IBS Electronics

Adafruit Industries

Adafruit Logo
Adafruit Industries is an open-source hardware company founded by Limor Fried in 2005, in her MIT dorm room. The company designs and manufactures a number of electronics products, sells a wide variety of electronics components, tools, and accessories via its online storefront, and produces a number of learning resources, including written tutorials, introductory videos for beginners, and the longest running live video electronics show on the internet. All Adafruit products are manufactured in their 40.000 sq ft factory in West SoHo Manhattan, New York City.

Adafruit Kits

Adafruit is a fast growing global leader in educational electronics platforms, prototyping and development tools, operating out of a manufacturing facility in the heart of NYC. It was founded by Limor “Ladyada” Fried in 2005 and specializes in the design and fabrication of original electronic learning platforms, which Limor personally selects, tests and approves before releasing. Adafruit is in the vanguard of Open Source Hardware, striving to educate makers of all ages in the field of electronics and programming.

Founded by MIT engineer, Limor “Ladyada” Fried’s goal was to create the best place online for learning electronics and making the best designed products for makers of all ages and skill levels. Adafruit has grown to over 50 employees in the heart of NYC with a 15,000+ sq ft. factory. Adafruit has expanded offerings to include tools, equipment and electronics that Limor personally selects, tests and approves before going in to the Adafruit store. Limor was the first female engineer on the cover of WIRED magazine and was recently awarded Entrepreneur magazine’s Entrepreneur of the year. In 2014 Adafruit was ranked #11 in the top 20 USA manufacturing companies and #1 in New York City by Inc. 5000 “fastest growing private companies”.

Products

In addition to distributing third party components and boards such as the Arduino and the Raspberry Pi, Adafruit develops and sells its own development boards for educational and hobbyist purposes.

Adafruit Industries is a well-known company in the DIY electronics and open-source hardware community, much like SparkFun. Founded in 2005 by Limor Fried (often known as Ladyada) and Phillip Torrone, Adafruit is based in New York City, USA. The company has a strong focus on creating and selling electronics, tools, and kits for makers, hobbyists, educators, and professionals.

Adafruit is a fast growing global leader in educational electronics platforms, prototyping and development tools, operating out of a manufacturing facility in the heart of NYC. It was founded by Limor "Ladyada" Fried in 2005 and specializes in the design and fabrication of original electronic learning platforms, which Limor personally selects, tests and approves before releasing. Adafruit is in the vanguard of Open Source Hardware, striving to educate makers of all ages in the field of electronics and programming.

Product Range: Adafruit offers a wide range of products, including microcontrollers (such as Arduino and Circuit Playground), sensors, LEDs, displays, breakout boards, and more. Their products are designed to be accessible and easy to use, making them popular among beginners and experts alike.

Adafruit Industries has established itself as a leading provider of DIY electronics components and educational resources. Their dedication to open-source principles, extensive product range, and commitment to empowering makers of all skill levels have made them a beloved name in the maker community.

Features

  1. Open-Source Hardware: Like SparkFun, Adafruit is a strong advocate for open-source hardware. They release the design files and code for many of their products, encouraging users to modify, learn from, and share their creations. This philosophy has contributed to their popularity in the maker community.

  2. Feather Ecosystem: Adafruit has developed the Feather ecosystem, which consists of a variety of development boards, wings (add-on boards), and accessories. Feather boards are designed to be small, portable, and compatible with a range of FeatherWings (expansion boards), making it easy to create custom solutions for various projects.

  3. CircuitPython: Adafruit is a significant contributor to CircuitPython, a beginner-friendly version of Python designed for programming microcontrollers. They have developed numerous libraries and resources to support CircuitPython, making it easier for makers to get started with programming without needing extensive knowledge of C or C++.

  4. Learning Resources: Adafruit is renowned for its vast collection of tutorials, guides, and project ideas. Their website is a treasure trove of educational content, ranging from basic electronics concepts to advanced projects involving IoT (Internet of Things), wearables, robotics, and more. They also offer a series of educational kits and curricula for classrooms.

  5. FeatherWing System: Adafruit's FeatherWing system offers a range of add-on boards that can be easily stacked on top of Feather development boards. These include motor drivers, GPS modules, displays, and more, providing a modular and flexible approach to building projects.

  6. Community Engagement: Adafruit actively engages with the maker community through social media, forums, and events. They host live shows and streams where they discuss new products, share tips and tricks, and interact with their audience. Their community forums are also a valuable resource for users to seek help and share their projects.

  7. Awards and Recognition: Adafruit has received numerous awards for their contributions to the maker and open-source communities. They are recognized for their innovation, commitment to education, and efforts to make electronics accessible to all.