• Croatian edtech startup CircuitMess signs deal with retail chain Walmart and its branch Sam’s Club
• Sam’s Club will feature 30 CircuitMess products in its stores
• The company is working on new subscription lines that it plans to launch in the coming months
The startup’s STEM learning toys will be available in 589 stores across the US, and according to CircuitMess’ CEO Albert Gajsak, the Walmart representatives ordered copies from the Chatter 2.0 educational set worth over million dollars.
The Chatter 2.0 is a private texting device that teaches about electronics, coding, cybersecurity, and other skills of the future, and the DIY set is suitable for children aged 9+ and has been developed exclusively for Sam’s Club.
“We captured their attention after our second Kickstarter for a DIY mobile phone (The MAKERphone) – back in 2019. It took us three years to close this and get the products on the shelves. So far, we’ve been focusing on the B2C aspect of our business, but this cooperation is opening a whole new world of opportunities for our business,” Gajsak tells The Recursive.
Learning through having fun
The Chatter 2.0 comes with a fun instructions manual that is designed to guide users through the process of assembling two walkie-texties. At the same time, they get to learn how each piece of hardware and software works together to power the devices.
“We’re always looking for innovative items that offer exceptional value for our members. With this item, children can enter the world of STEM and telecommunications and learn valuable skills that will help prepare them for the jobs of the future,” said Cole Powell, Senior Merchant at Sam’s Club.
Chatter 2.0 also marks the first collaboration in Sam’s Club’s partnership with CircuitMess.
“We want to inspire even the very young to learn STEM with actual fun hands-on projects, instead of them having to rely solely on books and abstract theoretical concepts,” Gajsak said, adding that the company’s ultimate goal is to help children foster creativity and problem-solving skills.
Additionally, CircuitMess is also working on multiple new subscription lines that it is planning to launch in the upcoming months, Gajsak tells The Recursive.
Last year the Croatian startup also collaborated with Warner Bros to create CircuitMess Batmobile, a DIY AI-powered robot car.
Founded in 2017, the young company employs over 20 people and has recently moved to a new office in Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, and is on the lookout for talented individuals that will help them create unique electronic products and bring fun and exciting technology.
