Kite
Kite (operating as Prodigi) is a London-based print-on-demand platform that enables ecommerce sellers, artists, and brands to sell customized physical products via a distributed network of 50+ print suppliers across 10+ countries. It monetizes through transaction margins while offering free platform access and integrations with major ecommerce storefronts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Kite does
Kite, doing business as Prodigi, is a London-based print-on-demand platform founded in 2013 that enables ecommerce sellers, independent artists, photographers, brands, and museums to sell customized physical products without holding inventory. The platform provides a catalogue of more than 500,000 customizable SKUs spanning wall art (prints, framed prints, canvas, metal and wooden prints, photo tiles), lifestyle items (stickers, technology accessories, books, home goods, stationery), and apparel (men's, women's, and kids' clothing plus accessories). Core technology components include a Print API for programmatic order processing, a Manual Order Form for simple direct orders, a CSV Bulk Importer for higher-volume customers, and a free Mockup Generator for creating product visualizations. Production is fulfilled through a distributed network of more than 50 print suppliers across 10+ countries, with orders automatically routed to the facility closest to the end customer; the company claims over 80% of custom products are ready for dropshipping within 24-48 hours, supported by 24/7 operations.
Prodigi operates a freemium, transaction-based revenue model: the platform is free to use with no setup fees, monthly subscriptions, or hidden costs, and the company earns a margin on each product printed and shipped. Distribution is anchored by native integrations with six major ecommerce platforms (Shopify, Etsy, Wix, WooCommerce, Squarespace, BigCommerce), enabling automated order routing from sellers' existing storefronts. Prodigi Pro, a premium add-on tier, and branded packaging inserts represent incremental monetization layers above core fulfillment. Named customers include Redbubble, Fy!, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and The John Dyer Gallery, and the company holds Fine Art Trade Guild Approved Printer status. The company has raised approximately $1.3M in disclosed seed funding (2013-2014) led by Black Ocean, with co-founder Deon Botha serving as head of growth and Thomas Drake as CTO.
Kite firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kite
- Website
- https://kite.ly
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kite (operating as Prodigi) is a London-based print-on-demand platform that enables ecommerce sellers, artists, and brands to sell customized physical products via a distributed network of 50+ print suppliers across 10+ countries. It monetizes through transaction margins while offering free platform access and integrations with major ecommerce storefronts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Kite is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Kite business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Transaction-based Print on Demand: Prodigi operates as a free platform with no set-up fees, monthly subscriptions, or hidden costs. Revenue is generated through transaction fees when products are printed and shipped to customers. Sellers purchase products at wholesale rates and set their own retail prices, with Prodigi earning a margin on each transaction.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Platform Access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels5 records
Kite product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kite operates Prodigi, an all-in-one print-on-demand platform that enables businesses and creators to transform digital content into customized physical products. The platform offers over 500,000 customizable SKUs across wall art, apparel, lifestyle items, and technology accessories, with automated order routing through a global network of 50+ print suppliers across 10+ countries. Integration is delivered via a Print API and native apps for Shopify, Etsy, Wix, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and BigCommerce.
Product overview
Prodigi is an all-in-one print on demand platform with over 500,000 customizable products. The platform consists of a Print API for programmatic integration, a Manual Order Form for simple ordering, and a Mockup Generator for creating product images. Prodigi Pro is a premium tier add-on offering enhanced scaling features including branded packaging inserts. The core offering includes wall art products (prints, framed prints, canvas, metal prints, wooden prints, photo tiles), lifestyle items (stickers, technology accessories, books, home & living, cards & stationery), and apparel (men's, women's, kids' clothing, and accessories). The platform integrates with major eCommerce platforms (Shopify, Etsy, Wix, WooCommerce, Squarespace, BigCommerce) and ships globally through a network of 50+ print suppliers across 10+ countries via digital dropshipping.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Print API
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 80% of custom products ready for dropshipping within 24-48 hours
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kite
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Kite technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
Kite partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ShopifycoreNative Shopify app integration that enables automatic order processing for Shopify store owners selling print on demand products. Allows seamless connection between Shopify stores and Prodigi's print and fulfillment network.
