# Bethany Koby

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**Bethany Koby** is an American designer and inventor. She was the co-founder and chief executive officer of the insolvent business [Tech Will Save Us](/source/Technology_Will_Save_Us).[1]

## Education and early career

Koby is from [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles).[2] Her mother taught in a [Montessori school](/source/Montessori_education) and her father was a photographer.[3] She attributes this to her love of making.[3][4] She studied [graphic design](/source/Graphic_design) at the [Rhode Island School of Design](/source/Rhode_Island_School_of_Design) in 2000.[3] She earned a [Master of Science](/source/Master_of_Science) in responsibility and business from [Bath Spa University](/source/Bath_Spa_University), which she studied in an effort to inform her art work.[5] She was a scholar at the [Fabrica research centre](/source/Fabrica_research_centre). Koby joined the consultancy [Wolff Olins](/source/Wolff_Olins), where she worked as design director and social impact specialist for 9 years.[6] She became interested in more interactive and effective ways to teach young people technology.[7]

## Career

Koby co-founded [Tech Will Save Us](/source/Technology_Will_Save_Us) when she found a discarded laptop in Hackney in 2012.[8] Investors in their first seed-funding round included Gi Fernando, Christopher Mairs (chairman of [Code Club](/source/Code_Club)) and [Saatchi & Saatchi](/source/Saatchi_%26_Saatchi).[2] She worked with [Nesta](/source/Nesta_(charity)), [Google](/source/Google) and [Mozilla](/source/Mozilla) to investigate what young people enjoyed and how it mapped to skills.[9]

Tech Will Save Us created [DIY](/source/DIY) gadgets for everyday life that inspire creative imagination in young people.[6] They sold 8,000 units in their first year.[2] She raised a $1.8 million investment from venture capital funding, and sought the advice of Matt Webb and [Tracy Doree](/source/Tracy_Doree).[8][9] They have sold kits in over 100 countries and several major retailers, including in [John Lewis](/source/John_Lewis_%26_Partners), [Barnes & Noble](/source/Barnes_%26_Noble) and [Myer](/source/Myer).[10] Their kits have been acquired by the [Museum of Modern Art](/source/Museum_of_Modern_Art) and [Design Museum](/source/Design_Museum).[3] In 2009 she collaborated with the Dalston Mill to present an art show for the [Barbican Centre](/source/Barbican_Centre).[5] She has taught classes at [Kaospilot](/source/Kaospilot).[5] In 2015 Koby partnered with the [BBC](/source/BBC) to ensure one million eleven-year-old children had access to a [Micro Bit](/source/Micro_Bit).[8] She designed the Tech Will Save Us *Mover Kit*, which raised £50,000 from a two-day crowdfunding campaign.[8][11] The *Mover Kit* is a toy wearable for children that they can code themselves.[3] In 2016 they won Best Hardware at the *Europas* and in 2017 they were awarded the Best Kids Tech Kit from the [Consumer Technology Association](/source/Consumer_Technology_Association).[12] In 2018 they raised $4.2 million in [Series A funding](/source/Series_A_round).[13] They collaborated with [The Walt Disney Company](/source/The_Walt_Disney_Company) on a [Marvel Avengers](/source/Marvel_Avengers) themed kit that encourages children to invent superheroes to complete secret missions.[14][15]

Koby recognises that parental buy-in is essential to reach children and young people.[16][17] She has written for [Goop](/source/Goop_(company)) and presented at the *Family Tech Summit*.[18][19] An interview with her appears in the [Coursera](/source/Coursera) course on Brand Management.[20] Koby was selected as one of the top entrepreneurs in the UK tech sector by *Growth Business* in 2017.[21] She was championed by [Innovate UK](/source/Innovate_UK) as one of their *Game Changers.*[22] She is one of the [Creative Review](/source/Creative_Review) Creative Leaders 50.[23] She is on the advisory board of [The Education Foundation](/source/The_Education_Foundation).[24] She was voted *Innovator of the Year* in the Tech Playmaker Awards in 2018.[25] She delivered the Design School *Pioneers Lecture* at the [University of the Arts London](/source/University_of_the_Arts_London) in January 2018, and has been part of various [Maker Faires](/source/Maker_Faire).[26][27]

In 2019, Koby was 22nd in [Computer Weekly](/source/Computer_Weekly)'s 50 'Most Influential Women in UK Tech' shortlist for her role as CEO and co-founder of Technology Will Save Us.[28]

Tech Will Save Us became insolvent in April 2021, despite raising £1.3 million the previous year from crowdfunding and the British government's Future Fund. The assets of the business were acquired for £99,000 in a [pre-pack](/source/Pre-pack) administration by a company controlled by Koby and her associates.[1]

## References

1. ["Taxpayer millions at risk in Future Fund loans"](https://www.thetimes.com/article/taxpayer-millions-at-risk-in-future-fund-loans-gmjpc03d6). 12 April 2021. Retrieved 2023-04-16.

1. ["A DIY tech evangelist scales up before BBC's Micro Bit giveaway"](https://www.ft.com/content/450d33d8-d6c6-11e4-97c3-00144feab7de). *Financial Times*. 2015-04-06. Retrieved 2023-09-27.

