Eric Gradman, left, and Brent Bushnell founded Two Bit Circus to bring science subjects to life
Entertainment engineering collective Two Bit Circus has been causing a real buzz in the US with its STEAM Carnival. And now that success has been recognised by a trio of venture capital firms, who are putting up $6.5m (€5.9m, £4.3m) in investment for the high-tech circus to expand and develop the concept.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing our crazy circus to a broader audience,” says Brent Bushnell, CEO of Two Bit Circus.
The Los Angeles, California-based company was founded in 2012 by Bushnell and Eric Gradman, who wanted to create a positive narrative around the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects to “convert non-STEM kids into STEM kids”. The investment is coming from Techstars Ventures and Foundry Group, with additional funding from Intel Capital.
The funding will mainly be used to grow STEAM Carnival – a touring pop-up-style event that gets kids to engage with STEM topics plus art topics in a project-based, hands-on way – into a national brand.
The first STEAM Carnival took place in an LA warehouse in October 2014, and has gone from strength to strength. The next STEAM Carnival was planned for Pier 48 in San Francisco from 6 to 8 November.
“If LA was our prototype, San Francisco represents version 1.0 of the event,” Bushnell says. “We’ve had hundreds of requests for the event from all over the world, so the response has been awesome, with guests staying an average of five hours in LA. We’re excited to take it across the country and then scale it internationally.”
“With the investment we’re focusing on three core areas,” he says. “First, we’re scaling the carnival up across the US and building out the ecosystem around it, such as the YouTube channel. Second, we’re building on our work in 360-degree video capture for VR, and we’ll be creating original VR content. And third, we’re completing our other out-of-home game platforms – stay tuned for more!”
Two Bit Circus is also working on home solutions and a series of interactive solutions for other out-of-home venues.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2015 issue 4
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We find out what people thought of
Dismaland, Banksy’s twisted theme park
and contemporary art attraction – and
talk to one of the Dismal Stewards
Promotional feature: IdeAttack
Mysteries of China’s rich culture are at the heart of IDEATTACK’s new mixed-used tourism destination
Zoos & Aquariums: Turn over a New Reef
The Florida Aquarium is teaming
up with the National Aquarium of
Cuba in a bid to save and restore
the region’s precious coral reefs
Eric Gradman, left, and Brent Bushnell founded Two Bit Circus to bring science subjects to life
Entertainment engineering collective Two Bit Circus has been causing a real buzz in the US with its STEAM Carnival. And now that success has been recognised by a trio of venture capital firms, who are putting up $6.5m (€5.9m, £4.3m) in investment for the high-tech circus to expand and develop the concept.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing our crazy circus to a broader audience,” says Brent Bushnell, CEO of Two Bit Circus.
The Los Angeles, California-based company was founded in 2012 by Bushnell and Eric Gradman, who wanted to create a positive narrative around the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects to “convert non-STEM kids into STEM kids”. The investment is coming from Techstars Ventures and Foundry Group, with additional funding from Intel Capital.
The funding will mainly be used to grow STEAM Carnival – a touring pop-up-style event that gets kids to engage with STEM topics plus art topics in a project-based, hands-on way – into a national brand.
The first STEAM Carnival took place in an LA warehouse in October 2014, and has gone from strength to strength. The next STEAM Carnival was planned for Pier 48 in San Francisco from 6 to 8 November.
“If LA was our prototype, San Francisco represents version 1.0 of the event,” Bushnell says. “We’ve had hundreds of requests for the event from all over the world, so the response has been awesome, with guests staying an average of five hours in LA. We’re excited to take it across the country and then scale it internationally.”
“With the investment we’re focusing on three core areas,” he says. “First, we’re scaling the carnival up across the US and building out the ecosystem around it, such as the YouTube channel. Second, we’re building on our work in 360-degree video capture for VR, and we’ll be creating original VR content. And third, we’re completing our other out-of-home game platforms – stay tuned for more!”
Two Bit Circus is also working on home solutions and a series of interactive solutions for other out-of-home venues.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2015 issue 4
Attractions: Gone, Not Forgotten
We find out what people thought of
Dismaland, Banksy’s twisted theme park
and contemporary art attraction – and
talk to one of the Dismal Stewards
Promotional feature: IdeAttack
Mysteries of China’s rich culture are at the heart of IDEATTACK’s new mixed-used tourism destination
Zoos & Aquariums: Turn over a New Reef
The Florida Aquarium is teaming
up with the National Aquarium of
Cuba in a bid to save and restore
the region’s precious coral reefs
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
+ More news
COMPANY PROFILES
IAAPA EMEA IAAPA Expo Europe was established in 2006 and has grown to the largest international conference and [more...]
