Lithuanian startup Kind A Brick, a service for sorting prospects’ outdated LEGO® bricks into new units, has secured an funding of €1.15 million. The monetary help comes from the Baltic-focused VC fund Firstpick, 9 enterprise angels, and the founders’ preliminary funding of €200k.
Kind A Brick provides a service that cleans, types, and repackages prospects’ LEGO bricks into authentic or customized units, giving a second life to already-owned toys. By spring 2025, the startup seeks to boost a brand new spherical of €2,500,000 with worldwide VC funds. Their objective is to broaden throughout Europe, beginning with a restricted launch in Germany this October.
“Thousands and thousands of LEGO bricks sit unused in packing containers as a result of neither children nor dad and mom need to sift by them,” mentioned Aurimas Slapšys, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Kind A Brick. “We assist by cleansing and sorting prospects’ brick collections, then utilizing our proprietary software program to recommend new fashions to construct. This provides children a brand-new constructing expertise for a smaller worth than shopping for new units from the shop.”
The thought for Kind A Brick was conceived by Co-Founder Ilya Malkin, who noticed his family’s use of LEGO gadgets as wasteful. “I really like LEGO toys for my children, however they’d typically construct every mannequin as soon as after which ask me to purchase a brand new set,” commented Malkin. “This isn’t simply costly – it additionally contributes to the build-up of unsustainable plastic on the planet.” Most LEGO components are fabricated from difficult-to-recycle ABS plastic. Whereas the producer doesn’t disclose official numbers, Malkin estimates that LEGO has produced 1.5 trillion of those bricks since its first collection in 1958.
Encouraging the reuse of products and lengthening product life is an rising development and rising enterprise mannequin, projected to make up 15% of the bodily shopper items market by 2030 with a income of €265 billion. Round corporations embrace rental programs for gadgets like sport gear and luxurious items, which cut back pointless purchases. In addition they embody digital platforms reminiscent of Vinted, a platform for reselling garments and Lithuania’s first unicorn, and Tingit, a zero-effort market that allows customers to restore clothes, retaining gadgets in use longer. These recirculation ideas decrease environmental impression and promote sustainable shopper habits.
On his resolution to put money into Kind A Brick, Mantas Mikuckas, Co-Founding father of Vinted, added: “Round companies have enormous potential as a result of they tackle actual issues whereas additionally chopping CO2 emissions. Kind A Brick is a superb instance, letting children take pleasure in their toys extra whereas saving dad and mom cash and lowering their environmental footprint. It has additionally developed a very distinctive method, as the one firm that really types LEGO bricks for you.”
Malkin’s thought for the brick sorting service facilities on simplifying life for folks. “Constructing with LEGO fashions is enjoyable; sorting them, not a lot,” mentioned Malkin. “We maintain the organizing, so dad and mom can deal with having enjoyable and spending extra high quality time collectively.”
At its coronary heart, Kind A Brick is a tech startup. Its proprietary AI system analyzes bricks to find out what fashions could be constructed from the combo. The bricks are sorted accordingly, returning prospects’ LEGO items repackaged by set and with on-line accessible directions.
“The core know-how is a pc imaginative and prescient algorithm that may acknowledge the totally different bricks and determine doable mixtures. The sorting course of will work like an automatic meeting line, the place machines clear, group, and type the bricks new,” Malkin defined.
The beginningup is utilizing the latest funding to construct up its operations, investing in prototype equipment, superior pc imaginative and prescient, software program development, and market checks. “We’re at the moment making ready to boost further funding to improve our know-how to computerized operations, enhance capability, and enhance product expertise for our prospects. This may enable us to make the service absolutely out there not solely in Germany, our first goal market, but in addition to broaden additional,” Malkin added.
