KiwiCo

What KiwiCo does

KiwiCo, Inc. is a privately-held children's education and consumer products company founded in 2011 by Sandra Oh Lin and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company designs, develops, and delivers hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) project kits organized into eight age-segmented subscription product lines — Panda Crate (0-36 months), Koala Crate (3-6), Kiwi Crate (6-9), Atlas Crate (6-12, geography), Doodle Crate (6-12, art), Tinker Crate (9-12), Maker Crate (12-100, art/design), and Eureka Crate (12-100, engineering) — plus a KiwiCo Clubs subscription introduced in October 2024. Each kit combines physical materials, instructional content, activity guides, and digital extensions designed with input from pediatric and child development experts including Dr. Dimitri Christakis of Seattle Children's Hospital and Stanford University science education advisors. KiwiCo has delivered over 50 million crates globally across these product lines.

The business model centers on recurring subscription revenue across the age-tiered crate lines, supplemented by one-time e-commerce purchases of individual science kits, art supplies, and toys at price points from $4.95 to $179.95, gift card sales, baby registry sales, and a dedicated B2B education division (education.kiwico.com) serving schools and groups with bulk classroom orders. Pricing tiers range from $42 per bi-monthly Panda Crate Essentials up to $82 for Panda Crate Deluxe, with monthly subscriptions for older cohorts, free U.S. shipping, member perks, and promotional offers (e.g., 40% off first crate). Go-to-market combines DTC e-commerce through kiwico.com, retail distribution across 800 Target and 450 Barnes & Noble stores (added July 2024), international shipping to 40+ countries with multi-currency support, and baby-registry listings on Target, Babylist, Amazon, and MyRegistry.

The company serves primarily parents and caregivers across five distinct age-segmented customer groups, with a strong bias toward early-childhood and school-age cohorts and a secondary institutional segment in K-12 and homeschool education. A multi-channel marketing engine supports acquisition, including social media (1.3M Facebook, 960k Instagram, 349k YouTube, 188k TikTok, 141.9k Pinterest followers), influencer and parenting-expert partnerships, an affiliate program, and earned media coverage. Leadership is anchored by founder and CEO Sandra Oh Lin, supported by a formalized executive team including a Chief Revenue Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Product & Merchandising Officer, and senior directors across finance, e-commerce, and operations.

Name

KiwiCo

Legal name

KiwiCo, Inc.

Website

https://kiwico.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

KiwiCo is a private direct-to-consumer subscription company designing and delivering hands-on STEAM project kits across eight age-tiered lines for children and adults. Founded in 2011, it has shipped over 50 million crates globally and expanded into retail in 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's STEAM Subscription Kits

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Educational Supplies & Learning Toys Retail (CRALAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Kids Crafts & Educational Craft Kits Retail (CRALACAG), DIY Kits, STEM Electronics & Maker Bundles Retail (CRACAKAN), Educational/Children’s Learning Games & Puzzles Retail (CRALALAN)

Keywords

• Children's subscription boxes
• STEM education kits
• Hands-on learning kits
• Kids educational toys
• STEAM activity boxes

Headquarters

HQ city

Mountain View

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription Boxes: Recurring monthly or bi-monthly subscription revenue from eight different subscription crate products targeting ages 0-100+. Customers subscribe to receive curated STEM/STEAM project kits delivered on a recurring schedule.
2. Individual Product Sales: One-time purchase revenue from individual science kits, art supplies, toys, and project materials sold through the KiwiCo online store. Products range from $4.95 to $179.95.
3. Gift Cards: Digital and potentially physical gift card sales allowing recipients to apply credit toward KiwiCo subscriptions or products.
4. Baby Registry Integration: Partnership with Target and Babylist for baby registry integration, driving sales through registry purchases.
5. Education/B2B Sales: Bulk orders, classroom packs, and school/group programs through education.kiwico.com for educational institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KiwiCo designs, manufactures, and ships age-segmented STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) subscription crates and individual educational kits for children from birth through adulthood. The company sells directly through kiwico.com, through major physical retail partners (Target and Barnes & Noble), and via an education division serving schools and groups with bulk classroom materials.

Product overview

KiwiCo operates a multi-tiered subscription-based children's educational product business offering 8 distinct age-appropriate subscription crates: Panda Crate (0-36 months), Koala Crate (3-6 years), Kiwi Crate (6-9 years), Atlas Crate (6-12 years), Doodle Crate (6-12 years), Tinker Crate (9-12 years), Maker Crate (12-100), and Eureka Crate (12-100). These subscription crates deliver hands-on STEAM projects monthly or bimonthly, each containing age-specific materials, instructions, and activity guides. Additionally, KiwiCo operates an e-commerce store selling individual science kits, art supplies, toys, and books across categories including electronics, chemistry, motion & mechanics, pretend play, animals & nature, and project & book gift sets. The subscription crates and individual products are designed with input from child development experts including Dr. Dimitri Christakis of Seattle Children's Hospital.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Panda Crate: Baby and toddler subscription box for ages 0-36 months focusing on brain-building play and developmental milestones.
• Koala Crate
• Kiwi Crate
• Atlas Crate
• Doodle Crate
• Tinker Crate
• Maker Crate
• Eureka Crate
• KiwiCo Clubs