1. Dunn, Laura Emily (2017-06-02). ["Women in Business Q&A: Bethany Koby, Co-Founder, Technology Will Save Us"](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/women-in-business-qa-bethany-koby-co-founder-technology_us_593145c3e4b062a6ac0aceb4). *Huffington Post*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Bethany Koby, CEO of Tech Will Save Us | Startup Salon | The Good Web Guide"](https://www.thegoodwebguide.co.uk/tech/startup-salon/tech-will-save-us/19460). *www.thegoodwebguide.co.uk*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Bethany Koby"](http://www.oneclub.org/awards/youngguns/3/-bio/yg3-128-bethany-koby). *www.oneclub.org*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["WoW Woman in IoT | Bethany Koby, Co-founder and CEO of Technology Will Save Us"](https://www.womenofwearables.com/new-blog/wow-woman-bethany-koby-co-founder-and-ceo-of-technology-will-save-us). *WOMEN OF WEARABLES*. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Female Founded Tech Company Making a Mark in Education"](http://www.beyonddesignchicago.com/female-founded-tech-company-making-mark-education/). *Beyond Design*. 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Game changers: Bethany Koby - Innovate UK"](https://innovateuk.blog.gov.uk/2017/08/08/game-changers-bethany-koby/). *innovateuk.blog.gov.uk*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. Hern, Ninez; flirt, ez A. sensitive; Tease, An Awkward; Engineer, A. Metallurgical; surprisingly. (2016-12-17). ["Technology Will Save Us: Sparking Kids' Imaginations Around The World"](https://gineersnow.com/industries/toys/technology-will-save-us-sparking-kids-imaginations-around-world). *GineersNow*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Find a stockist"](https://www.techwillsaveus.com/find-a-stockist/). *Tech Will Save Us*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. Rhodes, Margaret (2016-05-11). ["This Hackable Wearable Is for Kids Who Don't Mess Around"](https://www.wired.com/2016/05/new-wearable-kids-combines-programming-playground/). *Wired*. [ISSN 1059-1028](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1059-1028). Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. TableCrowd (2016-07-18). ["Dine with Europas Winner, Bethany Koby at dinner next week"](http://www.tablecrowd.com/blog/2016/07/dine-with-europas-winner-bethany-koby-at-dinner-next-week/). *Table Crowd Blog*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Tech Will Save Us raises $4.2M for its tech-focused range of toys, partners with Disney"](https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/14/tech-will-save-us/). *TechCrunch*. 14 March 2018. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Marvel Avengers Electro Hero Kit | Learn STEM"](https://www.techwillsaveus.com/shop/marvel-avengers-electro-hero-kit/). *Tech Will Save Us*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. Hutchins, Robert. ["UK's Tech Will Save Us scores $4.2m funding as it prepares Disney Marvel tech-infused toy line"](https://www.toynews-online.biz/technology/uks-tech-will-save-us-scores-4-2m-funding-as-it-prepares-disney-marvel-tech-infused-toy-line). *ToyNews*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. Douglas, Ian (23 December 2015). ["This woman wants to teach your child how to code and create their own gadgets this Christmas"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/work/this-woman-wants-to-teach-your-child-how-to-code-and-create-thei/). *The Telegraph*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. Hedges, Frances (2018-08-29). ["Life lessons: what I've learnt about running a tech start-up"](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/people-parties/bazaar-at-work/a22812675/life-lessons-what-ive-learnt-about-running-a-tech-start-up/). *Harper's BAZAAR*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Teaching Kids to Code"](https://goop.com/work/career/tech-will-save-us-all/). *Goop*. 2016-08-25. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Bethany Koby"](https://kidsandfamilytech.com/blog/speakers/bethany-koby/). *FamilyTech*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["1.3 Interview with Bethany Koby, Director, Technology Will Save Us - Brand Purpose & Experience"](https://www.coursera.org/lecture/brand/1-3-interview-with-bethany-koby-director-technology-will-save-us-sZvZr). *Coursera*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["7 entrepreneurs leading the way for women in technology"](https://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/7-entrepreneurs-leading-the-way-for-women-in-technology-2549898/). *Growth Business*. 2017-03-06. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. UK, Innovate. ["Innovate My School - The woman who's getting hands-on with learning \[insight\]"](http://www.innovatemyschool.com/news/the-woman-who-s-getting-hands-on-with-learning-insight). *www.innovatemyschool.com*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Bethany Koby - Creative Review"](https://www.creativereview.co.uk/creativeleaders50/leader/bethany-koby/). *Creative Review*. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Advisors"](http://www.ednfoundation.org/about/people/advisors/). *The Education Foundation*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Last Year's Awards | Technology Playmaker Awards 2019"](https://web.archive.org/web/20181210015858/http://techplaymakerawards.com/last-years-awards/bethany-koby). *techplaymakerawards.com*. Archived from [the original](http://techplaymakerawards.com/last-years-awards/bethany-koby) on 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Bethany Koby: Creative Pioneer"](https://gmdlcc.co.uk/2018/02/26/bethany-koby-creative-pioneer/). *GMD/LCC*. 2018-02-26. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Inventing a Creative Tech Tool to Empower a New Generation"](https://makerfaire.com/maker/entry/52220/). *Maker Faire*. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

1. ["Computer Weekly announces the Most Influential Women in UK Tech 2019"](https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252471156/Computer-Weekly-announces-the-Most-Influential-Women-in-UK-Tech-2019). *ComputerWeekly.com*. Retrieved 2019-10-19.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bethany Koby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany_Koby) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany_Koby?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.