# SmartGurlz 

Award-winning robotics and e-learning (Peloton Meets EdTech)

## Elevator pitch
We teach girls and under-served minorities STEM filling a massive gap in the ed-tech market. While it is projected that over 1 million tech jobs will go unfilled by 2022, women and minorities are greatly under-represented. We make the only coding product for kids specifically designed for this market. We have sold over 30,000 coding robots for girls in the consumer market and have entered into a collaboration launching school product and curriculum targeting both girls and boys in 2020.

- Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/smartgurlz
- Entity ID: wefunder:company:25551
- Last updated: 2026-06-19T05:00:09Z
- Generated at: 2026-06-20T03:01:32Z

## Quick facts
- NEW ROUND! $2.7M raised. Join investors Morgan Stanley and NYU
- Proven through Covid-19 - More than $2M in revenue with a 4+ rating on Amazon.
- Covid-19 Program - Educated nearly 1,000 kids via e-learning during the pandemic.
- Beat 40,000 companies to land ABC's Shark Tank and received an offer from Daymond John
- Expanding into $40B Ed-tech market- Signed a deal with former LEGO education distributor, Pitsco Education
- Powerful PR - Featured on CNN, Fox and Friends, Fox Business News, Forbes and Financial Times.
- Strong Team - Includes former VP of Hasbro, EVP of LeapFrog and host of MythBusters.
- Female founder of color. Support minority-owned small business.

## Active fundraises
- wefunder:fundraise:67856: 4(a)(6) open (USD)
- wefunder:fundraise:47153: 506(c) successful (USD)
- wefunder:fundraise:36386: 4(a)(6) successful (USD)
- wefunder:fundraise:18534: 4(a)(6) successful (USD)

## Story
The mission of SmartGurlz has always been to engage and educate girls and minorities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).Award-winning SmartGurlz stepped up to plate during the Covid-19 pandemic and is proud to announce that its Smart Buddies live remote learning program was named one of the Best STEM Camps by Good Housekeeping, Parade, Daily Mom, Romper, Fox News, Good Morning Los Angeles and many others. In addition, Good Morning, America named our camp one of the best gifts to give during the pandemic. Our duty has always been to help kids - and a global pandemic was not going to get in our way!Nearly 1,000 children attended our remote camp this summer and the success will lead us to create a new platform for remote learning. The team is applying for grant funding from the National Science Foundation and Department of Education for a new platform. BlackGirlsCode also did a Smart Buddies camp during the Covid-19 closures this summer.  Smart Buddies Live is an amazing concept to keep kids learning this summer,                                                           Steve Greenberg, Gadget Guy for Good Morning AmericaNot only did we sell Smart Buddies products, but we also got to meet thousands of families who needed help and home-schooling during Covid-19.SmartGurlz is more than just a fast-growing company, we are a movement of loyal customers who believe that kids need more than just exposure – they want tailored products that excite, ignite and engage.The Story of SmartGurlzWe started with an appearance on ABC's Shark Tank and taught Sir Richard Branson to code. It's been an amazing journey, and we've only just begun.  Since then we have taught more than 35,000 kids how to code and made headlines along the way. CEO and co-founder, Sharmi Albrechtsen's 8-year old daughter was struggling in math and computer science and one of her main comments was “When am I ever going to use this?” All of the products on the market were masculine with tank-like wheels, blades and bazookas and it was sending her the message: 'this is for boys'.This is when she had an ‘aha’ moment that a product geared towards her play patterns such as role model play and creative storytelling. With Smart Buddies our focus is on ensuring kids of color see themselves in STEM. The SolutionWhile SmartGurlz's robots, apps and dolls have been popular for at-home learning and playing - last year the company along with Pitsco Education created a joint venture for a new product line aimed at schools and education including girls and boys. With diversity being a major theme in education, the time is right for Smart Buddies. Smart Buddies is backed by research to show that in order to engage more young kids, we need to address their preferred learning styles and brain function. More than coding: reading, math, SEL and Career PathwaysUnlike other STEM robots, Smart Buddies has a literacy component with 8-books, social-emotional learning and Career Pathways.A Growing ED TECH Company with a Covid-19 responseThanks to Shark Tank, we had an amazing bumper year in 2017 when we aired on national television with 9 million viewers. Otherwise, SmartGurlz has been experiencing a healthy revenue growth and despite Covid-19 ..... 2020 has been a fantastic launch year for our new schools' program, Smart Buddies which we launched as a virtual program.Hear from parents and kids who attended our award-winning Smart Buddies camps this summer.Consistent Growth Note: this slide contains forward-looking projections which cannot be guaranteed. Smart Buddies: Excited about launching into a $40 Billion School MarketWhile Covid-19 school closures paused our 2020 launch into the school's market, both our exclusive partner, Pitsco Education and our sales team is excited about 2021 because now schools will want successful hybrid (in-class and remote) solutions and we can offer one!More than 250 students in 10 schools in Florida and Texas have now been through the SmartBuddies schools pilot program -- the only coding program targeted at diversity and inclusion in coding and STEM.  Pitsco Education worked with LEGO for more than a decade introducing Mindstorms to schools across America and SmartGurlz is honored that they have chosen us as a partner.Both Pitsco and SmartGurlz have great expectations for our 2021 relaunch into the school's market.Pitsco Promotion Video to SchoolsJoin investors like Morgan Stanley and NYU Investment FundImpact investments are investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Impact investments are investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return.2021: The Future is MarsSmartGurlz is working on a new consumer franchise and product line that includes our own entertainment/content, robots, figures and apps that is based around Mars exploration and female empowerment in STEM. We are currently in dialogue with NASA to close a deal for an educational collaboration and have also received a contract to work with Jeff 'Swampy' Marsh Executive Producer of Disney's Phineas and Ferb to move forward with a sizzle for a new animated series. Girls Meet Mars Product for 2022SmartGurlz has prototypes in the pipeline for this new consumer product line that includes our own entertainment/content, robots, figures and apps. Inspired by American Girl doll model (girls collect and play for 3 years) below is a video, of our new range that is customizable and will allow of accessories and a Life Time Revenue for $400-$600.

