GenieLab
GenieLab is a Montreal-based non-profit founded in 2012 that designs STEAM educational kits and workshops for Quebec youth aged 7-17, with a focus on inclusive design. It sells physical and digital kits (Wally, Rosy, Ziggy, Tinka, Gonzo, AIALab) to schools, libraries, museums, and families.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What GenieLab does
GenieLab (legal entity: GénieLab / Mini Collectif) is a Montreal-based non-profit organization founded in 2012 that designs and distributes STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) educational kits and workshops targeting Quebec youth aged 7-17, with a particular focus on inclusive design for learners with special needs. The product portfolio spans three lines: physical learning-path kits (Wally the Walrus, Rosy the Tardigrade, Ziggy the Musical Cicada) built on the BBC micro:bit microcontroller and MakeCode block-based programming; screen-free techno-creation kits (Tinka, Gonzo) using electrical circuits and robotics parts; and the 2024 digital launch AIALab, a 100% online kit covering AI literacy. All kits are unified through the proprietary GenieSphère narrative universe. The organization also delivers in-person and virtual workshops (including the LabCréatif sessions at its Montreal lab hosting 15-25 youth per session), custom interactive installations for museums and cultural institutions, and digital courses.
Revenue is generated through three streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via a Shopify boutique selling kits to families; institutional direct sales to schools, libraries, and Fab Labs (with Wally, Rosy, and Ziggy eligible for Quebec's Digital Combos government financing program); and professional services revenue from workshop facilitation and custom museum installations. Go-to-market is hybrid: community-led through partnerships with museums, libraries, and cultural organizations; product-led through kit sales; and event-driven via workshops, day camps (Camp Wally), and community events (e.g., Eureka). Named institutional partners and customers include Musée de la Civilisation de Québec, Réseau BIBLIO de l'Outaouais, Centre d'Intégration Scolaire de Montréal, FabLab de Boisbriand, and Concertation Montréal.
The organization is led by co-founder Evelyne Drouin, with a Board of Directors chaired by Christian Guy (Founder, CGUY & Co), and includes board members drawn from Dataperformers, IVADO, ITI, National Bank, and Boverry et Associés. With 1-10 employees and 290 completed projects since founding, GenieLab operates at a small scale and is registered as a Quebec non-profit, with no disclosed revenue, no funding rounds, and no M&A activity on record.
GenieLab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GenieLab
- Legal name
- GénieLab (Mini Collectif)
- Website
- https://genielab.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- GenieLab is a Montreal-based non-profit founded in 2012 that designs STEAM educational kits and workshops for Quebec youth aged 7-17, with a focus on inclusive design. It sells physical and digital kits (Wally, Rosy, Ziggy, Tinka, Gonzo, AIALab) to schools, libraries, museums, and families.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GenieLab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational STEM/STEAM Kits and Maker Learning
- NAICS
- Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Robotics Kits, Parts & Lab Equipment Providers (Education-Focused) (EDAMADAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Educational & Hobby Robotics Kits (Consumer) (CRACARAG), DIY Kits, STEM Electronics & Maker Bundles Retail (CRACAKAN), AI & Machine Learning (Foundations & Applied) (EDAMACAG)
Keywords
Where GenieLab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
GenieLab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Educational Kits Sales: GenieLab designs and sells physical and digital educational kits (learning paths, techno-creation kits, AIALab) through its Shopify boutique. Kits include physical components (micro:bit, circuits, crafted parts) and/or access codes to online learning platforms. Individual home kits are shipped within approximately 3 days of order processing. School/library kit sets are shipped 2-4 weeks prior to scheduled workshops.
- Workshop and Training Services: GenieLab offers interactive workshops on connected objects, circuits, AI, robotics, and creative coding, delivered in-person or virtually. Workshops can be hosted at schools, libraries, or GenieLab's lab. The organization also trains educators to deliver workshops independently. Pricing and bookings are handled via Eventbrite and direct inquiry forms.
