What UK Unplugged does

UK Unplugged is a UK-based Community Interest Company (CIC) founded in 2019 (previously operating as Wirral Unplugged) that designs and sells curated, themed physical activity boxes to help families and children disconnect from screens. The company is headquartered in Bebington, Merseyside, employs approximately 15 staff, and is supported by a pipeline of 77+ university student interns since 2020 alongside collaborations with more than 10 local artists and craftspeople. Its portfolio spans 20+ box themes covering cultural exploration (Japan, Caribbean, Vietnam, Peru, Ancient World, Day of the Dead), STEM (Space, Avionics, Environmental Chemistry, AI & Eyes, Marine Biology), environment and architecture (Earth Friendly Architecture, Transport Merseyside), and imagination (Fairy Troll World, Dinos Roar, Nordic Cosy, Titanic), each containing roughly 10 hours of crafts, recipes, games, and educational activities priced at £22-25.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model via ukunplugged.org, complemented by ticketed in-person events across the Liverpool/Wirral/Merseyside region and a growing line of branded merchandise (FSC-certified wooden pins at £6.50, stickers, keychains, soy wax melts) priced £2.50-£7.50. Standard boxes are sold as one-off purchases; subscriptions are available on monthly and yearly cadences. A charitable 'Amigo' program lets customers sponsor boxes or event tickets for families in need, and the company partners with NHS CAMHS to gift boxes (622 to date) to young people on mental health waiting lists. Strategic partners include the Royal Society of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University, Mobility Camp, and LASER, which co-develop box content.

UK Unplugged generates revenue through activity box sales, subscriptions, merchandise, event tickets, and Amigo sponsorship, with no external funding rounds disclosed. Its competitive positioning rests on a curated content library, an original branded character universe (Fairy Troll World), an ecosystem of volunteer creators and institutional partners, and a mission-aligned CIC structure that channels profit back into social objectives rather than shareholder returns.

Name

UK Unplugged

Legal name

UK Unplugged CIC

Website

https://ukunplugged.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UK Unplugged is a UK Community Interest Company that designs and sells themed screen-free activity boxes, merchandise, and live events for families and children, supported by university student interns and institutional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Activity Boxes

NAICS

Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Kids Crafts & Educational Craft Kits Retail (CRALACAG)

Keywords

• Children's activity boxes
• Screen-free family activities
• Cultural education boxes
• STEM activity kits
• Subscription activity boxes

Headquarters

HQ city

Bebington, Wirral

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Activity Box Sales: Sale of curated themed activity boxes (Japan, Space, Caribbean, Vietnam, Nordic, Ancient World, etc.) priced at £22-£25 per box. Also available as monthly or yearly subscriptions.
2. Merchandise: Sale of pins, badges, stickers, keychains, and wax melts priced at £2.50-£7.50. Includes branded merchandise like Kitsune pins, Hamilton Bear pins, and seasonal items.
3. Event Tickets: Ticketed events including Marine Biology events, Transport events, and Yoga fundraisers. Pricing ranges from free to £10 per ticket.
4. Amigo Program: Community sponsorship model where customers can purchase Amigo boxes or tickets to gift to families facing financial difficulties or with additional needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

UK Unplugged designs, sources, and ships themed activity boxes containing crafts, recipes, games, and educational materials, each providing 10+ hours of screen-free family time. The company also sells FSC-certified wooden pin badges, stickers, keychains, and soy wax melts, and hosts ticketed unplugged events across Merseyside, with monthly and yearly subscription options for recurring box delivery and a charitable Amigo sponsorship program gifting boxes to families in need.