## FAQ
1. **would the App be with both iOS and Android or only Apple?**
   - Hello Ahmed, thanks for your generous investment. We have the app SmartGurlz SugarCoded on Google Play (Android), iOS (App Store), KIndle (Amazon). You can download now.
2. **Hello. I remember the Shark Tank episode and thought it was cool then, and think its cool now :) Sorry if I missed it in the details, but was curious if you cold provide some clarity on the revenue decline in 2018? Thanks an good luck on the raise.**
   - Hi Bryan, thanks -- we think our products are cool, too! In fact, it was not a revenue decline but a normalization of revenue after a spike from Shark Tank. As you can imagine, a nation-wide TV appearance with a 10-minute highlight of your products with Richard Branson is not repeatable with 'normal marketing'. In fact with our recurring grant revenues, each year, we have seen a 200 percent growth in total revenue (when removing the Shark Tank spike of 2017).
3. **I have more of a comment than a question. Perhaps you could partner with Generation Genius for an episode on coding. They are currently raising funds on Startengine https://www.startengine.com/gg?utm_source=startengine&utm_medium=main_website&utm_campaign=closing_soon**
   - Great idea. Looks like a great project and we could certainly do some fun educational curriculum together
4. **Who are your competitors and how are your products have competitive advantage?**
   - Hi Kumar, thanks for the excellent question. Our competitors are Sphero, Wonder Workshop, Ozobot, among others. Our products are different because we focus on story-telling to teach math and coding. We have research to show that story-telling with books, characters and real-life context resonates well with young children when combined with math. For example, we see a 51 percent increase of geometry retention (for girls) compared to control when we add stories. Story-telling is authentic ...
5. **Any interest in going public at all in the future?**
   - Hi Victor, its really early to talk about exit strategies. While an IPO is a possibility, if SmartGurlz becomes the only EdTech brand focused on diversity and inclusivity, we would be a target for acquisition by education companies, toy/gaming companies looking to expand into education or tech companies competing in the children’s education space.

## Team
- Sharmi Albrechtsen (CEO)
- Martin Pidel (CMO)
- Kari Byron (Chief Creative Officer)
- Ken Klinkowski  (Head of Product Design)
- Jesper Nissen (Co-founder & CTO)
- Kasey Bernard (VP Business Development & Education Manager)

## Recent posts
- Hi all, Thanks for your patience and again for all of the kind messages. We have officially closed SmartGurlz and are continuing to provide all investors with worthlessness letters for this tax season. If you have not received one, please email us on sales@smartgurlz.com and we will arrange for the letters, provide us your full name, address and amount invested. Best regards, Sharmi Albrechtsen (2026-01-13T01:30:23Z)
- Update regarding Next DaVinci (2024-04-06T00:28:26Z)
- Regroup with Next DaVinci team (2024-03-29T16:42:50Z)
- TV show Update (2024-01-22T16:19:29Z)
- GABRIELLE UNION PITCH VIDEO (2023-10-02T16:35:22Z)
- SmartGurlz Newsletters Google Drive (2023-03-24T06:29:19Z)
- Quarter 3 Newsletter: in your inbox (2021-11-02T19:50:15Z)
- SmartGurlz Q2 Newsletter (2021-07-01T14:12:07Z)
- SmartGurlz Invited for NSF Grant on Systemic Racism and STEM (2021-06-19T15:53:06Z)
- Round Closed: Thank You (2021-05-25T16:50:31Z)
- Closing in 12 Hours (2021-04-30T16:47:59Z)
- Only 2 Days Left...to invest (2021-04-29T13:58:59Z)
- 5 Days Left (2021-04-26T17:19:09Z)
- Join our Investor Webinar Tonight! (2021-04-02T20:35:18Z)
- Investor Session this Week - Join US! (2021-03-30T19:00:23Z)

