BinaryBox
These descriptions and images are extracted directly from the speech notes and the deck from the actual pitch, hence the dramatic effects.
BinaryBox was an MVP Startup idea that Kartik Gupta and I for Make @ MINET X 2019. We placed #3 at the Pitch Event judged by creative technologists like Anand Chowdhary.
BinaryBox is a subscription-based STEM Kits delivery service. We aim at developing a generation of Imagineers who can change the world for the better with technology by their side.
Our Story
We were fortunate enough to have recently visited the TERI facility in the village of Kathgodam in Uttarakhand. The minimal yet elaborate use of basic technology was something that touched us deeply. Impressed by this use of technology, we went on to create a solution to bring this joy to millions, and here we are.
Problems that led us here
- The current STEM kits don’t give you the actual hands-on knowledge required to jump into the actual domain of STEM
- With the current STEM kits, you copy-paste what’s given in the manual. There is no actual understanding of the logic and workflow
- The STEM kits available don’t impart any life skills and limit your creativity to the box
Company Ideology
- Social mission: On a mission to help produce an evolved generation that’s better adapted to STEM and work in tandem to make the world a better place because we believe in Imagineers who can change the world for the better.
- Philanthropic philosophy: The BB Privilege Programme The BinaryBox Privilege Programme is our philanthropic initiative wherein for every kit shipped, we take a percentage of our profits and use it to take tech-ed to remote areas.
- But why bother at all? Technology is omnipresent and drives virtually everything in today’s world, with our kits, we create people who drive technology.
- Environmental initiative: Minimalist design and care for nature (mostly in packaging)
Competitive advantage
- It’s fun
- Gives you the actual basic knowledge and initial skills needed for entering the domain of programming and technological development
- Develops logic and reasoning that form the basis of programming and mathematics.
- Ensures that you learn and not just copy-paste using encryption-decryption techniques, putting in order through workflow logic and explaining the logic behind every line of code
- Not limited to just manuals, you can add your creativity to the projects.
- Imparts life skills, you can even FAIL, the manual gives you the knowledge, not the steps. After all, “The greatest teacher, failure is” - Yoda
- We don’t give you a pre-programmed computer, you get the actual microcontrollers used by Imagineers which are programmed by you. You don’t learn how to connect wires but how to make things work
- You learn the actual syntax used by developers around the world
- Every monthly kit comes with a theme and a relevant toy
The BB Privilege Programme
The BinaryBox Privilege Programme is our philanthropic initiative wherein for every kit shipped, we take a percentage of our profits and use it to take tech-ed to remote areas.
We aim at organizing camps and workshops in remote regions of the world with the funds obtained. While we won’t be teaching topics as complex as microcontrollers for the beginning, we’ll be targeting to teach the basic use of computers and smartphones to increase the connectivity, not only for our prime audience - the kids but also the adults and grownups. We may as well promote volunteers and encourage our consumer base to help us teach at these workshops and lead by example.
Initially, in the budding stage, we’ll be looking at 30% - 40% of our profits being invested into the program. However, as the company grows and breaks even, this percentage will rise to as high as 50%.
Promotion Strat and Exclusivity business model
Every kit comes with a unique code that once entered adds the kit to your account and enables access to all the kit content (activities, programming, logic workflows, puzzles, encryption-decryption, etc.), this adds a non-proprietary yet effective barrier to content piracy.
There is also a global leaderboard, the players are awarded points for completing a kit, uploading pictures of their end result with our hashtag to social media platforms. This serves ___ purposes, gives us free social media promotion that looks much more genuine than “This is my product, I gave big bucks to Instagram and now you should buy it” and it creates a competitive spirit that subconsciously tells the kids to buy more kits.
Every time a kid buys a kit, he/she gets a referral code. This code gives the user an off on the subscription price and the giver more points to top the leaderboard.
Market size: With the edutainment industry growing bigger than ever with online learning gaining more popularity, it is estimated to be at around $200B globally and about $20B in India itself.