Product overview

UK Unplugged is a Community Interest Company (CIC) offering a portfolio of themed activity subscription boxes and merchandise designed to help families create, explore, and unplug from screens. The core product portfolio includes cultural exploration boxes (Japan, Caribbean, Vietnam, Peru, Ancient World, Day of the Dead), STEM-focused boxes (Space, AI & Eyes, Marine Biology, Engineering, Avionics, Environmental Chemistry), environmental/architecture boxes (Earth Friendly Architecture, Transport Merseyside), imaginative boxes (Fairy Troll World, Dinos Roar, Nordic Cosy, Titanic), and a charitable sponsorship program (Amigo Box/Ticket). The company also sells pin badge merchandise, stickers, keychains, and wax melts. All boxes feature crafts, recipes, games, and activities sourced sustainably from local suppliers, with pricing ranging from £22-25 for standard boxes. The company operates primarily in the UK with events throughout the year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Japan Box Cultural exploration activity box for ages 8+ featuring Japanese recipes, crafts, colouring, karate dice games, paper kimono designs, and Kabuki theatre masks.
• Japan Box (for 14+) Advanced cultural exploration activity box for ages 14+ featuring 3D Primo Fake Sushi Kit, hanafuda card game, matcha baking, and a Kitsune fox pin.
• Space Box STEM-themed activity box exploring space through food, games, crafts, lunar phases painting, cosmic drinks, and planet matching activities.
• Nordic Cosy Box Relaxation-focused activity box inspired by Nordic mindfulness, featuring chai latte making, Swedish cardamom bun baking, folk-art fox bag charm, and journaling activities.
• Ancient World Box Cultural exploration activity box covering Egypt, Persia, Rome and Greece with chariot race activities, hieroglyph writing, papyrus painting, and ancient snakes and ladders games.
• Caribbean Box Island exploration activity box featuring Caribbean recipes, crafts, physical games, colouring, and activities from Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Cayman Islands.
• Vietnam Box Cultural exploration activity box featuring Vietnamese water puppets, crocodile games, Yin-Yang pig puzzle crafting, avocado ice cream recipes, and bamboo chopstick activities.
• Fairy Troll World Box Original magical character-themed activity box featuring FairyTroll Trumps card games, Magical Merseyside map exploration, dragon eggs, unicorn horns, and troll pasta recipes.
• Dinos Roar Box Dinosaur-themed activity box exploring the sounds dinosaurs actually made, featuring dino bone xylophone making, chocolate fossil digging, and dino card games.
• Day of the Dead Box Mexican tradition-themed activity box featuring Aztec warrior activities, hot chocolate recipes, nicho creating, spirit animal making, and Loteria bingo games.
• Earth Friendly Architecture Box Sustainable architecture-themed activity box featuring Sunshine Oasis House kit, Go Build Cards game, architectural design activities, and brownie brick house building.
• Engineering Around the World Box Engineering-themed activity box featuring wooden suspension bridge making, future engineer pins, ICE engineer ruler, and chocolate bridge activities.
• Environmental Chemistry Box Environmental chemistry activity box exploring pollution problems with poo balance game, coral reef theatre creation, pH paper testing, and oil spill clean-up game.
• Avionics Box Aviation engineering activity box featuring time zone map wiring, Bermuda Triangle game, Systems Go cards, and jet lag-friendly recipes.
• AI & Eyes Box Educational activity box exploring AI and eyes with activities including eye disease diagnosis games, pixel AI art design, celebrity eye guessing, and real vs. AI artwork detection.
• Marine Biology Box Marine biology exploration activity box inspired by Mersey and Dee Rivers wildlife, featuring colouring tote bag, crab invaders game, mango boba tea, beach journal, and grey seal pin.
• Titanic Box Historical activity box exploring life aboard the Titanic with Titanic coffees, Waldorf Pudding baking, shuffleboard game, and Titanic outfit design activities.
• Peru Box Peruvian culture activity box featuring llama blanket weaving, animal snap games, Peruvian bread baking, Lomo Saltado cooking, and Hamilton Bear character activities.
• Transport Box Merseyside Merseyside transport-themed activity box featuring Race Across the Mersey game, bus keyring, city bingo cards, wooden skateboard building, and travel journal activities.
• Amigo Box Charitable sponsorship product enabling families in need to receive a UK Unplugged activity box of their choice.
• Amigo Ticket Event donation ticket enabling families facing financial difficulties to attend UK Unplugged events.
• Kitsune Pin FSC-certified wooden pin badge inspired by Japanese Kitsune fox folklore.
• Port Sunlight Fox Pin FSC-certified wooden pin badge featuring a Port Sunlight wildlife fox design.
• Airplane Radar Pin Badge FSC-certified wooden pin badge designed by artist Ben for plane and radar enthusiasts.
• Christmas Spirit Pin Badge FSC-certified wooden pin badge featuring a ghost entwined in ivy with a spooky Christmas message.
• Hamilton Bear Pin FSC-certified wooden pin featuring the Hamilton Bear character inspired by the Andean Spectacled bear from Peru.
• Fika Club Pin Wooden pin inspired by the Nordic fika tradition as a reminder for mindfulness breaks.
• Sushi Double Keychain Keychain featuring a fish-shaped soy sauce holder representing Japanese culinary culture.
• Victorian Spooky Storytelling Cards Storytelling card set exploring the dark side of Victorian history.
• Exclusive Victorian Christmas Stickers Exclusive sticker sheet designed by Luiza featuring Victorian Christmas imagery.
• Exclusive Space Stickers Sheet Exclusive space-themed sticker sheet featuring astronaut and rocket designs.
• Luxury Handcrafted Ghost-Shaped Soy Wax Melts Handcrafted soy wax melts in ghost shape infused with vanilla bean and sweet malt fragrance, made by Plum Tree Illustration.
• UK Unplugged Events Ticketed in-person unplugged events held across Wirral, Liverpool, and Merseyside, including themed workshops, family activities, and fundraisers such as Marine Biology events, Transport events, and Yoga fundraisers.
• Monthly and Yearly Activity Box Subscriptions Recurring subscription product delivering themed UK Unplugged activity boxes monthly or yearly, with the first box shipped within 5 working days and subsequent boxes in the 3rd week of each month. Monthly subscriptions can be cancelled any time; yearly subscriptions have a 14-day cancellation window.

