Kiwi Crate

KiwiCo, Inc. (originally known as Kiwi Crate, operating at kiwicrate.com and kiwico.com) is a privately held American company headquartered in Mountain View, California, that designs and sells STEM/STEAM activity kits and educational toys for children from infancy through the teen years, as well as adults. Its core product is a monthly subscription "crate" containing all materials, illustrated instructions and a topic magazine needed to complete one or more hands-on projects, supplemented by online videos and activity ideas accessed via a QR code included in the box.

The product range is segmented by age and subject: Panda Crate (0–36 months, sensory and early-development toys with parent guidance materials), Koala Crate (ages 3–6, pretend play and motor skills), Kiwi Crate (ages 6–9, science and art), Atlas Crate (ages 6–12, geography and culture, one country per crate), Doodle Crate (ages 6–12, arts, crafts and design thinking), Tinker Crate (ages 9–12, science and engineering), Eureka Crate (ages 12+, engineering projects) and Maker Crate (ages 12+, advanced arts and crafts). Some products are wooden and drawn from Montessori philosophy. A separate division, KiwiCo Education, supplies schools, after-school programs, camps and community organizations with student materials and lesson plans aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards, and had worked with more than 10,000 schools and organizations as of March 2025.

The company states its mission as equipping children with the curiosity and skills to be innovators and broadening access to hands-on STEM education. It served customers worldwide and had roughly 100 employees as of the Wikipedia entry, with free shipping offered to U.S. subscribers.

Founding story

Sandra Oh Lin, an engineer with a Harvard MBA and prior roles at Procter & Gamble, PayPal and eBay, began assembling science experiments and art projects for her own two children (then aged about 2.5 and 4.5) and hosted "potluck play dates" with friends' families. A parent at one of these gatherings suggested she build a business around the activities. The company was named after a stuffed kiwi bird toy in her home, chosen for New Zealand's association with nature, discovery and exploration. The business started in her garage, ran lean on sweat equity with no hires beyond founders and advisors until it raised outside money, and moved into its first office/warehouse on the day it launched in October 2011. Sources describe the company as founded by executives from eBay, PayPal, YouTube and BabyCenter.

Business model

KiwiCo sells monthly subscription boxes ("crates") of hands-on STEAM projects for children, shipped directly to households, with each crate containing all required materials, printed instructions and a supplementary magazine, plus online bonus content accessible via a QR code. Subscribers can buy 3-, 6- or 12-month plans or a pay-as-you-go monthly option, switch between crate lines, and cancel at any time; individual crates and shop items are also sold à la carte at a higher unit price. Member benefits include free U.S. shipping, 10% off orders, bonus content and early access to new products. Beyond consumer subscriptions, KiwiCo Education sells materials and NGSS-aligned lesson plans to schools, after-school programs, camps and community organizations, and the company also distributes through retail partners.

Recurring revenue from monthly subscriptions (historically $19.95 or less per month; more recently from $24 per crate with a $30 pay-as-you-go monthly option), sold in 3-, 6- and 12-month terms with shipping included, plus one-off à la carte crate and shop purchases, gift subscriptions, retail channel sales and institutional sales through KiwiCo Education.

Traction

By August 2015 the company reported more than 1 million crates shipped since its late-2011 launch, annual sales above $10 million and 40 employees. Employment was listed at approximately 100 in the Wikipedia entry. Lifetime revenue surpassed $1 billion as of October 2024. The Kiwi Crate product page shows a 4.7 average rating across 13,608 reviews, with 75% five-star. KiwiCo Education had served over 10,000 schools and organizations as of March 2025. Earlier coverage noted subscriber growth exceeding expectations within months of launch, which prompted existing investors to fund the Series A.

Latest developments

As of October 2024 the company reported surpassing $1 billion in lifetime revenue, and in 2024 it moved its direct-to-consumer subscriptions into retail via Target and Barnes & Noble. As of March 2025, KiwiCo Education had worked with more than 10,000 schools and organizations. A 2024 Johns Hopkins University mixed-methods study surveyed 91 elementary teachers across 30 schools in a large western U.S. suburban district and found teachers perceived the crates as improving student motivation, interest in STEAM, confidence and 21st-century skills such as problem-solving and collaboration. Consumer reviews published in 2025 report crate pricing from $24, with a $30 monthly pay-as-you-go option.