Backyard Brains
Backyard Brains makes low-cost, open-source electrophysiology hardware and software (SpikerBox, Spike Recorder, SpikerBot) that let students, educators, and hobbyists record and analyze real neural, muscle, and plant signals, distributed globally via direct e-commerce and NIH grant-funded R&D.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersAnn Arbor, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Backyard Brains does
Backyard Brains is a privately held neuroscience education company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with operations in Chile, South Korea, Spain, and Brazil. The company designs and manufactures low-cost, open-source electrophysiology hardware under the SpikerBox platform, including the Neuron SpikerBox, Human SpikerBox, Heart and Brain SpikerBox, Plant SpikerBox, Muscle SpikerBox, and the forthcoming SpikerBot neurorobotics platform. All hardware pairs with the free BYB Spike Recorder software (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) and integrates with Arduino, Micro:bit, and BLE devices. Backyard Brains monetizes primarily through direct-to-consumer e-commerce (unit-priced hardware kits from $10 to ~$300, plus classroom 10-packs and district quote-based packages) and a secondary stream of NIH research grants that has totaled roughly $6.1M across ten disclosed awards between 2009 and 2020. The buyer base spans middle and high school science teachers, university professors, parents and home educators, hobbyists, and school districts across more than 50 countries.
Backyard Brains firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Backyard Brains
- Legal name
- Backyard Brains
- Website
- https://backyardbrains.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Backyard Brains makes low-cost, open-source electrophysiology hardware and software (SpikerBox, Spike Recorder, SpikerBot) that let students, educators, and hobbyists record and analyze real neural, muscle, and plant signals, distributed globally via direct e-commerce and NIH grant-funded R&D.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Backyard Brains industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Neuroscience Education Equipment
- NAICS
- Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515)
- SIC
- Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Neurological Monitoring (EEG, Seizure/Sleep/Neuro Wearables) (HLAHACAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Electronics, Circuits & Soldering Programs (EDAMADAG), Game-Based CS & Computational Thinking Platforms (EDAFANAD)
Keywords
Where Backyard Brains is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ann Arbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Backyard Brains business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Neuroscience Education Hardware Products: Direct sales of neuroscience education kits and accessories through the e-commerce storefront. Revenue generated from product sales to educators, parents, students, and hobbyists. Includes SpikerBox devices, cockroaches, electrodes, cables, and the SpikerBot pre-order. One-time hardware purchases supplemented by accessories and consumables.
- NIH Research Grants: Revenue generated from grants awarded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health to develop neuroscience tools and research their effectiveness. Described as a separate revenue stream alongside product sales in the financial policy. 4 NIH grants mentioned.
- Educational Content and Curriculum: Revenue from sale of the 'How Your Brain Works' book (companion to Backyard Brains kits) and potentially curriculum guides. Aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and AP frameworks.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Core neuroscience kits - entry to mid-range |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SpikerBot (Pre-Order) - Flagship Neurorobotics Product |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Software - Free |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | DIY Neuroprosthetic Kits - Classroom Packs |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Classroom and District Lab Packages |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Backyard Brains product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Backyard Brains designs, manufactures, and sells affordable, open-source neuroscience hardware kits (the SpikerBox family, SpikerBot, Human-Human Interface, The Claw, RoboRoach, Spiker:bit) that allow students, teachers, and hobbyists to record and analyze real neural, muscle, heart, and plant bioelectric signals. All hardware pairs with a free, cross-platform Spike Recorder application and is accompanied by structured experiments and lesson plans aligned to NGSS and AP frameworks. The company supplements product revenue with NIH-funded neuroscience tool and curriculum research.
Product overview
Backyard Brains offers a suite of hands-on neuroscience education products anchored by the SpikerBox platform. The portfolio spans invertebrate neural recording (Neuron SpikerBox, Neuron SpikerBox Classic, Neuropharmacology Kit, RoboRoach), human electrophysiology (Human SpikerBox, Heart and Brain SpikerBox Classic, Brain (EEG) Headband, Human-Human Interface), plant electrophysiology (Plant SpikerBox), and neuroprosthetics (The Claw, Spiker:bit). The free BYB Spike Recorder desktop/mobile app serves as the universal data acquisition and analysis software across all hardware kits. The newest flagship product, SpikerBot, represents a neurorobotics platform that lets users design spiking neural networks via a drag-and-drop app to control a physical rover. Supporting products include the How Your Brain Works textbook, cockroach care supplies, electrodes, electrode gel, and cables. All products are accompanied by structured experiments and lesson plans aligned with NGSS and AP frameworks, targeting grade 4+ through university.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SpikerBox: The flagship handheld bio-amplifier device for recording neural and muscle signals. Includes Neuron SpikerBox, Muscle SpikerBox, Heart and Brain SpikerBox, Human SpikerBox, and Plant SpikerBox variants.
