Circuit Scribe
Circuit Scribe is an Austin-based educational electronics retailer that sells conductive ink pens and modular electronic components allowing children, parents, and educators to draw functional circuits on paper without soldering or wires.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Circuit Scribe does
Circuit Scribe is an Austin, Texas-based educational electronics company founded in 2013 that designs and sells a proprietary conductive ink pen allowing users (primarily children ages 8 and older, parents, and educators) to draw functional electronic circuits on paper without wires or soldering. The company's product architecture is a platform-plus-modules model: a non-toxic conductive ink pen is paired with magnetic electronic modules (LEDs, motors, buzzers, sensors, switches, transistors, dimmers) and steel-canvas surfaces, sold through inventor kits ranging from a $20.79 Mini Kit to a $99.99 Super Plus Kit, a $34.99 Sticker Kit, individual modules priced $3.99-$15.99, conductive ink pen resupplies, a quarterly $9.99 Module Bundle Subscription, and dedicated classroom bundles (Basic Classroom Kit Bundle $299.99 up to Everything Classroom Kit $1,439.99) plus a Hackable Drone Kit targeting older students and educator-led programs.
The company pursues a hybrid go-to-market: direct-to-consumer e-commerce through a Shopify storefront on circuitscribe.com that supports 100+ currencies and four languages, layered with a product-led growth motion that drives adoption via hands-on product demonstrations and free educational content (Electronics 101 lessons, workbook downloads), plus a B2B motion targeting educators and classrooms through curriculum-aligned bundles and a Drone School Curriculum. Revenue mechanics are dominated by one-time hardware kit sales (the primary driver), supplemented by individual module add-on sales and a smaller recurring stream from the quarterly module subscription and the 1-year classroom subscription. The company was reportedly funded by 12,000+ Kickstarter backers at launch and is led by CEO S Brett Walker, with products designed by Ph.D. graduates from UIUC and Harvard; it is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding rounds or M&A activity.
Distribution is exclusively via the company's own e-commerce storefront with global shipping, with no third-party retail or reseller channels documented in the available data. The company holds a 'Product of the Year' recognition from Creative Child Magazine and operates with 11-50 employees. Key recent strategic moves include the 2024 launch of the Circuit Stickers line, the introduction of the Module Bundle Subscription as a recurring revenue stream, expansion of the storefront into multi-currency/multi-language localization, and the build-out of a dedicated educator and classroom-bundle channel.
Circuit Scribe firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Circuit Scribe
- Website
- https://circuitscribe.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Circuit Scribe is an Austin-based educational electronics retailer that sells conductive ink pens and modular electronic components allowing children, parents, and educators to draw functional circuits on paper without soldering or wires.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Circuit Scribe industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Electronics Kits
- SIC
- Pens, Pencils & Other Artists' Materials (3950)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electronics, Circuits & Soldering Programs (EDAMADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- PCB, Prototyping Boards & Etching Supplies Retail (CRACAKAF), Educational & Hobby Robotics Kits (Consumer) (CRACARAG)
Keywords
Where Circuit Scribe is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Circuit Scribe business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel
Revenue model
- Hardware Kit Sales: One-time sale of electronics inventor kits at various price points ($20.79-$99.99) containing conductive ink pens, modules, workbooks, and steel canvases. These are the primary revenue driver.
- Individual Module Sales: Sale of individual electronic modules (LEDs, motors, buzzers, sensors, switches) priced from $3.99 to $15.99 for replacement parts and expansion.
- Module Bundle Subscription: Quarterly subscription service ($9.99/month) delivering a package of modules worth $30+ including motors, buzzers, switches, blinkers, and LEDs.
- Conductive Ink Pen Resupplies: Replacement conductive ink pens ($9.99 each or $69.99 for 10-pack) for existing customers who need to replenish their drawing supplies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level inventor kits for individual learners |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Advanced inventor kits for dedicated makers |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Classroom bundles for educational institutions |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Quarterly module subscription for ongoing projects |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual electronic modules and accessories |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Circuit Scribe product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Circuit Scribe designs and sells educational electronics kits built around a proprietary conductive ink pen that lets users draw functional circuits on paper without wires or soldering. The lineup includes inventor kits, classroom kits, a hackable drone kit, a quarterly module bundle subscription, individual electronic modules and accessories, and replacement conductive ink pens sold through its own online store.