- Interactive Installations: GenieLab creates custom interactive installations for museums, libraries, and cultural institutions, offering hybrid learning experiences for all ages. These are project-based engagements rather than recurring revenue.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
GenieLab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GenieLab designs, assembles, and sells physical and digital educational kits (Wally, Rosy, Ziggy, Tinka, Gonzo, AIALab) that combine crafts, fabrication, and digital technology such as micro:bit and MakeCode programming. The kits are sold individually to families and institutionally to schools, libraries, and museums, and are complemented by fee-based interactive workshops (LabCréatif, Cyber Intelligence Workshop Series) and custom-built interactive installations, all unified through a shared fictional narrative universe called GénieSphère.
Product overview
GenieLab designs and offers educational kits and experiences combining creation, crafts, fabrication, and digital technology for schools, libraries, organizations, and families. The product portfolio includes two main categories: techno-creation kits (Tinka and Gonzo) offering hands-on, screen-free learning about electrical circuits and robotics; and learning path kits (Wally, Rosy, Ziggy) combining physical components with digital online platforms for integrated educational experiences. The 2024 innovation AIALab is a 100% digital kit for AI education. All products are tied together through the GénieSphère fictional universe where characters guide learners through technology adventures. Additional offerings include interactive workshops (LabCréatif), interactive installations for museums and libraries, and digital courses on artificial intelligence. The organization emphasizes accessibility and inclusion, with products developed with special education specialists for learners with diverse needs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wally A physical educational kit in GenieLab's portfolio, combining crafts, fabrication, and digital technology (micro:bit and MakeCode) within the GénieSphère narrative universe. Sold to families through Shopify and institutionally to schools, libraries, and museums.
Quantifiable outcome
- 57 youth aged 10-17 reached through a 2-month Cyber Intelligence Workshop Series with Réseau BIBLIO de l'Outaouais in spring 2021
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use GenieLab
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
GenieLab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
GenieLab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Réseau BIBLIO de l'OutaouaiscorePartnership funded by the Quebec Ministry of Culture and Communications (Rayonnement numérique programme) to deliver a free Cyber Intelligence Workshop Series in French and English, reaching 57 youth aged 10-17 over two months in spring 2021. Workshops covered AI spotting, visual art with AI, and music creation with AI.
- RÉCIT (Réseau pour le développement des compétences par l'intégration des TIC)coreRÉCIT plays an essential role in Quebec's Digital Combos program. GenieLab's Wally and Rosy kits are eligible under this system, and RÉCIT supports the broader adoption of digital technologies in schools across Quebec.
- CADRE21minorCADRE21 supports education professionals' reflection and professional development in Quebec. GenieLab aligns with CADRE21's training offerings through its educational kits and professional development workshops for educators.
- Musée de la Civilisation de Québec — Direction de l'engagement numériquecoreGenieLab collaborates with the Musée de la Civilisation de Québec's digital engagement team to develop interactive digital experiences and installations that reach the museum's audiences through innovative techno-creative formats.
- Concertation Montréal (CMTL)minorGenieLab participates in community events organized by Concertation Montréal (CMTL), bringing hands-on techno-creative activities to youth and families at events such as Eureka.
- FabLab de BoisbriandminorGenieLab hosted Camp Wally at the FabLab de Boisbriand library — a techno-educational day camp where youth ages 7+ explored programming, electronics, and digital crafts through the Wally character from the GenieSphere universe.
- Centre d'Intégration Scolaire de MontréalcoreYouths from the Centre d'Intégration Scolaire de Montréal actively contribute to improving and validating GenieLab's learning paths and are involved throughout the evolution of products and services, ensuring inclusive and accessible design.
- micro:bit FoundationcoreGenieLab uses the BBC micro:bit microcontroller as the core hardware platform across its Wally, Rosy, and Ziggy learning path kits. The micro:bit is credited on the GenieLab website. GenieLab also publishes micro:bit tutorial videos and guides.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
GenieLab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- LEGO Education: LEGO Education is the dominant provider of STEM/STEAM kits (including SPIKE Prime) for K-12 schools globally. It competes with GenieLab for institutional adoption of STEAM kits and after-school programs, with a much larger product portfolio and brand.