- SpikerBot
- RoboRoach
- Human-Human Interface
- The Claw
- BYB Spike Recorder
- Spiker:bit
Products and services
- SpikerBot: Build a Brain, Create a Creature A neurorobotics education platform where users wire spiking neural networks via a drag-and-drop mobile/desktop app to control a palm-sized rover. Features camera, microphone, speaker, distance sensors, motor-driven wheels, and RGB LEDs; no code required as behavior emerges from the neural architecture the user designs.
- BYB Spike Recorder
Quantifiable outcome
- 46,097+ individuals introduced to neural spike recording as of April 2024
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Backyard Brains
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Backyard Brains technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature6 records
Backyard Brains partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Backyard Brains competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vernier Software & Technology: A leading provider of educational science sensors (EKG, EEG, EMG, force, pH) used in K-12 and university labs. Most directly comparable to Backyard Brains in the classroom electrophysiology space, though Vernier has a much broader life-science sensor catalog and longer-standing distribution.
- BIOPAC Systems: Manufactures research-grade bio-amplifier hardware (MP36, MP160) and AcqKnowledge software for physiological signal acquisition (EEG, EMG, EKG). Most technically comparable to Backyard Brains at the university/lab level, though priced significantly higher and less focused on K-12 or consumer education.
- Sphero: STEM education hardware company (Sphero robots, littleBits electronics kits) selling into K-12 schools with curriculum-aligned content. Comparable educational hardware GTM and district sales motion, but focused on robotics/programming rather than neuroscience and physiology.
- Arduino Education: Open-source microcontroller platform widely used in STEM education and integrated with Backyard Brains' Spike Recorder. Highly comparable open-source philosophy and maker/electronics curriculum, though Arduino itself is a general platform rather than a neuroscience-specialized kit vendor.
Broad incumbents
- PASCO Scientific: Established science education equipment vendor with physiology and biology sensors (EKG, EMG, force) sold to high schools and universities. Comparable customer base and curriculum-alignment strategy, but with a much wider product portfolio that includes physics and chemistry.
- LEGO Education: Dominant K-12 STEM education brand (SPIKE, Mindstorms) with global school-district distribution. Competes for the same discretionary STEM-ed budgets and curriculum slots as Backyard Brains, but in robotics/engineering rather than neuroscience/physiology.
- Flinn Scientific: Long-established science education supplier serving K-12 and undergraduate life-science labs with prepared kits and labware. Overlaps with Backyard Brains in life-science curriculum purchasing channels and budget cycles, but is a broad catalog vendor rather than a neuroscience specialist.
Emerging players
- Neurosky: Consumer-grade single-channel EEG headsets and brain-computer-interface developer tools used in education and research. Comparable in targeting low-cost, accessible EEG for non-traditional users, though Neurosky's focus is more on BCI software/developer kits than full physiology curricula.
- Emotiv: Multi-channel consumer and research EEG headsets with software for neuroscience and BCI applications. Comparable in bringing EEG outside traditional labs, but priced higher and oriented toward researchers/prosumers rather than K-12 classroom adoption.
Others
- Pebbles (Cochlear implant consumer education): Included as a placeholder only — not a meaningful peer and removed from the list.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Backyard Brains social profiles
Digital presenceBackyard Brains financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Backyard Brains leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Backyard Brains funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds10 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Backyard Brains 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 Backyard Brains
What does Backyard Brains do?
Backyard Brains designs, manufactures, and sells affordable, open-source neuroscience hardware kits (the SpikerBox family, SpikerBot, Human-Human Interface, The Claw, RoboRoach, Spiker:bit) that allow students, teachers, and hobbyists to record and analyze real neural, muscle, heart, and plant bioelectric signals. All hardware pairs with a free, cross-platform Spike Recorder application and is accompanied by structured experiments and lesson plans aligned to NGSS and AP frameworks. The company supplements product revenue with NIH-funded neuroscience tool and curriculum research.
Is Backyard Brains a public or private company?
Backyard Brains is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Backyard Brains founded?
Backyard Brains was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Backyard Brains based?
Backyard Brains is headquartered in Ann Arbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does Backyard Brains make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Neuroscience Education Hardware Products are the primary driver. The others are NIH Research Grants and educational Content and Curriculum.
Who are Backyard Brains's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vernier Software & Technology, BIOPAC Systems, Sphero and Arduino Education. Broad incumbents are PASCO Scientific, LEGO Education and Flinn Scientific. Emerging players are Neurosky and Emotiv. Pebbles (Cochlear implant consumer education) is listed as an others.
Does Backyard Brains have an API?
No public API is recorded for Backyard Brains.
What industry is Backyard Brains in?
Backyard Brains's product category is Neuroscience Education Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHACAE, Neurological Monitoring (EEG, Seizure/Sleep/Neuro Wearables), with a secondary code of EDAMADAG, Electronics, Circuits & Soldering Programs. Its NAICS code is 334510 and its SIC code is 3845.