Quantifiable outcome

• 622 boxes gifted to young people on NHS CAMHS mental health waiting lists
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Royal Society of ChemistrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023UK Unplugged's Environmental Chemistry Project was sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry. This collaboration created activity boxes exploring real-life Environmental Chemist jobs dealing with water, air, and ground pollution, including hands-on activities like constructing poo balance games and coral reef theatres.
• University of LiverpoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership with University of Liverpool where student volunteers design and create box content. Students from various departments (Music, Architecture, Egyptology, Engineering, Business, etc.) contribute to box development as part of their studies and volunteering.
• Liverpool John Moores UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents from Liverpool John Moores University (particularly Illustration program) contribute designs and artwork for activity boxes. Hannah, an LJMU Illustration student, drew cards and booklets for various boxes.
• ShufflewoodscoreTechnology or IntegrationLocal woodworker in Wallasey who creates wooden components for boxes including fox bag charms, suspension bridges, time zone maps, shuffleboard disks, and photo holders. FSC certified wood products.
• The Printroom UKcoreTechnology or IntegrationEco-friendly Liverpool-based printer that produces all booklets, cards, and paper materials for UK Unplugged boxes. Consistent partner for printed materials across all box themes.
• NHS CAMHScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to provide free activity boxes to young people on mental health waiting lists. Care Navigators connect UK Unplugged with families in need. 622+ boxes gifted through this program.
• Family ToolboxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUK Unplugged is part of Family Toolbox network, a family resource platform promoting family-friendly activities and resources.
• Mobility CampcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Mobility Camp to develop the Transport Box Merseyside, exploring transport through games, crafts, and interactive activities with engineers and transport experts.
• Liverpool's Association for Space Engineering and Research (LASER)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with University of Liverpool's LASER group to create the Space Box. PhD students and engineers contributed technical expertise, with Tom serving as Chief Technical Officer for space-related projects.
• Wirral Environmental NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal environmental organization collaborating with UK Unplugged on sustainability initiatives and environmental education.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CrunchLabs: CrunchLabs, founded by YouTube creator Mark Rober, delivers monthly STEM engineering activity boxes with hands-on projects for children. It directly parallels UK Unplugged's STEM-focused boxes (Space, Engineering, Avionics, Environmental Chemistry) with comparable subscription cadence and age-targeted educational kits.
• Little Passports: Little Passports delivers monthly subscription boxes exploring world cultures, geography, and science for children. Its cultural/world exploration angle closely mirrors UK Unplugged's Japan, Vietnam, Peru, and Ancient World boxes, with comparable age ranges, subscription pricing, and hands-on activity components.
• Lovevery: Lovevery provides stage-based play kits for infants and toddlers focused on developmental activities. It shares UK Unplugged's curated physical activity box model with strong educational/parent-trust positioning, though targeted at younger ages; both compete for the same parent purchasing decision around screen-free, expert-vetted activities.
• Magic Crate: Magic Crate is a subscription activity box company for children delivering themed science, craft, and play kits monthly. It uses the same curated-box subscription model as UK Unplugged, with comparable pricing tiers and STEM/craft mix, though operating primarily in India rather than the UK.
• Green Kid Crafts: Green Kid Crafts delivers monthly eco-themed craft and science subscription boxes for children. It shares UK Unplugged's sustainability focus, use of eco-friendly materials, STEM/craft mix, and subscription model, making it a strong direct competitor for environmentally conscious families.
• KiwiCo: KiwiCo is the leading global subscription activity box company for kids, offering lines like Tinker Crate, Atlas Crate, and Maker Crate covering STEM, culture, and crafts. It is the closest direct competitor to UK Unplugged's curated themed box model, with the same subscription-based delivery, age-targeted boxes, and hands-on craft/educational content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uk-unplugged

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 UK Unplugged