Raspberry Pi Foundation
{{Short description|British charity, producer of the Raspberry Pi}}
{{use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}{{Infobox organisation
| name = Raspberry Pi Foundation
| image = RpiFoundationHeadquarters.jpg
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| caption = Raspberry Pi Foundation headquarters in Cambridge
| logo = Raspberry Pi Logo.svg
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| formation = {{start date and age|2009|05}}
| founders = {{hlist | David Braben | Jack Lang | Pete Lomas | Rob Mullins | Alan Mycroft | Eben Upton }}
| founding_location = Caldecote, South Cambridgeshire
| vat_id =
| registration_id = 1129409
| status = {{Unbulleted indent list|Company limited by guarantee{{Cite web |title=Raspberry Pi Foundation - About Us |url=https://www.raspberrypi.org/about/ |access-date=2021-06-16 |website=Raspberry Pi |quote=Raspberry Pi Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales (1129409).Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales No.06758215. |archive-date=2020-07-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708201926/https://www.raspberrypi.org/about/ |url-status=live}}|Registered charity in England and Wales}}
| purpose =
| headquarters = 37 Hills Road, Cambridge, England, U.K.
| products = Raspberry Pi
| fields = Education
| leader_title = CEO
| leader_name = Philip Colligan
| leader_title2 = Board Chair
| leader_name2 = John Lazar
| key_people =
| main_organ = Board of trustees{{cite web |url=https://www.raspberrypi.org/about/governance/ |title=Governance – Raspberry Pi |access-date=2017-07-18 |archive-date=2021-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328020304/https://www.raspberrypi.org/about/governance/ |url-status=live }}
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| website = {{official URL}}
}}
The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a UK-based educational charity founded in 2008 to promote the study of computer science and related subjects globally, particularly among young people. It is best known for initiating the Raspberry Pi series of single-board computers. These are now designed and sold by Raspberry Pi Holdings, a publicly traded company of which the Foundation is the largest shareholder. While legally distinct, both entities share a mission to democratise access to computing.
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
History
The Foundation was founded in autumn 2008{{Cite web |last=Upton |first=Eben |date=11 June 2024 |title=Raspberry Pi IPO |url=https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/raspberry-pi-ipo/ |access-date=13 June 2025 |website=Raspberry Pi |language=en-GB}} by David Braben, Jack Lang, Pete Lomas, Rob Mullins, Alan Mycroft and Eben Upton, and formally registered as a charity in May 2009 in Caldecote, England.{{Cite news |last=Vilches |first=Jose |date=22 May 2012 |title=Interview with Raspberry's Founder Eben Upton |url=http://www.techspot.com/article/531-eben-upton-interview/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151202030458/http://www.techspot.com/article/531-eben-upton-interview/ |archive-date=2 December 2015 |access-date=19 June 2012 |work=TechSpot}}{{Cite web |date=6 June 2011 |title=Register of Charities – The Charity Commission – Raspberry Pi Foundation Charity number: 1129409 |url=https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5002372 |publisher=Charity Commission for England and Wales |quotation=The object of the charity is to further the advancement of education of adults and children, particularly in the field of Computers, Computer Science and related subjects}}{{Cite web |last=Brookes, Tim |date=24 February 2012 |title=Raspberry Pi – A Credit-Card Sized ARM Computer – Yours For Only $25 |url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/raspberry-pi-creditcard-sized-arm-computer-25/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224154853/https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/raspberry-pi-creditcard-sized-arm-computer-25/ |archive-date=24 February 2021 |access-date=29 February 2012 |website=MakeUseOf}}{{Cite web |last=Heath |first=Nick |date=19 December 2018 |title=Inside the Raspberry Pi: The story of the $35 computer that changed the world |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/inside-the-raspberry-pi-the-story-of-the-35-computer-that-changed-the-world/ |access-date=10 February 2023 |website=TechRepublic |quotation=Early the following year, Upton, Lomas, Mycroft, Elite creator David Braben, and Cambridge University lecturers Jack Lang and Rob Mullins would create the Raspberry Pi Foundation,}} Mycroft, Lang, Mullins and Upton were involved with the Computer Lab at the University of Cambridge and were motivated by a decline in applications to study the computer science undergraduate course. Their aim was to develop a computer, available for the price of a textbook, to encourage hands-on experimentation in programming and electronics. Braben, one of the founders of the Frontier Developments contributed insights from the games industry, while Lomas drew on his background in electronics manufacturing.{{Cite web |last=Lazar |first=John |date=3 July 2024 |title=A vote of thanks to our Trustees |url=https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/a-vote-of-thanks-to-our-trustees/ |access-date=6 June 2025 |website=Raspberry Pi Foundation |language=en-GB}}
{{Quote box
| quote = [T]he lack of programmable hardware for children{{spaced ndash}}the sort of hardware we used to have in the 1980s{{spaced ndash}}is undermining the supply of 18-year-olds who know how to program, so that's a problem for universities, and then it's undermining the supply of 21-year-olds who know how to program, and that's causing problems for industry.