Product overview
Circuit Scribe is an educational electronics company offering a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on conductive ink pen technology that allows users to draw functional circuits without wires or soldering. The product portfolio spans inventor kits (Mini Kit, Basic Kit, Basic Kit Plus, Ultra Kit, Super Plus Kit, Sticker Kit), classroom kits (Intro Classroom Kit, Everything Classroom Kit, Basic Classroom Kit Bundle, Super Classroom Kit Bundle), drone kits, and over 20 individual electronic modules including LEDs, motors, buzzers, sensors, switches, transistors, and power adapters. The company also offers module bundle subscriptions for ongoing component refresh, pen resupplies, and steel canvas surfaces. All products target young engineers, artists, and designers learning electronics fundamentals through hands-on prototyping and circuit drawing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mini Kit
Quantifiable outcome
- Draw up to 200 meters of circuits per pen
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Circuit Scribe
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Circuit Scribe technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Circuit Scribe partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Circuit Scribe competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Snap Circuits (Elenco): Elenco's Snap Circuits is the closest direct competitor to Circuit Scribe, offering snap-together educational electronics kits for kids with modular components. Both target ages 8+ and education/parent segments through consumer and classroom channels.
- Makeblock: Makeblock produces educational electronics and robotics kits (mBot, STEAM kits) sold to schools, makers, and parents globally. Highly comparable as a STEM-electronics education hardware retailer targeting the same classroom-bundle buyer.
- KiwiCo: KiwiCo delivers subscription STEM and STEAM kits for kids with strong parent and educator traction. Comparable as a hands-on educational kit subscription retailer targeting the same parents/educators with project-based learning.
- MEL Science: MEL Science runs subscription-based science experiment kits for kids delivered DTC. Comparable GTM (parent + educator subscription) and overlap in STEM educational kits with hands-on, kit-based learning.
- SparkFun Electronics: SparkFun sells electronics modules, sensors, and educational kits for makers and classrooms through a DTC e-commerce model. It overlaps with Circuit Scribe on electronic modules sold to educators, makers, and DIY learners.
- littleBits (acquired by Sphero): littleBits makes magnetic snap-together electronic modules for STEM learning, directly overlapping with Circuit Scribe's magnetic module ecosystem. Same age band, same educator-and-parent GTM, comparable modular hardware architecture.
Emerging players
- DFRobot: DFRobot manufactures and retails educational electronics, microcontrollers, and STEM kits globally. Overlap in educational electronics modules and maker/educator channels, though broader catalog than Circuit Scribe.
- Adafruit Industries: Adafruit is a DIY electronics retailer with a strong educator and maker community and learning portal. It is comparable through its module-based learning kits and educational content, though it skews older/advanced vs. Circuit Scribe's age-8+ focus.
Broad incumbents
- LEGO Education: LEGO Education is a broad incumbent in STEM classroom learning with curriculum-aligned kits and educator channels. It does not specialize in conductive-ink circuit drawing but competes for the same education budget and teacher mindshare as Circuit Scribe's classroom kits.
- BOSEbuild / Thames & Kosmos: Thames & Kosmos is a broad incumbent in educational science and electronics kits with retail and classroom distribution. It overlaps with Circuit Scribe on electronics learning kits and STEM curriculum-aligned products for kids and educators.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Circuit Scribe social profiles
Digital presenceCircuit Scribe financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Circuit Scribe leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Circuit Scribe funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Circuit Scribe 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 Circuit Scribe
What does Circuit Scribe do?
Circuit Scribe designs and sells educational electronics kits built around a proprietary conductive ink pen that lets users draw functional circuits on paper without wires or soldering. The lineup includes inventor kits, classroom kits, a hackable drone kit, a quarterly module bundle subscription, individual electronic modules and accessories, and replacement conductive ink pens sold through its own online store.
Is Circuit Scribe a public or private company?
Circuit Scribe is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Circuit Scribe founded?
Circuit Scribe was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Circuit Scribe based?
Circuit Scribe is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Circuit Scribe make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hardware Kit Sales are the primary driver. The others are individual Module Sales, module Bundle Subscription and conductive Ink Pen Resupplies.
Who are Circuit Scribe's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Snap Circuits (Elenco), Makeblock, KiwiCo, MEL Science, SparkFun Electronics and littleBits (acquired by Sphero). Emerging players are DFRobot and Adafruit Industries. Broad incumbents are LEGO Education and BOSEbuild / Thames & Kosmos.
Does Circuit Scribe have an API?
No public API is recorded for Circuit Scribe.
What industry is Circuit Scribe in?
Circuit Scribe's product category is Educational Electronics Kits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMADAG, Electronics, Circuits & Soldering Programs, with a secondary code of CRACAKAF, PCB, Prototyping Boards & Etching Supplies Retail. Its SIC code is 3950.