littleBits Closes Series A and Partners with PCH International to Spark New Generation of Inventors

(PRWEB) July 18, 2012

Electronic building blocks company littleBits today announced a $ 3.65 million Series A round led by True Ventures and including Khosla Ventures, OReilly AlphaTech Ventures and Lerer Ventures. The company also announced a major partnership with leading supply chain management company PCH International, which will begin producing littleBits in August.

littleBits is a system of electronic modules that snap together with magnets for both prototyping and play. Each bit has a simple, unique function (light, sound, sensors, buttons, thresholds, pulse, motors, etc.), and modules that snap together to make larger circuits. littleBits enables anyone to create interactive electronics projectslike racecars, dragons and interactive greeting cardswithout any background in engineering, programming or wiring. With the companys flagship product, the 10-piece Starter Kit (US$ 89), users can build simple electronics quickly and affordably.

We spend more than seven hours with technological devices every day, yet most of us don’t even know how they work, said littleBits founder and MIT Media Lab alum Ayah Bdeir. littleBits aims to break the boundary between the things we consume and the things we make, and make everyone into an inventor. We want littleBits to be an affordable educational tool that is used in schools everywhere, and our new funding and new relationship with PCH means that we can now expand our team of super stars and reach even more people around the world.

Bdeir was recently awarded the TED Fellowship and participated in TED2012 in Long Beach where she delivered a talk about littleBits and the future of play, available at TED.com.

We are thrilled to be a part of the littleBits vision, said Jon Callaghan, co-founder of early-stage venture capital firm True Ventures. Ayah is exactly the type of founder we strive to work with at True, and her passion for building a platform that inspires and propels the creativity of the world’s next generations of creators aligns perfectly with our mission,” he said. “littleBits is a product that captures the imagination and has the potential to dramatically change the way the world thinks about education and play in the digital era.

To further expand littleBits global reach, PCH International will run its manufacturing, supply chain and logistics, making littleBits the youngest company to ever partner with PCH on a wide-scale product launch.

Ayah has the vision and ability to take littleBits global and make it a household name, said Liam Casey, CEO and Founder of PCH International, manufacturer of consumer and medical electronics, packaging, and accessories for some of the most iconic companies in the world. We work with companies that are passionate about design, about their brand and about the consumer experience. We are proud to partner with littleBits to help them reach the next phase of their rapidly growing trajectory.

To encourage innovation, the littleBits platform is open source and enables anyone to redesign and share their own creations online, turning electronics and circuits into collaborative tools.

Open source software lowered the costs of innovation for software and Internet services and pushed it from big companies to startups, said Joi Ito, who led a seed round for littleBits in September 2011 and played an integral role in the development of open source as a movement. The same thing is now happening in hardware, and littleBits is one of the companies leading the way.

Since its debut in September 2011, littleBits has created and released more than 30 products on the market. The company has been overrun with demand and has sold to parents, artists, designers, developers, schools, universities and many others in countries including the U.S., Canada, India, Japan, the UK, Australia, Mexico and Chile. The Museum of Modern Art has acquired littleBits for its permanent collection, and Popular Science named littleBits Best of Toyfair 2012.

About littleBits Investors

Investors in littleBits Series A funding include round leader True Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in promising companies like Automattic (makers of WordPress), Fitbit and Makerbot; OReilly AlphaTech Ventures, the venture fund known for helping put world-changing technologies on the map; Khosla Ventures, a fund dedicated to computing, Internet, mobile and silicon technology; Lerer Ventures, a seed stage venture fund; Jeffrey Walker, educator, advisor to the MIT Media Lab and former managing partner at JP Morgan; Joi Ito, MIT Media Lab director and former Creative Commons CEO; Joanne Wilson, prominent angel investor; and Salah Chamma.

Previous investors at the seed level included Joi Ito, Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of the MIT Media Lab and of the One Laptop per Child Association, as well as Taha Mikati, Fadi Ghandour, Josh Spear, Jason Port, Joanne Wilson and Salah Chamma.

littleBits Closes Series A and Partners with PCH International to Spark New Generation of Inventors

Spark Logix Studios is Conquering the Midwest as Inbound Marketers

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) June 30, 2012

What started as a modest web design business in Minneapolis by founder Rob Benson has since grown to an influential inbound marketing company spanning two states. The company has established several new offices, hired additional staff to keep up with demand and continue to hire as more projects roll in.

