital platform/app for coding and electronics education, potentially offering in-app purchases or subscriptions
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
littleBits Electronics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
littleBits designs and sells modular electronic building blocks ("Bits") that snap together magnetically so learners can build circuits and prototypes without soldering or wiring. The hardware is paired with the littleBits Fuse digital app for coding activities and a library of STEAM and coding lessons for classroom and home use. The core customers are K-12 schools, educators, makerspaces, and individual consumers/families seeking hands-on STEM learning experiences.
Product overview
littleBits Electronics, a subsidiary of Sphero Inc., offers a platform of electronic building blocks and related digital tools designed for STEAM education and coding learning. The product portfolio consists of physical hardware modules (Bits) that snap together magnetically to create circuits, accompanied by the littleBits Fuse app for coding/creation activities and a library of STEAM and Coding lessons for educational use. The offering represents a modular, hands-on learning system where physical electronic components are combined with digital learning content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- littleBits Fuse: Online platform/app for littleBits electronics and coding lessons
Products and services
- littleBits electronic building blocks (Bits) Modular electronic modules ("Bits") that snap together magnetically so learners of all ages can build circuits and prototypes without soldering or wiring. Sold to consumers, educators, and schools for hands-on STEAM learning experiences.
- littleBits Fuse App Digital application platform associated with littleBits that provides coding and creation activities for use with the littleBits electronics platform. Available via fuse.littlebits.com.
- littleBits STEAM and Coding Lessons A comprehensive library of educational lessons focused on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) and coding, designed for use with littleBits electronic building block products in classroom and home learning settings.
Companies that use littleBits Electronics
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
littleBits Electronics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
littleBits Electronics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SavvascoreSavvas (formerly known as Pearson K12 Learning) is listed as a partner on the littleBits website. Savvas is an educational publisher and distributor serving K-12 schools, providing curriculum and learning solutions. The partnership enables littleBits to reach institutional buyers through Savvas's established distribution network for educational institutions and schools.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
littleBits Electronics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ozobot: Educational robotics and coding tools for K-12 (Ozobot Bit, Evo) used in classrooms to teach STEAM and coding. Comparable buyer (school districts, educators) and STEM curriculum integration approach.
- LEGO Education: LEGO's K-12 educational division offering hands-on STEAM building sets (including LEGO Mindstorms and SPIKE) that compete head-to-head with littleBits in classrooms, makerspaces, and at-home learning. Most direct competitor given overlapping curriculum integration and school procurement channels.
- Kano Computing: Maker of build-your-own computer and electronics kits for kids, explicitly named alongside littleBits as a key industry player in the global STEM toys market. Highly comparable target customer (children, schools, families) and product-led educational offering.
- Makeblock: Provider of STEAM education solutions including mBot, Codey Rocky, and the Neuron electronic building block platform — directly analogous to littleBits' snap-together module concept. Targets schools, makerspaces, and families with hardware + coding software.
- Arduino Education: Maker-focused electronics platform with a dedicated education division offering STEAM kits and curriculum. Competes with littleBits in teaching electronics and coding concepts through hands-on hardware, though typically pitched to slightly older learners.
- Raspberry Pi Foundation: Low-cost computing and electronics platform widely used in K-12 and maker education. Competes for the same institutional STEAM budget and educator mindshare as littleBits, particularly for older students learning coding and electronics.
- Micro:bit Educational Foundation: Pocket-sized programmable computer adopted in schools globally for coding and electronics lessons. Direct competitor in the classroom electronics-and-coding category, often distributed through national education programs.
- VEX Robotics: Provider of educational robotics kits (VEX IQ, VEX EDR) and competition platforms widely used in K-12 STEM programs. Competes for school STEM budgets and after-school makerspace participation.
Broad incumbents
- Sphero: Parent company of littleBits and a broader STEAM education robotics brand (programmable robots, apps for schools). Operates in the same K-12 STEAM category with overlapping distribution and content but anchored on robotic balls rather than modular electronics.
- Mattel (Tynker / STEAM brands): Global toy incumbent with expanding educational offerings including the Tynker coding platform acquisition. Competes with littleBits across both consumer and educational channels and has substantially larger scale and retail reach.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
littleBits Electronics social profiles
Digital presencelittleBits Electronics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
littleBits Electronics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
littleBits Electronics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors16 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
littleBits Electronics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about littleBits Electronics
What does littleBits Electronics do?
littleBits designs and sells modular electronic building blocks ("Bits") that snap together magnetically so learners can build circuits and prototypes without soldering or wiring. The hardware is paired with the littleBits Fuse digital app for coding activities and a library of STEAM and coding lessons for classroom and home use. The core customers are K-12 schools, educators, makerspaces, and individual consumers/families seeking hands-on STEM learning experiences.
Is littleBits Electronics a public or private company?
littleBits Electronics is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was littleBits Electronics founded?
littleBits Electronics was founded in 2011. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is littleBits Electronics based?
littleBits Electronics is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does littleBits Electronics make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware Kits are the primary driver. The others are littleBits Fuse App.
Who are littleBits Electronics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ozobot, LEGO Education, Kano Computing, Makeblock, Arduino Education, Raspberry Pi Foundation, Micro:bit Educational Foundation and VEX Robotics. Broad incumbents are Sphero and Mattel (Tynker / STEAM brands).
Does littleBits Electronics have an API?
No public API is recorded for littleBits Electronics.
What industry is littleBits Electronics in?
littleBits Electronics's product category is STEM Educational Electronics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFANAC, Maker / DIY Electronics & Physical Computing Platforms, with a secondary code of EDAMADAG, Electronics, Circuits & Soldering Programs. Its NAICS code is 3344 and its SIC code is 3944.