Gajšak’s CircuitMess Sold 400 Thousand Digital Pets in Advance

The domestic manufacturer of electronic devices, CircuitMess, known for STEM kits that children assemble themselves, has made the largest leap in the history of this young company. In partnership with international giants in the toy industry, Eolo and Toikido, they launched Beep Boop, a digital pet that was ordered in over 400 thousand pieces from distributors worldwide even before its release in stores.

They found inspiration in the return of retro hits like Tamagotchi and in contemporary successes, including Bitzee, the best-selling toy of 2024. However, Beep Boop is not just a new version of a virtual pet, but an entire franchise with an animated series, YouTube cartoons, a video game, and accompanying products.

– We have always dreamed of creating something that transcends a single product. With Beep Boop, we succeeded. We created an entire world, characters with whom children will grow up. This is a blend of nostalgia for toys like Tamagotchi and modern technologies that allow children to interact on a completely new level – stated Albert Gajšak, founder and director of CircuitMess.

For their business, this meant a complete turnaround. Let us recall that the domestic company had previously produced products for a niche audience that enjoyed solving challenges, and now they had to align with the mass market where the toy must work flawlessly and in huge quantities. This has pushed them to new organizational and technical standards.

– Our people had to be present in the factory, set processes, and oversee quality. We even had to change the microcontroller in the middle of production, redesign the device, and adjust the software, but users must not notice the difference – says Gajšak.

Licensing Revenue

Additionally, due to Beep Boop, they had to implement a change in their business model, and for the first time, CircuitMess found itself in the role of a licensor.

– Since this is our first experience, it is clear that we still need to develop the share of revenue from licensing. It will not be the majority, but we expect that at least 10 to 15 percent of the company’s total revenue in the coming years will come from this segment – says Gajšak.

When asked if there is a risk of losing control over intellectual property, he responds that the company is secured.

– There is no danger of losing IP because we are the exclusive technology partner. Our IP is the hardware and software that enables the device to function, and we still own that technology – says Gajšak.

As for the future, he reveals that Beep Boop is just the beginning of an ambitious expansion plan.

– We have never done anything like this before in terms of business model, but the potential is enormous, and I believe this will develop into a kind of shared universe – says Gajšak.

Beep Boop will first appear on CircuitMess’s official website, and then on the shelves of global chains such as Walmart, Costco, Toys“R”Us, Tesco, Lidl, Kaufland, and Teddy by the end of the year. In parallel, the company is finishing the production of Butterboat, one of its most sought-after sets, which has already attracted a large number of customers through Kickstarter and Indiegogo. The company’s vision remains equally ambitious.

– Our goal is to become the Lego for STEM toys. We have several new products in preparation that we will talk more about later this year. We want to create toys that entertain and educate, but also collaborate with larger partners to grow even faster – says Gajšak.