| source = Co-founder Eben Upton in 2012{{Cite news |last=Halfacree, Gareth |date=1 March 2012 |title=Raspberry Pi interview: Eben Upton reveals all |url=http://www.linuxuser.co.uk/features/raspberry-pi-interview-eban-upton-reveals-all/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151109225848/http://www.linuxuser.co.uk/features/raspberry-pi-interview-eban-upton-reveals-all |archive-date=9 November 2015 |access-date=12 March 2022 |work=Linux User & Developer}}
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After several early prototypes, the first Raspberry Pi computer was launched in 2012.{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=http://www.raspberrypi.org/about/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140425012911/http://www.raspberrypi.org/about/ |archive-date=25 April 2014 |access-date=24 April 2014 |publisher=Raspberry Pi Foundation}} Beyond the originally intended use in education, the computer was quickly adopted by computer and electronics enthusiasts. Many of these users carried their experience with the platform into professional and industrial settings.{{Cite web |date=11 June 2024 |title=Prospectus |url=https://investors.raspberrypi.com/ipo/documents/11 |access-date=20 May 2025 |website=Raspberry Pi Holdings |page=47}}
To commercialize the computer and meet growing demand, the Foundation established a commercial subsidiary in late 2012 called Raspberry Pi (Trading) Ltd. to develop and manufacture its computing products.{{Cite web |title=Raspberry Pi Ltd |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08207441 |access-date=24 August 2024 |website=Companies House}}{{cite web |title=Welcome Lance! |url=http://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/welcome-lance/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917063022/https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/welcome-lance/ |archive-date=17 September 2015 |access-date=24 April 2014 |publisher=Raspberry Pi Foundation}} The profits of this company used to fund the charitable work of the foundation. Between 2012 and 2024, the commercial subsidiary contributed nearly US$50 million to the Foundation, alongside over US$60 million raised from philanthropy and other sources.{{Cite web |last=Colligan |first=Philip |date=28 May 2024 |title=What would an IPO mean for the Raspberry Pi Foundation? |url=https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/what-would-an-ipo-mean-for-the-raspberry-pi-foundation/ |access-date=12 June 2025 |website=Raspberry Pi Foundation |language=en-GB}}
Upton left the foundation board in December 2012 to lead both the new company and foundation as CEO.{{Cite web |title=Eben Upton CBE |url=https://archivesit.org.uk/interviews/eben-upton-cbe/ |access-date=24 August 2024 |website=Archives of IT}}{{Cite web |date=30 September 2013 |title=TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2012 |url=https://static.raspberrypi.org/files/about/RaspberryPiFoundationReport2012.pdf |website=RASPBERRY PI FOUNDATION}} In September 2013 Lance Howarth became CEO of the foundation, allowing Upton to focus on the company. Philip Colligan took over as CEO of the foundation in July 2015.{{cite web |title=Welcome Philip! |url=https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/welcome-philip/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170523133035/https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/welcome-philip/ |archive-date=23 May 2017 |access-date=7 May 2017 |publisher=Raspberry Pi Foundation}}{{Cite web |title=3. Carrie Anne Philbin, director of education, Raspberry Pi Foundation – The 50 Most Influential Women in UK Tech 2017 |url=https://www.computerweekly.com/photostory/450427418/The-50-Most-Influential-Women-in-UK-Tech-2017/3/3-Carrie-Anne-Philbin-director-of-education-Raspberry-Pi-Foundation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729012901/https://www.computerweekly.com/photostory/450427418/The-50-Most-Influential-Women-in-UK-Tech-2017/3/3-Carrie-Anne-Philbin-director-of-education-Raspberry-Pi-Foundation |archive-date=29 July 2018 |access-date=28 July 2018 |website=www.computerweekly.com |language=en}} In 2016, The foundation moved its headquarters to Station Road, Cambridge,{{cite web |title=Raspberry Pi and JA Kemp move to iconic Station Road HQs |url=http://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news/property-and-construction/raspberry-pi-and-ja-kemp-move-iconic-station-road-hqs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224224606/https://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news/property-and-construction/raspberry-pi-and-ja-kemp-move-iconic-station-road-hqs |archive-date=24 February 2021 |access-date=17 February 2017 |website=Business Weekly |publisher=Business Weekly}} moving again in 2018, to Hills Road, Cambridge.{{cite web |date=2018 |title=Annual Report |url=https://static.raspberrypi.org/files/about/RaspberryPiFoundationReport2018.pdf |publisher=Raspberry Pi Foundation}}