Although many businesses are reducing advertising budgets in response to the slower economy, Spark Logix Studios has found a way to thrive in this industry. When asked what’s enabled them to succeed, Benson replied, “No matter the economic climate, marketing is a necessity for every business. However, companies are opting for our service because they are less expensive than many traditional forms of advertising, and in today’s internet-centric world, they work better too.”

Account manager, Ryan Beckman, feels another reason Spark Logix Studios has been able to grow in this economy is the team’s willingness to work with a range of different sized businesses. “Our typical clients are small to medium sizes businesses, but our inbound marketing formula can work for any company,” said Beckman. “And because we’re able to give our clients quantifiable, positive changes to their online campaigns, they choose to maintain long-term relationships with our team.”

While they’ve earned the loyalty of their current clients, they are busy taking on new customers as well. In fact, Spark Logix Studios has such an influx of projects that, in addition to the main office in downtown Minneapolis, they’ve also opened up new offices and relocated staff to Ham Lake, MN and Fort Collins, CO in an effort to better serve customers.

Driving interest in the inbound marketing company is its holistic approach to online promotion. While others in their industry focus on one or two areas of advertising, such as web design or search engine optimization, Spark Logix Studios includes an assortment of elements into its strategy.

“Yes, we design and build web pages, and we optimize them for search engines, but as inbound marketers, we do so much more,” Benson, explained. “We also incorporate things like social media, blogs, videos, and other tactics that build links and brand awareness. This gives our clients exposure on multiple channels, which leads to more traffic, better targeted traffic, and increased conversions.”

Benson also feels people appreciate the user-friendly products Spark Logix Studios provides. “By relying on easy to use, yet powerful platforms like WordPress and Magento, our clients have much more control over their own web properties,” he said. “With only basic computer skills, they can update their sites, post blogs, or manage their own e-Commerce store — it’s very liberating.”

Visitors to the Spark Logix Studios’ website can find descriptions of all the company’s products and services, explore a portfolio of finished work, and read an extensive blog full of online marketing tips and tricks.

To learn more or to contact Spark Logix Studios, visit the company website.

Spark Logix Studios is Conquering the Midwest as Inbound Marketers

Minnesota Web Design and Inbound Marketing Company, Spark Logix Studios, Grows Again

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) August 31, 2012

It seems Spark Logix Studios can’t be tamed as the responsive web design and inbound marketing company continues to lengthen its reach and hire new team members. Two of the newest people to join the Spark Logix group are Jon Ramsey and Sean Roberts who will work as project manager and lead WordPress developer respectively.

Ramsey, who grew up in Minnesota, has an eclectic background with experiences that range from filmmaking to quantum physics and, most recently, search engine optimization and web design.

“I’m very excited to join the Spark Logix team,” said Ramsey. “I love learning new things and helping clients meet their needs, which I think will serve me well in providing the top-rate customer service Spark Logix is known for.”

Ramsey admits every day is different when you work as a project manager in the dynamic world of web design and inbound marketing; however, he says he is up to the challenge and proud to be part of a business so committed to staying on the cutting edge of its industry.

Roberts, who has a BA in arts, entertainment and media management, has several years experience working as a WordPress developer and has expanded his skills into responsive web design. He is using his expertise to help enlarge Spark Logix Studio’s Colorado branch and to provide the business’ clients with websites built to drive targeted traffic and deliver excellent user experiences.

“My goal is to help Spark Logix Studios grow to an even greater level,” Roberts remarked. “I’ve long ago committed myself to the best SEO and design practices, and I’m thrilled to be working for such a forward-thinking company that shares my vision.”

Currently, Spark Logix Studios has offices in Ham Lake, Fort Collins, and Minneapolis, and they claim to have no intentions of stopping soon. “Naturally, we couldn’t be happier about our growth and to have Jon and Sean onboard,” said company founder, Rob Benson. “But, what we’re most pleased to share with people is that many of the strategies we’re using to succeed are things we also provide our customers, such as SEO, social media, responsive web design, and more — so, our clients can enjoy results similar to ours.”

Although Spark Logix Studios specializes in Colorado and Minnesota web design and inbound marketing, they welcome clients from across the country. Visit their website or contact one of their offices for more information.

Minnesota Web Design and Inbound Marketing Company, Spark Logix Studios, Grows Again