Products and services

• Panda Crate Bi-monthly subscription play kit for babies and toddlers from birth to 36 months, delivering age-specific toys, caregiver activity guides, and sensory materials aligned with developmental milestones. Co-developed with Dr. Dimitri Christakis of Seattle Children's Hospital and offered in partnership with Emily Oster's ParentData. 4.8-star rating across 3,197 reviews.
• Koala Crate Monthly activity box for children ages 3–6 featuring age-appropriate themed hands-on toys, builds, and storybooks designed to build confidence and develop early skills. 4.7-star rating across 9,381 reviews.
• Kiwi Crate Monthly science box for children ages 6–9 delivering STEAM projects with instructions, materials, and bonus challenges that teach science, art, and engineering concepts. 4.7-star rating across 13,608 reviews.
• Atlas Crate Monthly geography and culture subscription box for children ages 6–12, delivering hands-on projects, recipes, and exclusive collectible pins exploring different countries and cultures. 4.7-star rating across 2,839 reviews.
• Doodle Crate Monthly art and craft subscription box for children ages 6–12, providing craft projects with step-by-step instructions and all materials needed to explore new art techniques and build creative confidence. 4.7-star rating across 3,229 reviews.
• Tinker Crate Monthly engineering kit for children ages 9–12 offering hands-on STEM projects with a 'low threshold, high ceiling' design that makes science and engineering accessible while building problem-solving skills. 4.7-star rating across 11,235 reviews.
• Maker Crate Monthly craft kit for teens and adults ages 12–100, featuring design projects that explore new mediums and techniques with step-by-step tutorial videos and materials for functional art creation. 4.7-star rating across 847 reviews.
• Eureka Crate Monthly engineering and design subscription for teens and adults ages 12–100, featuring complex builds such as desk lamps, ukuleles, and pinball machines that teach engineering and design principles. 4.8-star rating across 4,537 reviews.
• KiwiCo Clubs STEM toy subscription service launched in October 2024, endorsed by parenting experts for its educational value and designed to expand KiwiCo's subscription footprint.
• KiwiCo Store individual kits and supplies Direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at kiwico.com/store offering one-time-purchase individual science kits, art supplies, toys, books, and project and gift sets across categories including electronics, chemistry, motion & mechanics, pretend play, animals & nature, and art kits. Free shipping on orders over $75.
• KiwiCo Education (Schools & Groups) B2B service for K-12 schools, homeschool groups, and educational institutions providing bulk orders, classroom packs, custom programs, and quote-based purchasing of KiwiCo STEAM kits and curriculum.
• KiwiCo Gift Cards Digital gift cards sold through kiwico.com that recipients can redeem toward KiwiCo subscription crates or individual store products, used for birthdays, baby showers, and holiday gifting.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 million crates delivered worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• TargetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 July 2024KiwiCo launched its children's education products in 800 Target stores in July 2024, targeting diverse customer segments ahead of the back-to-school season. This retail partnership marks a significant expansion beyond online-only sales after over a decade of online-only business.
• Barnes & NoblecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 July 2024KiwiCo launched its children's education products in 450 Barnes & Noble stores in July 2024, expanding distribution alongside Target partnership. This represents the company's first major retail presence after over a decade of online-only sales.
• Dr. Dimitri Christakis (Seattle Children's Hospital)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle Children's Hospital pediatrician Dr. Dimitri Christakis, MD, MPH helps develop KiwiCo products and curriculum, particularly for Panda Crate. His expertise in child development informs the age-specific design and milestone-aligned approach of the products.
• Emily Oster / ParentDatastrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Emily Oster's ParentData provides KiwiCo customers with exclusive discounts and data-driven parenting guidance. Emily Oster is the author of Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm & The Unexpected, and CEO of ParentData.
• BabylistminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKiwiCo products are available through Babylist baby registry, allowing gift-giving for baby showers and new parents.
• Target Baby RegistryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKiwiCo products integrated into Target's baby registry platform, enabling parents to add KiwiCo items to their baby registries for gift occasions.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lovevery: Subscription-based baby and toddler development toy company; directly competes with KiwiCo's Panda Crate line in the 0-36 months milestone-driven developmental play segment.
• Little Passports: Subscription box delivering geography and culture-themed activities for kids; directly comparable to KiwiCo's Atlas Crate line and the broader monthly subscription model.
• Raddish Kids: Subscription-based cooking kits for kids with curriculum content; comparable to KiwiCo's subscription model, age-tier structure, and hands-on learning approach.
• Green Kid Crafts: Monthly STEAM and nature-themed craft subscription box for kids; directly competes with KiwiCo's Doodle and Tinker Crates on craft and STEM subscription positioning.
• Bitsbox: STEM-focused subscription delivering monthly coding and technology projects for kids; comparable to KiwiCo's Tinker and Eureka Crates on the STEM subscription front.

Others

• Babylist: Baby registry and parenting marketplace; KiwiCo's channel partner via Babylist registry integration, representing an adjacent ecosystem player rather than a direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Fat Brain Toys: Specialty retailer focused on developmental and STEM toys; adjacent competitor carrying many products similar to KiwiCo's individual store SKUs (electronics, motion/mechanics, science kits).

Broad incumbents

• LEGO Education: STEAM learning arm of LEGO targeting schools and consumers; broader incumbent with significant resources competing in hands-on STEM kits and curriculum across school and home markets.
• Melissa & Doug: Large educational and developmental toy brand offering age-tiered products; broader incumbent overlapping with KiwiCo's hands-on play, craft, and developmental toy positioning.
• Highlights: Long-established kids educational content and toy brand; broader incumbent with overlapping content and age-targeting across KiwiCo's full age range, though delivered via different formats.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/kiwico
• Facebookfacebook.com/KiwiCo
• Instagraminstagram.com/kiwico_inc
• TikToktiktok.com/@kiwico_inc?lang=en
• Pinterestpinterest.com/KiwiCo
• Xx.com/kiwicrate

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors20 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KiwiCo