Joby

What Joby does

JOBY Innovation Inc. is a California-based designer and seller of mechanical mounting and support accessories for cameras and smartphones, founded in 2005 by engineer JoeBen Bevirt. The company is best known for its flagship GorillaPod flexible-leg tripod line and has expanded into a portfolio of five product sub-brands: GorillaPod (flexible tripods for cameras up to 3kg), HandyPod (compact pocket tripods), TelePod (extendable tripod/selfie stick hybrids), GripTight (phone mounts with MagSafe and cold shoe integration), and PodZilla (suction-cup tripods). Core technology centers on flexible bendable-leg architectures, magnetic mounting systems compatible with MagSafe, standardized 1/4-20 thread interfaces, cold shoe accessory integration, and miniaturized form factors (e.g., the NanoPod at 9mm thickness and 70g weight).

JOBY operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce business through joby.com, powered by Shopify, supplemented by third-party retail distribution via Amazon and Best Buy. Pricing follows a unit-pricing model with individual products priced from approximately $25 to $110, supported by free-shipping thresholds and promotional cycles (Prime Day discounts of 15-20%). The company fulfills from three regional warehouses (US, Czech Republic, China) and ships to over 30 countries across North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia. Customer segments are horizontal, targeting content creators, smartphone users, action camera users, and mirrorless/DSLR photographers without a B2B enterprise focus.

In 2025, JOBY was acquired by Shenzhen-based Weiji Technology, a Chinese e-commerce company that exceeded 1 billion yuan in revenue that year while expanding into Brazil. JOBY maintains its product portfolio and brand identity as an acquired brand within Weiji's portfolio. The company employs 51-100 people and has demonstrated an accelerated product cadence in 2026, launching five new products across the HandyPod, GripTight, TelePod, NanoPod, and PodZilla lines between March and June 2026, with a strategic emphasis on MagSafe-compatible smartphone accessories and integrated creator-tool features such as fill lights and wireless remotes.

Name

Joby

Legal name

JOBY Innovation Inc.

Website

http://joby.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

JOBY is a 20-year-old California-based designer and direct-to-consumer seller of flexible tripods, phone mounts, and creator accessories under the GorillaPod, HandyPod, TelePod, GripTight, and PodZilla lines, serving content creators and smartphone users globally and recently acquired by China's Weiji Technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Camera and Smartphone Mounting Accessories

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Electronic Components & Accessories (3670)

akta.pro primary industry

Tripods, Mounts & Supports (Tripods, Monopods, Clamps, Action Mounts) (CRACAPAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wearable Cameras & Clip-on Tech (CRACAIAJ), Tech & Utility Accessories (Phone Cases, Watch Bands, Key Holders) (CRAAAJAK)

Keywords

• Camera tripods
• Phone mounts
• Flexible tripods
• Content creator accessories
• Camera support systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Petaluma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Product Sales: JOBY generates revenue primarily through the sale of physical camera and phone accessories including tripods, mounts, stands, and related accessories. Products are sold at various price points ranging from approximately $25 to $110 for individual items. The company sells directly through joby.com and indirectly through third-party retail channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

JOBY designs, manufactures, and sells camera and smartphone mounting accessories for content creators, including flexible-leg tripods, compact pocket tripods, telescoping tripods/selfie sticks, magnetic folding mounts, suction-cup tripods, and phone grip mounts. The portfolio serves vloggers, photographers, smartphone users, and action-camera users, and is sold direct-to-consumer via joby.com and through retailers like Amazon and Best Buy at price points from approximately $25 to $110 per item.

