SparkFun Electronics
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electronics retail and manufacturing |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Nathan Seidle |
| Headquarters | Niwot , United States |
Key people | Glenn Samala (CEO since 2016) |
| Products | Microcontroller development kits, breakout boards, proprietary electronics products |
Number of employees | 150+ (2015) |
| Website | www |
SparkFun Electronics (SFE) is a privately held company specializing in electronics retail and manufacturing, headquartered in Niwot, Colorado. Established in 2003 by entrepreneur Nathan Seidle during his time at the University of Colorado Boulder, SparkFun focuses on microcontroller development kits and breakout boards, catering primarily to the electronics production and educational sectors. The organization employed more than 150 individuals as of 2015 and has been under the leadership of CEO Glenn Samala since 2016.
History
SparkFun’s origins trace back to utilizing Olimex printed circuit boards, around which it developed a business model centered on open-source hardware products. The company’s name was inspired by an early product testing incident involving sparks and reflects its commitment to educating users about electronics. In 2011, SparkFun broadened its business approach by launching an education division aimed at engaging schools, hackerspaces, and community events, thereby strengthening its position in STEM education outreach.
Open-source hardware
Every product offered by SparkFun is provided as open-source hardware (OSHW), with schematics, EAGLE design files, and datasheets freely accessible on each product’s webpage. This strategy enhances the company’s competitive edge by encouraging innovation and fostering community participation. Product imagery is distributed under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 license. SparkFun was instrumental in shaping the initial OSHW standards during the 2010 Open Source Hardware summit, underscoring its prominent role in industry leadership and the global open hardware movement.
Antimov
This competition featured robots designed to violate the second and third laws of robotics, where fully autonomous robots would self-destruct after interacting with specific props. The Antimov contest was discontinued in 2011.
AVC
The Autonomous Vehicle Challenge was an annual event hosted by SparkFun that tasked participants with constructing automated vehicles capable of navigating a course without human intervention. As of 2015, aerial drones were excluded from participation. This challenge concluded in 2018.
Projects
SparkFun serves as a vital resource for the Maker community and Arduino enthusiasts by supplying components that are often difficult to find through conventional distributors.
While many items are procured from external manufacturers, SparkFun also creates and markets proprietary products such as:
- Port-o-Rotary phone
- Picture Frame Tetris
- Giant NES controller
Trademark dispute with SPARC International
On October 16, 2009, SPARC International sent a cease-and-desist notice demanding that SparkFun discontinue use of the "SparkFun" name and transfer ownership of SparkFun.com due to concerns over trademark similarities. The disagreement was amicably resolved through a trademark coexistence agreement signed on April 2, 2010.
Fluke trademark infringement
On March 7, 2014, U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted a shipment of multimeters intended for sale on SparkFun’s website, asserting that their yellow protective covers infringed upon Fluke Corporation’s trade dress rights. To avoid return shipping expenses, SparkFun opted to destroy the shipment. Subsequently, Fluke provided SparkFun with authentic products as a goodwill gesture supporting the maker community.
See also
External links
- American companies founded in 2003
- Companies headquartered in Boulder, Colorado
- Distributors of electronic components
- Electronics firms founded in 2003
- US-based online retailers
- Privately owned companies in Colorado
- Open-source hardware
- Retailers established in 2003
- American companies established in 2003
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment