Backyard Brains is starting to enjoy some traction for its principal produce, Robo Roach, a kit that uses insects to teach students about neuroscience.
"The last three months have seen record sales from us," says Tim Marzullo, executive director of
Backyard Brains. He adds, "It's exciting to see our gear in high schools and seeing students use it for their experiments."
Marzullo and his partner Greg Gage, both neuroscientists, started the company as a way to provide a cost-effective product that teaches grade-school students the workings of neurons in the brain. Its Robo Roach allows them to control insects via antennas. Recent growth has allowed the company to hire three people in the last year, expanding it staff to nine. It also has a handful of open positions for software developers.
"Our biggest growth will be in software development," Marzullo says.
Fueling this growth is Backyard Brains efforts to get the word out about its product. The co-founders have been leveraging free media opportunities to make inroads with neuroscience teachers across the country. For instance, Gage recently gave a TEDx Talk about the company.
"We're reaching a critical mass where many neuroscience teachers know about us," Marzullo says.
Source: Tim Marzullo, executive director for Backyard Brains
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.