- micro:bit Foundation: The micro:bit Foundation stewards the BBC micro:bit microcontroller and a global curriculum ecosystem that includes educational kits and teacher resources. It is GenieLab's core hardware platform and a broader incumbent in the educational STEAM space.
- Adafruit Industries: Adafruit supplies DIY electronics components, microcontrollers, and educational tutorials to makers and learners. Its Circuit Playground and product tutorials are comparable to the open electronics focus of GenieLab's techno-creation kits.
Direct peers
- Sphero: Sphero (including littleBits) sells programmable robots and electronics kits designed for classroom STEAM learning. It is directly comparable to GenieLab's Wally/Rosy/Ziggy microcontroller kits in terms of use case and target buyer.
- Kano Computing: Kano builds DIY computer and coding kits (e.g., Kano PC, Motion Sensor Kit) marketed to families and schools to teach programming fundamentals. It targets the same audience as GenieLab's learning-path kits but at a larger consumer scale.
- Piper: Piper makes build-it-yourself STEAM kits (e.g., Piper Computer Kit) that combine physical hardware with coding curricula for children. Its hands-on, narrative-driven approach closely mirrors GenieLab's Wally and Rosy learning-path kits.
- Wonder Workshop: Wonder Workshop develops Dash, Dot, and Cue educational robots used in K-8 STEAM curricula, with companion curriculum and teacher training. It is one of the closest direct competitors to GenieLab's programmable STEAM kits for elementary audiences.
- Kids Code Jeunesse: Kids Code Jeunesse is a Canadian non-profit that delivers coding and digital literacy workshops to youth across Canada. It shares GenieLab's mission of reducing the digital divide and operates in a similar non-profit, workshop-driven model.
Regional players
- Technoscience: Technoscience is a Quebec/Canadian non-profit network that promotes STEM culture, including robotics clubs and science fairs, with regional chapters aligned with GenieLab's museum and library ecosystem.
Emerging players
- FIRST Robotics Canada: FIRST Robotics Canada delivers K-12 robotics programs (LEGO League, Tech Challenge, FRC) across Canada and competes for the same school-budget STEM dollars and teacher attention as GenieLab's kits and workshops.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GenieLab social profiles
Digital presenceGenieLab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GenieLab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
GenieLab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GenieLab 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 GenieLab
What does GenieLab do?
GenieLab designs, assembles, and sells physical and digital educational kits (Wally, Rosy, Ziggy, Tinka, Gonzo, AIALab) that combine crafts, fabrication, and digital technology such as micro:bit and MakeCode programming. The kits are sold individually to families and institutionally to schools, libraries, and museums, and are complemented by fee-based interactive workshops (LabCréatif, Cyber Intelligence Workshop Series) and custom-built interactive installations, all unified through a shared fictional narrative universe called GénieSphère.
Is GenieLab a public or private company?
GenieLab is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was GenieLab founded?
GenieLab was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is GenieLab based?
GenieLab is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does GenieLab make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Educational Kits Sales are the primary driver. The others are workshop and Training Services and interactive Installations.
Who are GenieLab's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are LEGO Education, micro:bit Foundation and Adafruit Industries. Direct peers are Sphero, Kano Computing, Piper, Wonder Workshop and Kids Code Jeunesse. Technoscience is listed as a regional player. FIRST Robotics Canada is listed as an emerging player.
Does GenieLab have an API?
No public API is recorded for GenieLab.
What industry is GenieLab in?
GenieLab's product category is Educational STEM/STEAM Kits and Maker Learning. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMADAN, Robotics Kits, Parts & Lab Equipment Providers (Education-Focused), with a secondary code of CRACARAG, Educational & Hobby Robotics Kits (Consumer). Its NAICS code is 339930 and its SIC code is 3944.