Product overview

JOBY is a creator accessories company founded in 2005 in California, specializing in phone tripods, camera mounts, and tools for content creators. The product portfolio centers on the iconic GorillaPod® flexible tripod line (including 1K, 3K, and Go variants), the HandyPod™ compact pocket tripod family, the TelePod® extendable tripod and selfie stick series, the GripTight® phone mount series, and the PodZilla® suction tripod line. Products are designed for smartphones, mirrorless/DSLR cameras, and action cameras, utilizing standard mounting interfaces including 1/4"-20 threads, cold shoe mounts, and MagSafe magnetic attachment. Recent launches include the NanoPod Magnetic Tripod (May 2026), TelePod Mini Tripod (May 2026), GripTight Cold Shoe Mount (June 2026), and HandyPod Clip Extend Tripod (June 2026). JOBY sells direct-to-consumer through joby.com, powered by Shopify, with global shipping from US, Czech Republic, and China warehouses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• JOBY GorillaPod® 1K Tripod Kit Flexible-legged tripod with rubberized feet conforming to virtually any surface and a removable ball head for precise framing. Supports up to 1kg (2.2 lbs), designed for mirrorless and action cameras.
• JOBY GorillaPod® 3K Tripod Kit Professional flexible tripod with large ball-jointed legs, quick-release plate system, and built-in bubble level. Supports up to 3kg (6.6 lbs) for heavier mirrorless and DSLR camera setups.
• JOBY GorillaPod® Go Tripod Compact flexible tripod featuring a stainless steel reinforced ballhead with 90° tilt. Holds devices up to 500 grams (1 lb) and weighs under 3 oz, designed for content creators using compact devices.
• JOBY GripTight® GorillaPod® for MagSafe MagSafe-compatible phone mount combined with a GripTight jaw system and GorillaPod 1K stand. Features twist-lock jaws for quick or secure mounting, 360° rotation between portrait and landscape, and GorillaPod arms for attaching lights and microphones.
• JOBY HandyPod™ Clip Extend Tripod Multi-mode tripod for compact cameras combining tabletop tripod, selfie stick, and mantis-style ledge mount. Features extendable 5-section pole, 360° ball head, integrated cold shoe slot, hidden mantis hook, and built-in carabiner. Weighs 106g with 1kg load capacity.
• JOBY HandyPod™ Clip Action Pocket Tripod Compact pocket tripod supporting both GoPro-style action cameras and compact cameras. Features foldable tripod legs that convert to a vlogging hand grip with a self-locking ball head for easy angle adjustments.
• JOBY HandyPod™ Clip Pocket Tripod Compact pocket tripod combining grip, stand, and clip functionality. Features built-in carabiner for carrying, sturdy tripod legs folding into a vlogging hand grip, self-locking ball head, and quick shift between horizontal and vertical shooting. Fits phones 64-98mm width and up to 11mm depth.
• JOBY TelePod® Mini Tripod 3-in-1 telescoping tripod for smartphones with 6-section pole extending to 14.8 inches, dual cold shoe mounts, built-in 5600K fill light (CRI ≥95), and wireless remote with 33ft range. Converts between handheld grip, selfie stick, and tabletop tripod.
• JOBY TelePod® Mobile Tripod Versatile telescoping tripod for mobile photo and video, functioning as handgrip, monopod, elevated stand, or tripod. Compatible with phones and small 360 cameras, includes Bluetooth remote, and works with a wide range of JOBY mounts.
• JOBY NanoPod Magnetic Tripod Ultra-compact magnetic folding tripod for MagSafe-compatible smartphones. Folds to 9mm thin and weighs 70g. Functions as tripod, selfie stick, desktop stand, and magnetic mount with dual-sided magnets for phone and accessory mounting. Includes standard 1/4" thread for tripod extension.
• JOBY PodZilla® Octo Suction Tripod Magnetic octopus-style suction tripod for smartphones with flexible bendable legs and suction cup tips. Features dual-sided magnets, adjustable 45°/90° leg angles, and includes magnetic adapter ring. Weighs 146g, available in Red and Grey.
• JOBY GripTight® Cold Shoe Mount Pocket-sized mount that attaches to any cold shoe rig or 1/4" tripod. Features magnetic phone attachment with 270°/180° dual-joint positioning, integrated cold shoe mount, and universal 1/4"-20 thread. Weighs 54.5g, supports up to 500g load.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Weiji TechnologyminorOthers · 1 January 2025Weiji Technology, a Shenzhen-based e-commerce company, acquired the American brand JOBY as part of its expansion into the photography accessories market. The acquisition occurred as Weiji Technology exceeded 1 billion yuan in revenue in 2025 while expanding into Brazil. JOBY operates as an acquired brand under Weiji Technology's portfolio while maintaining its product line and brand identity.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DJI: DJI is a dominant drone and camera stabilizer maker (Osmo Pocket, OM series gimbals) with accessories that overlap JOBY's mobile mounting and creator accessory space. While DJI is broader and more electronics-heavy, its mobile vlogging accessories compete with JOBY's tripod and GripTight lines.
• Manfrotto: Manfrotto (Vitec Group) is a long-established tripod and camera support brand with broad professional photography offerings. JOBY's GorillaPod and TelePod lines compete directly with Manfrotto's compact and flexible tripod SKUs, though Manfrotto serves a more pro-photographer base.
• GoPro: GoPro is the leading action camera brand with a deep accessory ecosystem including mounts and tripods. JOBY's HandyPod Clip Action and GorillaPod product lines explicitly support GoPro-style action cameras, making GoPro an adjacent incumbent in JOBY's served market.

Direct peers

• Moment: Moment is a creator accessories brand known for phone lenses, cases, and mounts (including MagSafe-compatible rigs). Directly comparable to JOBY in serving the smartphone photographer / videographer segment via a DTC-led, content-creator-focused brand strategy.
• Benro: Benro is a tripod and camera support manufacturer with compact and travel tripod lines overlapping JOBY's GorillaPod and TelePod offerings. Targets similar photography and videography segments with comparable price points.
• Peak Design: Peak Design is a direct peer selling premium camera straps, phone mounts (Everyday Case, Mobile Tripod), and creator accessories through a similar DTC model. Targets the same content creator and mobile photographer segments with comparable price points and a strong brand-first identity.
• Ulanzi: Ulanzi is a direct competitor in the budget-to-mid-tier phone tripod, mount, and vlogging accessory space, with strong Amazon and DTC presence. Ulanzi targets the same content creator and mobile videographer segment as JOBY at lower price points, representing competitive pressure on JOBY's $25-$110 range.
• SmallRig: SmallRig designs and sells camera rigs, mounts, and accessories for mirrorless/DSLR users and increasingly smartphone creators. Overlaps with JOBY in tripod, mount, and MagSafe-compatible phone accessory categories, with comparable global e-commerce distribution.

Emerging players

• Insta360: Insta360 makes 360-degree and action cameras plus a growing accessory line (including selfie sticks and mounts). Overlaps with JOBY in mobile/creator mounting solutions and competes in the vlogging and content creation segment.

Others

• Joby Aviation (separate entity): Joby Aviation is the unrelated eVTOL aircraft company also founded by JoeBen Bevirt. Included only to flag brand-name confusion risk; not a commercial peer but worth noting because of shared founder and brand recognition overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JobyInc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@joby
• Facebookfacebook.com/JobyInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/75312
• Instagraminstagram.com/jobyinc
• TikToktiktok.com/@jobyinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Joby