## Q&A
- Q: Hello, I am an investor and a bit curious as well. There have been no updates or communication since the funding was closed. I see that most of us have not received the perks either. Some form of communication would be appreciated. Thank you.
  - A: Hey, we send out investor newsletters every quarter. Here is a link to them all. Please check your spam folder: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2reheipce1np5do/AAAMzLLyFHXKuI9qtcUCg51va?dl=0
  - A: Hey, we send out investor newsletters every quarter, plus extras. Here is a link to them all. Please check your spam folder: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2reheipce1np5do/AAAMzLLyFHXKuI9qtcUCg51va?dl=0
- Q: Hello, is there any update on the conversion of the convertible note that was supposed to convert in July 2021? There is a note from 3 months ago that says we would receive information shortly, but it does not appear anything was send out. Thanks for the update!
- Q: Hi Sharmi, It's been a while since I received an update from you. It's great that the funding was closed and you raised a decent amount of money. However, there has been radio silence from you. Also, I never received the perks I was promised. This is not how a startup should treat its investors. If people trust you and invest in your startup, there ought to be a moral obligation on your part to at least communicate with them. The perks would be nice, but I could live without them. Hope to get a response from you soon. Thanks!
- Q: Sharmi, I reached out to you back in June 2021 regarding the Convertible Promissory note that I received as part of your 2019 funding round. The maturity date was in July 2021. You replied on July 1, 2021 that information would be sent shortly. Did I miss something? I do not recall receiving any info. I would appreciate any update you can provide. Thank you.
- Q: Soooo is smartgurlz dead? Would be nice to have at least an acknowledgment update. You get over a million dollars and even tho some invested less than $1k still would be nice to know if we should just stop following and toss this up as a loss or what?
- Q: Hi Sharmi, I haven't received a response to a question I asked on June 16, 2020. Is there a reason we haven't seen an update from you? I know that COVID was bad for the company, as was the economy in general, but I would appreciate an update. Please post a thread about recent developments. Is Pitsco still onboard? Have you begun to generate revenue again? Are there more companies or customers who are interested in marketing/selling your products? Please give us an update. Thanks!
- Q: We're now well past the July, 2021 maturity date for the convertible note that many investors hold. There's been no update about it; it sure seems like SmartGurlz is in default at this point under 4.a.i. Can we get some communications here on what's going on?
- Q: Hi, I have been an investor since December, i dont mean to come off impatient just lacking confirmations. I have emailed Sharmi with the Sales team CC'd in the email. I confirmed via email that i am an investor in smartgurlz, I then provided my shipping address and after that communication stopped. I would be more sympathetic to Inventory issues if i did not see them being sold on Amazon with no sign of minimal inventory. I have now come here to try to get answers, i would much prefer confirmations, reasurrances something except the "Void"
  - A: Hi Antonio, I have checked our CRM, and your name does not come up. Could you please send your investment confirmation to sales@smartgurlz.com and we will arrange a perk. Thanks!!
  - A: Hi again, you have not written to our sales@smartgurlz.com team yet. We do not have delivery addresses of investors, you must contact us for perks
- Q: Hi Sharmi, I have sent 2 mails and just sent one more to sales@smartgurlz.com. I would like to know when can I expect my investor perks?
- Q: As an investor I don't believe I ever got my perks but I have been getting the newsletters. What steps have I missed in order to get the perks my investments entitle me to? Thanks very much for your time and response.
  - A: Hi Jose, please send us a copy of your investment receipt, full mailing address and phone number to sales@smartgurlz.com
- Q: Hi I invested $600 but I didn't get any of the perks or an information via email about it. Was there somerhing I was supposed to do to request it?
  - A: Yes, you need to choose the product on the webshop and order using our coupon code. I believe you have been sent your product.
- Q: Hello I made 5 crowdfunding nvestments in 2020-21 on this platform (for smartgurlz) and another platform for the other 5. None have made any appreciable headway and they all have different ways of telling you the same thing. Basically that my investments are no guarantees of a return and it'll take 5-10 years or whatever. The presentations are rock solid but it seems once the funding rounds are closed, the communications start to disappear and no notable goals are met. I can't help but think crowdfunding is basically a scam but I want to give you the opportunity to assuage my fears. I'm no whale but I do account for over $1k of your $1.2m so I feel like I have a voice. Can you somehow assure us investors that there is a solid direction going forward because I'm not feeling that way currently.
- Q: I was wondering if there is a NEW update?
- Q: Hi, I invested $1,000 and have not yet received the perk. Any update?
- Q: Hello - I invested in SmartGurlz in December 2019 and have not received my robot. I reached out to you via email and have not heard back. Can you please provide an update? Thank you
  - A: Hello, please write to us on sales@smartgurlz.com. We have an address in Connecticut where your robot was sent, please confirm