- EtsycoreEtsy order automation integration enabling sellers on the handmade marketplace to automatically fulfill print on demand orders through Prodigi's global network.
- WixcoreAutomatic order processing integration for Wix website owners, enabling Wix-based businesses to offer print on demand products without manual intervention.
- WooCommercecoreIntegration with WooCommerce WordPress plugin allowing WordPress-based online stores to access Prodigi's print on demand fulfillment services.
- Global Print Network PartnerscorePartnership with 50+ print on demand suppliers in over 10 countries enabling local printing near customers worldwide, reducing shipping costs and environmental impact while enabling faster delivery times.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kite competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Redbubble: Redbubble is a large artist marketplace for print-on-demand products (apparel, wall art, home decor). It is both a customer of Prodigi (per the company data) and an adjacent/competing player in artist-driven POD, sitting at the intersection of marketplace and production.
- Zazzle: Zazzle is an established print-on-demand marketplace for custom products (apparel, invitations, home goods) with its own in-house manufacturing capacity. It overlaps with Prodigi's customizable product catalogue and creator/seller base.
Direct peers
- Gooten: Gooten is a print-on-demand platform with a distributed supplier network offering apparel, home goods, and wall art, with ecommerce-platform integrations. It targets the same SMB and mid-market seller segments as Prodigi.
- CustomCat: CustomCat is a print-on-demand fulfillment provider specializing in apparel and accessories with direct integrations into Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce, competing for the same seller-driven POD volume as Prodigi.
- Printify: Printify is a print-on-demand marketplace aggregating hundreds of print providers with native Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce integrations. It competes with Prodigi for the same SMB / creator ecommerce seller base across apparel and accessories categories.
- Printful: Printful is a leading print-on-demand platform with a global production network (US, EU, Mexico) and deep integrations into Shopify, Etsy, and other ecommerce platforms. It is a direct competitor to Kite/Prodigi in serving ecommerce sellers and creators with on-demand printing and dropshipping.
- Society6: Society6 is a print-on-demand platform enabling artists to sell artwork on wall art, home decor, and apparel. It is a direct competitor in the artist-driven POD segment that underpins much of Prodigi's primary customer base.
- Gelato: Gelato operates a globally distributed print-on-demand network with local production in 30+ countries and direct integrations into major ecommerce platforms. It is the closest comparable to Prodigi on both the decentralized-network model and the platform-play approach.
- Fine Art America: Fine Art America is a print-on-demand marketplace and production network focused on art prints, wall decor, and home goods. It directly overlaps with Prodigi's wall-art and fine-art-reproduction categories, including museum/gallery-grade prints.
- Spring (formerly TeeSpring): Spring (rebranded from TeeSpring) is a creator-economy platform for designing and selling apparel and merchandise on demand with ecommerce integrations. It competes with Prodigi's apparel and lifestyle categories and shares a creator-led customer base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kite social profiles
Digital presenceKite compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Kite financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kite leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Kite funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kite 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 Kite
What does Kite do?
Kite operates Prodigi, an all-in-one print-on-demand platform that enables businesses and creators to transform digital content into customized physical products. The platform offers over 500,000 customizable SKUs across wall art, apparel, lifestyle items, and technology accessories, with automated order routing through a global network of 50+ print suppliers across 10+ countries. Integration is delivered via a Print API and native apps for Shopify, Etsy, Wix, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and BigCommerce.
Is Kite a public or private company?
Kite is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Kite founded?
Kite was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kite based?
Kite is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Kite make money?
One revenue line is on record: transaction-based Print on Demand.
Who are Kite's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Redbubble and Zazzle. Direct peers are Gooten, CustomCat, Printify, Printful, Society6, Gelato, Fine Art America and Spring (formerly TeeSpring).
Does Kite have an API?
Yes. Prodigi offers a Print API that enables automated order processing and print on demand fulfillment. The API allows users to integrate their online stores with Prodigi's print network, automatically routing orders to the closest print facilities to customers. Documentation and guides are available at /print-api/ with API docs at /print-api/docs/. Developer documentation is at www.prodigi.com/print-api.