Rube Goldberg Institute

What Rube Goldberg Institute does

The Rube Goldberg Institute (RGI), legally Rube Goldberg, Inc. (EIN 06-1414812), is a family-run not-for-profit organization founded in 1988 by George W. George, son of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Rube Goldberg, and now led creatively by his granddaughter Jennifer George as Chief Creative Officer. The organization is headquartered in New York and operates with a small core staff (1-10 employees). Its mission is to steward Rube Goldberg's cultural and intellectual legacy and to deliver hands-on STEAM/STEAM education anchored by the annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest (RGMC), which has run continuously since 1988 and now spans regional, national, and world championship tiers in the U.S. and internationally (including a 2027 Asia International event in Incheon, South Korea).

Name

Rube Goldberg Institute

Legal name

Rube Goldberg Inc. (d/b/a The Rube Goldberg Institute For Innovation & Creativity)

Website

https://rubegoldberg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Rube Goldberg Institute is a family-run not-for-profit that runs the annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest and licenses Rube Goldberg-branded STEAM education content, products, and digital games to K-12 students, educators, schools, families, and corporate sponsors worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEAM Education

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Competition Robotics Teams & Coaching (FLL/FTC/FRC, VEX) (EDAMADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE), Robotics Kits, Parts & Lab Equipment Providers (Education-Focused) (EDAMADAN), Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD)

Keywords

• STEM education programs
• STEAM learning contests
• Simple machines curriculum
• Educational IP licensing
• Creative problem-solving competitions

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Contest Registration Fees: RGMC team registration fee of $79 per team (with limited need-based scholarships available); constitutes transactional contest revenue.
2. Trademark and Brand Licensing (Royalty): Licensing of Rube Goldberg® trademarks, contest names, and the YouRube Machine Contest® format to schools, corporate team-builders, and other in-person event hosts via license agreement; registered trademarks include Rube Goldberg Machine Contest®, Rube Goldberg Machine®, Rube Goldberg STEM Challenge®, Rube Goldberg Crazy Contraption Cartoon Contest®, and Rube Goldberg Institute®.
3. Image / Artwork Licensing: Licensing of Rube Goldberg's original cartoons and intellectual property for print, digital, educational, and entertainment use; sliding-scale fees with a free educational option available.
4. Custom Working Rube Goldberg Machine Builds: Paid bespoke machine-building services for marketing, entertainment, or event purposes, delivered by the in-house team (contact: [email protected]).
5. Educational and Consumer Product Sales: Direct sales of Rube Goldberg-branded merchandise, books, the Speed-Build Bag, Rube Goldberg/Teq Activity Cards, baby books (Baby Rube's Opposites), and other physical products via shop.rubegoldberg.org and Amazon.
6. Contest Sponsorships: Annual task sponsorships (e.g., Lunchables, Crest/Oral-B, Ledvance, Nerds, NASEF/Minecraft, NRG, D.E. Shaw, General Mills, Johnson & Johnson, Spin Master, YKK) for which the sponsored task becomes the contest theme and brand integration runs across the year.
7. Donations: Accepts donations through PayPal and other channels; nonprofit organization supporting the contests and education programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels11 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Rube Goldberg Institute operates the official Rube Goldberg Machine Contest (RGMC) and related STEAM/STEAM education programs, including annual chain-reaction machine contests for K-12 and adult divisions, digital educational games and VR experiences, classroom curriculum, published books, physical kits, museum exhibits, and licensing of the Rube Goldberg trademarks and cartoon IP for commercial, educational, and entertainment use.

Product overview

Rube Goldberg Institute offers a portfolio of STEAM/STEM educational products organized around the legacy of cartoonist Rube Goldberg, comprising annual competitions (the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest / RGMC, the Crazy Contraption Cartoon Contest, the Minecraft Big Build Challenge, the Rube-A-Thon Contest, and the Unreal Engine 10-Pin Challenge), digital games and learning kits (Rube Works, the Meta Quest Rube Goldberg Workshop, the Unreal Learning Kit: Rube Goldberg Machines, and Legends of Learning's Mathbots), published books and physical kits (the Rube Goldberg Speed-Build Bag and titles including Rube Goldberg's Big Book of Building, Baby Rube's Opposites, and the Rube Goldberg & His Amazing Machines series), classroom curricula (the Rube Goldberg Machine iBlock with Teq), licensing offerings (Rube-a-Thon corporate/school licenses, image licensing), and physical experiences including the Miracle Machines™ commercial playground line and the touring "World of Hilarious Invention" museum exhibit. The portfolio is structured as a single non-profit brand "The Rube Goldberg Institute" with multiple program modules — contests, games, books, kits, curriculum, licensing, and exhibits — that together serve educators, students, families, brands, and museums.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rube Goldberg Machine Contest (RGMC): The official annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® operated by the Institute since 1988, including regional, national, and World Championship events.
• Rube Goldberg Crazy Contraption Cartoon Contest
• Rube-A-Thon Contest
• Rube-Con
• YouRube Machine Contest
• Rube Goldberg STEM Challenge
• Rube Works: The Official Rube Goldberg Invention Game
• Meta Quest Rube Goldberg Workshop
• Rube Goldberg Speed-Build Bag
• Rube Goldberg Minecraft Big Build Challenge
• Rube Goldberg: The World of Hilarious Invention

