When the ultra-affordable, credit-card sized Raspberry Pi chip first became available in 2012, its potential quickly became clear. Not just an educational tool or a neat toy for hackers to tinker with, this little computer had a big future: five years (and five versions) later, its potential has been realized.
The Raspberry Pi has now become the basis for a series of impressive and well-funded ventures in a variety of sectors. Here’s a rundown of some of the fresh-baked enterprises vying for a piece of that pie.
Company: WaterScope
Economic sector: Environmental science
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Funding story: After initial grants from Cambridge University, the company has since raised over £15,000 ($18,500 USD) in funding.
What they do: A simple, lightweight, low-cost water testing kit for developing communities. With a 3D-printed microscope hooked up to a Raspberry Pi chip, the WaterScope can quickly and effectively tell you if your water’s safe to drink—something that’s still of severe concern for hundreds of millions of people each day.
Company: NEC Display Solutions
Economic sector: Electronic displays
Funding story: NEC has been a leader in large-format displays for years. The company recently announced that it will launch a line of Raspberry Pi-enhanced displays (up to 98 inches) in 2017.
What they do: A range of smart, IoT-connected displays for business, that are customizable, potentially upgradable, and thanks to the presence of the Raspberry Pi, relatively inexpensive.
Company: Piper
Economic sector: Education
Funding story: After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Piper secured a funding round of $2.1 million from a handful of investors, including Princeton University and the cofounder of Skype.
What they do: DIY computer kits for kids. Students can assemble their own working computer and build up to a special treat: a custom edition of Minecraft that lets them solve engineering puzzles. Playing video games in class has rarely been this rewarding.
Company: Western Digital
Economic sector: Hard drives
Funding story: WD is already one of the largest data storage companies in the world, and they’re targeting a large group of users with their new line of PiDrive Foundation Edition drives.
What they do: Designed specifically for the Raspberry Pi, these ultrathin, low-cost drives give tinkerers a lot more storage to play with, as well as the ability to quickly switch between operating systems. Cryptocurrency enthusiasts point out that the combination could make these drives an ideal setup for dedicated Bitcoin nodes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How has the Raspberry Pi moved beyond education and hobby use?
First available in 2012 as an affordable, credit-card-sized computer, the Raspberry Pi had gone through five versions by early 2017 and had become the basis for several well-funded ventures across sectors such as environmental science, displays, education and data storage.
What is WaterScope?
WaterScope makes a simple, lightweight, low-cost water testing kit for developing communities, combining a 3D-printed microscope with a Raspberry Pi to tell whether water is safe to drink. After initial grants from Cambridge University, it raised over 15,000 pounds (about $18,500 USD).
How did NEC Display Solutions plan to use the Raspberry Pi?
NEC, a longtime leader in large-format displays, announced it would launch a line of Raspberry Pi-enhanced displays of up to 98 inches in 2017. The smart, IoT-connected business displays were meant to be customizable, potentially upgradable and relatively inexpensive.
What does Piper make, and how was it funded?
Piper makes do-it-yourself computer kits that let kids assemble a working computer and then solve engineering puzzles in a custom edition of Minecraft. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, it raised $2.1 million from investors including Princeton University and the co-founder of Skype.
What did Western Digital create for Raspberry Pi users?
Western Digital launched PiDrive Foundation Edition drives designed specifically for the Raspberry Pi. The ultrathin, low-cost drives add storage and allow quick switching between operating systems, and cryptocurrency enthusiasts said they could suit dedicated Bitcoin nodes.