Ello
Ello is a Boulder, Colorado-based consumer products company that designs and sells Clean Start™, a children's tableware line made from premium porcelain ceramic with removable food-safe silicone bumpers, targeting modern families seeking non-toxic alternatives to traditional kids' dishware.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersBoulder, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ello does
Ello is a Boulder, Colorado-based consumer products company founded in 2014 that designs and sells children's tableware. The company's primary product is Clean Start™, a collection of premium porcelain ceramic dishes featuring removable food-safe silicone bumpers, positioned as a non-toxic alternative to traditional kids' dishware for modern families. The company is led by CEO Paul Budnitz and operates with 11-50 employees.
Ello generates revenue through one-time product sales of its ceramic tableware line, reaching consumers directly via major e-commerce platforms including Amazon. The company leverages PR and earned media as its primary marketing channel, generating awareness through press release distribution rather than paid advertising. The Clean Start™ trademark is registered, and the product blends porcelain ceramic with food-safe silicone bumpers, which is the firm's core technology and primary differentiator in the children's tableware category.
Historically, the company raised approximately $11.6M across multiple funding rounds from 2014-2020, with Techstars, Techstars Ventures, Foundry Group, and FreshTracks Capital as primary investors. The company has pivoted its focus to consumer goods, as evidenced by the February 2026 launch of Clean Start™, with no significant funding activity disclosed since 2020.
Ello firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ello
- Legal name
- Ello
- Website
- https://ello.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ello is a Boulder, Colorado-based consumer products company that designs and sells Clean Start™, a children's tableware line made from premium porcelain ceramic with removable food-safe silicone bumpers, targeting modern families seeking non-toxic alternatives to traditional kids' dishware.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ello industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Tableware
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disposable Tableware (Plates, Cups, Cutlery) (CRAJAGAG)
Keywords
Where Ello is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boulder
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Ello business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of ceramic tableware products, specifically the Clean Start™ children's tableware line featuring premium porcelain with removable silicone bumpers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Ello product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ello manufactures and sells the Clean Start™ children's tableware line, a collection of premium porcelain ceramic dishware featuring removable food-safe silicone bumpers. The product is designed for modern families seeking non-toxic, durable, and aesthetically contemporary alternatives to traditional plastic kids' dishware for mealtime use.
Product overview
Based on the available source data, Ello's product portfolio consists of Clean Start™, a children's tableware collection. This is a single product offering (ceramic tableware with food-safe silicone bumpers) rather than a technology or AI platform. The company has also been mentioned in the context of an AI reading tutor for children (Ello/Ell o), but detailed product information for that offering is not available in the provided sources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Clean Start™: A children's tableware collection made from premium porcelain ceramic with removable food-safe silicone bumpers, designed for modern families seeking non-toxic alternatives to traditional kids' dishware.
Products and services
- Clean Start™
Companies that use Ello
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Ello technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Ello partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Ello competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- OXO Tot: OXO's children's line offers toddler tableware, feeding, and care products, overlapping with Clean Start™ but within a much broader housewares portfolio.
- Boon: Children's feeding and mealtime brand with plates, bowls, and utensils; relevant competitor in the kids' tableware space though broader in scope.
- The First Years: Mass-market baby and toddler feeding brand offering plates, bowls, and utensils at broader retail, serving as a value-tier incumbent in the same category.
Direct peers
- Innobaby: Children's mealtime products including stainless steel and non-toxic dinnerware; competes in the same safe, modern kids' tableware category.
- Mushie: Scandinavian-inspired baby and toddler brand with silicone bibs, plates, and bowls aimed at modern, design-conscious parents.
- EZPZ: Makers of silicone placemats, plates, and bowls for toddlers, sharing Ello's parent-targeted, non-toxic, child-safe mealtime positioning.
- Re-Play: Direct competitor in children's tableware, making plates, bowls, and utensils from recycled, non-toxic plastic aimed at the same modern, safety-conscious parent segment.
- Lalo: Premium DTC baby and toddler brand with modern aesthetic and non-toxic materials, competing for the same high-spend, design-conscious parent cohort.
- Green Sprouts: Eco-friendly baby and toddler feeding products, including non-toxic plates and bowls, directly comparable to Ello's safety-first value proposition.
- Bentgo: Premium children's mealtime brand selling leak-proof lunch boxes and tableware; directly competes for the same 'modern family, non-toxic, design-forward' positioning.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Ello social profiles
Digital presenceEllo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ello leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Ello funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ello M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ello
What does Ello do?
Ello manufactures and sells the Clean Start™ children's tableware line, a collection of premium porcelain ceramic dishware featuring removable food-safe silicone bumpers. The product is designed for modern families seeking non-toxic, durable, and aesthetically contemporary alternatives to traditional plastic kids' dishware for mealtime use.
Is Ello a public or private company?
Ello is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Ello founded?
Ello was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ello based?
Ello is headquartered in Boulder, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ello make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales.
Who are Ello's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are OXO Tot, Boon and The First Years. Direct peers are Innobaby, Mushie, EZPZ, Re-Play, Lalo, Green Sprouts and Bentgo.
Does Ello have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ello.
What industry is Ello in?
Ello's product category is Children's Tableware. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAJAGAG, Disposable Tableware (Plates, Cups, Cutlery).