Products and services

• Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® (RGMC) Flagship annual problem-based-learning STEM competition in which teams of 1-15 members design, build, and run chain-reaction Rube Goldberg Machines to complete an annual simple task in the most complicated way. Includes Regional, National, and World Championship (Rube-Con) tiers across four divisions (Elementary, Middle, High School, Adult). Running since 1988.
• Rube-A-Thon Contest® One-day, turn-key STEAM competition and reboot of the traditional RGMC. Hosts supply all building materials and task elements; teams design, build, and run a machine completing the year's national RGMC task in three divisions with different time and footprint constraints.
• Rube Goldberg Crazy Contraption Cartoon Contest® Free annual cartoon contest in which artists of all ages illustrate an invented Rube Goldberg-style chain-reaction cartoon that accomplishes a clear task. Two divisions: Animator (ages 17 & under) and Humorist (ages 18+). Judged by RGI team and National Cartoon Society members; winners announced at the Reuben Awards.
• Rube Goldberg / Minecraft Big Build Challenge® NASEF-sponsored Minecraft contest that lets students design Rube Goldberg Machines virtually in Minecraft Education. Free Minecraft.edu downloads are provided to participants through NASEF sponsorship.
• Rube Goldberg / Unreal Engine 10-Pin Challenge Interactive 3D competition with Epic Games / Unreal Engine requiring teams (≥4 members + mentor) to build a virtual Rube Goldberg Machine that includes 12 transfers of motion and uses each of the six simple machines at least once, ending by knocking over 10 bowling pins.
• Rube Works: The Official Rube Goldberg Invention Game Multi-platform educational puzzle game in which players assemble virtual Rube Goldberg invention puzzles using problem-solving skills and watch them run. Endorsed by Common Sense Media, CNET, NSTA, Teachers with Apps; STEM Accredited.
• Rube Goldberg Workshop (Meta Quest) Mixed-reality VR game for Meta Quest in which users build Rube Goldberg Machines using 80+ components, blending virtual and real-world surfaces and objects.
• Unreal Learning Kit: Rube Goldberg Machines (The Rube Goldberg Kitchen) Official six-lesson educational course published with Epic Games / Unreal Engine that teaches students to build virtual Rube Goldberg machines using Unreal Engine's rendering and physics tools. Distributed via Unreal Marketplace with teacher and student guides.
• Rube Goldberg Speed-Build Bag® Official starter kit for ages 4+ and up to 15 builders containing materials to construct two Rube Goldberg machines — one to trap a mouse and one to pop a balloon — combined with random household junk on a table.
• Rube Goldberg's Big Book of Building: Make 25 Machines That Really Work! Step-by-step compendium by Jennifer George and Zach Umperovitch, illustrated by Ed Steckley, with directions for 25 working Rube Goldberg machines. Includes simple-machine and energy-transfer explanations, biographical chapters, and STEM activity recommendations.
• Baby Rube's Opposites Accordion-fold board book by Jennifer George with illustrations by Vin Vogel teaching 12 pairs of opposites via an embedded "simple" chain-reaction invention that dunks a cookie in milk.
• Rube Goldberg Machine iBlock (with Teq) Standards-aligned 10-part, ~25-hour student-led STEAM curriculum built with Teq covering history, physics, storytelling, and simple machines through Rube Goldberg Machine building.
• Miracle Machines™ Playground Line Commercial playground product line co-developed with Miracle Recreation, featuring oversized double-sided interactive panels for ages 2+ that use levers, gears, pegs, balls, and spinners to create constant motion.
• "Rube Goldberg™: The World of Hilarious Invention" Museum Exhibit Touring hands-on, interactive exhibit featuring life-size 3D Rube Goldberg machines that connect Goldberg's cartoon contraptions to real-world physics. Created by Children's Museum of Pittsburgh in partnership with RGI. Bilingual English/Spanish signage.
• Rube Goldberg Licensing (Image, Competition, Entertainment) Licensing program offering licensed competitions (YouRube Machine Contest® for schools and corporate team-building), entertainment and commercial partnerships, image licensing of Rube Goldberg cartoons and IP for print, digital, and educational use, and custom-built working Rube Goldberg Machines for marketing and events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 billion posts tagged #rubegoldberg
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered annual / recurring, strategic / flagship, strategic, flagship / annual, flagship / multi-year, strategic / multi-year, recurring / regional, minor / sponsorship, flagship / strategic and recurring / seasonal.