In 2015, the Raspberry Pi Foundation merged with Code Club.{{cite web |title=Putting a Code Club in every community |url=https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/putting-a-code-club-in-every-community/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804171009/https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/putting-a-code-club-in-every-community/ |archive-date=4 August 2022 |accessdate=4 August 2022 |publisher=Raspberry Pi Foundation}}{{cite news |title=Pi's the limit: Merger aims to create more kid coders |url=https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2015-11-04/pis-the-limit-merger-aims-to-create-more-kid-coders/ |access-date=10 February 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Horsey |first1=Julian |date=3 November 2015 |title=Raspberry Pi Foundation And Code Club UK Join Forces To Help Children Code |url=https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/raspberry-pi-foundation-and-code-club-uk-join-forces-to-help-children-code-03-11-2015/ |access-date=10 February 2023 |website=Geeky Gadgets}} In 2017, it merged with CoderDojo.{{cite web |title=Raspberry Pi Foundation and CoderDojo to code club together |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/26/raspberry-pi-foundation-and-coderdojo-to-code-club-together/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804171009/https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/26/raspberry-pi-foundation-and-coderdojo-to-code-club-together/ |archive-date=4 August 2022 |accessdate=4 August 2022 |publisher=TechCrunch}}{{cite web |last1=Gorey |first1=Colm |date=26 May 2017 |title=CoderDojo and Raspberry Pi join forces to create coding giant |url=https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/coderdojo-raspberry-pi-merger |access-date=10 February 2023 |website=Silicon Republic}}
The commercial subsidiary split from the foundation in July 2024, and became a publicly traded company, with the foundation as its largest shareholder. The foundation was supportive of the move, and said would use proceeds from share sales to establish an endowment for its educational work while remaining a major shareholder and stakeholder in the company's future.{{Cite web |title=Raspberry Pi Holdings |url=https://www.londonstockexchange.com/stock/RPI/raspberry-pi-holdings-plc/about:blank |access-date=24 August 2024 |website=www.londonstockexchange.com}} Following the IPO, the Foundation's shareholding in Raspberry Pi Holdings was reduced from 77.31% to 49.08%, generating {{£|136 million|link=on}} to establish the endowment.{{Cite web |title=Prospectus |url=https://storage.raspberrypi.com/investor-relations/3qec15fpi84vieeldwgkv93rn2el?response-content-disposition=attachment%3B%20filename%3D%22Prospectus.pdf%22%3B%20filename%2A%3DUTF-8%27%27Prospectus.pdf&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=investor-relations%2F20240824%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240824T184113Z&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=1418838d3333ec34932ba515a7446628848b5e5c3caa66e378163b8d8ea425d1 |access-date=24 August 2024 |publisher=Raspberry Pi Holdings}}{{Cite web |date=9 March 2024 |title=Annual Review and Accounts 2023 |url=https://static.raspberrypi.org/files/about/RaspberryPiFoundationAnnualReview2023.pdf |website=Raspberry Pi Foundation |page=54}}
Activities
The Foundation delivers educational programmes promoting the study of computer science and related subjects worldwide, including teacher training, curriculum resources, and outreach initiatives.
In April 2014, the foundation announced a £1{{nbsp}}million education fund to support projects that enhance the understanding of computing and to promote the use of technology in other subjects, particularly STEM and creative arts for children.{{cite web |title=Announcing Our Million-Pound Education Charity Fund |url=http://www.raspberrypi.org/announcing-our-million-pound-education-charity-fund/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502020148/http://www.raspberrypi.org/announcing-our-million-pound-education-charity-fund/ |archive-date=2014-05-02 |access-date=2014-04-26 |publisher=Raspberry Pi Foundation}} They offered to provide up to 50% of the total projected costs to successful applicants.{{cite web |title=EDUCATION FUND |url=http://www.raspberrypi.org/education-fund/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427051937/http://www.raspberrypi.org/education-fund/ |archive-date=2014-04-27 |access-date=2014-04-26 |publisher=Raspberry Pi Foundation}} Carrie Anne Philbin was the Director of Education.{{cite news |date=2020-10-12 |title=Raspberry Pi Foundation's Carrie Anne Philbin earns MBE for services to education |url=https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/raspberry-pi-foundation-s-carrie-anne-philbin-earns-mbe-for-services-to-education-9126190/ |access-date=2023-02-10 |work=Cambridge Independent |language=en}}
The Raspberry Foundation is an active sponsor of the British edition of the International Bebras Computing competition, together with the University of Oxford.{{Cite web |last=Sentance |first=Sue |date=2019-10-28 |title=The Raspberry Pi Foundation and Bebras |url=https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/bebras-partnership/ |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=Raspberry Pi Foundation |language=en-GB}}
The foundation publishes Hello World, a "computing and digital making" magazine.{{cite web |url=https://helloworld.raspberrypi.org/ |title=Hello World |access-date=2018-07-03 |archive-date=2021-03-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210325130316/https://helloworld.raspberrypi.org/ |url-status=live }} From 2018 to early 2023, the foundation published Wireframe, a video game development magazine.{{Cite web |last=Calvin |first=Alex |date=January 17, 2023 |title=Four years and 70 issues later: Why Wireframe magazine is closing down |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/four-years-and-70-issues-later-why-wireframe-magazine-is-closing-down |access-date=January 23, 2024 |website=Games Industry.biz}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Raspberry Pi Foundation}}
- {{Official website}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Foundations based in the United Kingdom
Category:Charities based in Cambridgeshire
Category:Computer science organizations
Category:Education advocacy groups
Category:Educational charities based in the United Kingdom
Category:Educational foundations based in the United Kingdom
Category:Educational technology non-profits