• Crest & Oral-Bannual / recurringGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20242024 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® task sponsor; promotional content co-published with RGI on Instagram.
• Epic Games (Unreal Engine)strategic / flagshipTechnology or Integration · 15 March 2023Co-developed the Unreal Learning Kit: Rube Goldberg Machines, a six-lesson course available on Epic Games community learning that teaches students to build virtual Rube Goldberg machines using Unreal Engine's real-time physics. Co-sponsors the Rube Goldberg/Unreal Engine 10-Pin Challenge for students.
• Meta (Meta Quest)strategicTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Hosts the Rube Goldberg Workshop mixed-reality VR game on the Meta Quest platform, with 80+ components and real-world object interaction.
• Lunchables (Kraft Heinz)flagship / annualGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 September 20222023 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® task sponsor. Annual task themed 'Build A Lunchables®' aligned with Lunchables' Lunchabuild This® campaign. Multi-channel co-marketing including launch video. Partner quotes from Samantha Mills (Associate Director of Brand Communications for Lunchables) and Jennifer George (CCO, RGI) co-announced.
• Ledvance / Sylvania Light Bulbsannual / recurringGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20222022 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® task sponsor; the 2022 task was themed around switching a lightbulb on, with promotional video content.
• Legends of LearningstrategicTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2022Co-developed the Mathbots educational game in which students solve basic multiplication and division problems aboard a spaceship in the 'Rubiverse'; joint signup flow for teachers.
• Miracle Recreation (a division of PlayPower, Inc.)flagship / multi-yearStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2021Strategic partnership brokered by Brand Central for commercial playground integration of Rube Goldberg IP. Launched Miracle Machines™ product line at ASLA 2021 (Nashville) with three oversized double-sided playground panels ('Curiosity Thrilled the Cat', 'My Cup of Tea', 'Goooaaalll') for kids ages 2+. Co-sponsor of the annual Rube Goldberg / Miracle Recreation Playground Design Contest.
• Nerds candy (Ferrara)annual / recurringGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20212021 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® task sponsor; promotional video and joint marketing.
• Brand CentralstrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021RGI's consumer products agency; brokers entertainment and commercial partnership deals (e.g., the Miracle Recreation deal); primary email [email protected].
• NASEF (Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations)strategic / multi-yearStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-develops the Rube Goldberg/Minecraft Big Build Challenge®; NASEF sponsors the contest and provides free downloads of Minecraft.edu to participants. Extends RGI's reach into esports/gaming education.
• Beekman 1802annual / recurringGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20202020 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® task sponsor; co-marketing video produced.
• NRGannual / recurringGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20202020 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® task sponsor; NRG promoted its role as 'proud sponsor of the future' on its own corporate channels.
• Genesis: Pathways to Successrecurring / regionalImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2020Hosted the 9th annual Regional Rube Goldberg Machine Contest at Jac-Cen-Del High School in 2020; serves as a recurring regional host model for the contest.
• D.E. Shawannual / recurringGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20192019 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® task sponsor; co-marketing video content produced.
• TeqstrategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Co-developed the Rube Goldberg Machine iBlock, a 10-part ~25-hour standards-aligned classroom curriculum covering history, physics, storytelling, and simple machines. Provides downloadable sample lessons and live web session overviews to schools.
• Abrams (publisher)strategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Publisher of the Rube Goldberg books authored by Jennifer George (Rube Goldberg's Big Book of Building, Simple Normal Humdrum School Day, Simple Normal Definitely Different Day Off, Baby Rube's Opposites) and the Amazing Machines series; books distributed through Amazon and shop.rubegoldberg.org.
• General Millsannual / recurringGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20182018 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® task sponsor; brand logo featured on RGI Partners & Sponsors page.
• ScholasticstrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Scholastic logo featured on RGI Partners & Sponsors page; supports distribution of Rube Goldberg content to schools.
• Slinky (educational toy brand)minor / sponsorshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2018Slinky logo displayed on RGI Partners & Sponsors page as a brand sponsor/partner.
• Plastic Coalitionminor / sponsorshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Plastic Coalition logo displayed on RGI Partners & Sponsors page as a supporting sponsor.
• STEM (Coalition)minor / sponsorshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018STEM logo displayed on RGI Partners & Sponsors page as a supporting partner.
• Johnson & Johnsonannual / recurringGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20172017 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® task sponsor; co-marketing content produced.
• Children's Museum of Pittsburghflagship / strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Co-created the touring 'Rube Goldberg™: The World of Hilarious Invention!' interactive exhibit (3D life-size machines, bilingual English/Spanish signage). Currently re-curating the family collection into 'Rube Goldberg, Illustrated'. The exhibit has toured venues coast to coast since 2017 (e.g., Cade Museum FL, ECHO VT, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, Children's Museum of Memphis, Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, Minnesota Children's Museum).
• Spin Masterannual / recurringGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20162016 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® task sponsor; co-marketing video content.
• Electric EggplantstrategicTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2015Developer of 'Rube Works: The Official Rube Goldberg Invention Game'; available on web (level one) and other platforms; endorsed by Common Sense Media, CNET, NSTA, Teachers with Apps, STEM Accredited. Education Group Discounts offered via [email protected].
• Teaching Things, Inc.recurring / seasonalImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2015Co-delivers the summer Rube Goldberg iBlocks® camp program; supports nationwide summer camp offerings for kids.
• YKK (zippers)annual / recurringGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20142014 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest® task sponsor; featured in Purdue University press coverage that included Jimmy Kimmel appearance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Scholastic: Major children's book publisher and K-12 classroom distributor; RGI lists Scholastic as a partner. Comparable as a channel into schools for STEAM/education content and as a children's book publisher (Abrams publishes RGI's books).
• Smithsonian Institution: National museum and education nonprofit with STEAM education programs, traveling exhibits, and brand licensing. RGI's archives are housed at the Smithsonian; comparable as a nonprofit custodian of cultural IP with museum-touring and education programming.
• Crayola: Major arts-and-education brand selling STEAM/creative products to schools, families, and kids via retail and education channels. Comparable to RGI's brand-licensing-to-consumer-products motion and K-12 classroom distribution, though Crayola is a much broader product portfolio.
• National Geographic Society: Nonprofit scientific and educational organization with global brand recognition, K-12 classroom resources, museum exhibits, and licensed consumer products. Comparable as an iconic nonprofit education brand with a multi-channel content and licensing model.
• LEGO Education: Division of the LEGO Group producing K-12 STEAM curricula, robotics kits, and classroom learning systems distributed to schools globally. Comparable to RGI's classroom curriculum and digital learning products, but operates at much larger scale with corporate parent backing.
• Nickelodeon / Paramount Consumer Products: Major children's entertainment IP licensor with educational extensions and consumer products. Comparable to RGI in licensing iconic IP into consumer products, digital games, and educational extensions, though at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology): FIRST Robotics and related competitions (FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Tech Challenge) are nonprofit STEM/STEAM student competitions organized around team-based problem solving with major sponsors. Directly comparable to RGI's RGMC in mission, audience (K-12 students), and contest-driven GTM motion.
• Destination Imagination: Nonprofit student creativity and STEAM problem-solving competition with team-based challenges and regional/state/global tournaments. Closely comparable to RGMC in mission, target audience (K-12), and team-built contraption/challenge format.
• Science Olympiad: National nonprofit STEM competition organization hosting team-based science events at elementary, middle, and high school levels. Comparable to RGI in nonprofit status, K-12 student focus, regional-to-national tournament structure, and recurring annual contest cycles.
• MATHCOUNTS: Nonprofit that runs the MATHCOUNTS Competition, a national middle-school math contest with regional, state, and national stages and corporate sponsorships. Directly comparable to RGI's contest-based nonprofit model, school-channel distribution, and Fortune-500 sponsor base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ZachsContraptions
• Facebookfacebook.com/rubegoldbergofficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/p/C48W0e-Ow_z
• Xx.com/RubeGoldberg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rubegoldberg

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Rube Goldberg Institute