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Framework Computerwas ahead of the curve . The companionship was constitute in 2019 , as 20 U.S. state began exploring potentialright to repairbills . It drive home its first product , the Framework 13 , in 2021 , a yr before New York enacted its landmark ( if blemished ) Digital Fair Repair Act .
Today , the companysells its repairable laptop in 13 countries across North America and Europe , along with Taiwan . Even so , Framework has been deliberate — cautious even — when it comes to raising . Its last major round was an $ 18 million Series A , closed in early 2022 .
“ When we closed a Series A round two years ago , we partake in our strategy around fundraising , which is to raise as little as possible and focus funds on expeditiously expanding the reach of our missionary work , ” the company mark . “ you’re able to now see the result of that investing with Framework Laptop 16 out in client ’ hands . ”
On Tuesday , the companionship foretell a follow - up — a $ 17 million Series A-1 . “ We are a consumer company that ’s not doing AI that successfully raised financial backing in 2024 , ” founder and CEO Nirav Patel tell TechCrunch , with a snatch of a laugh .
There is , indeed , something funnily refreshing in a company that has n’t shoehorn some unrelated bit of ChatGPT functionality into their pitch . rather , Framework remains focused on its meat business : user - repairable and upgradable laptops .
Patel is , however , speedy to note , “ basically , we are a consumer electronics company , not a laptop computer company . ” That unsubdivided clarification highlights a key element of this fundraising around . While productive AI might not be in the cards , an expanded portfolio surely is . In addition to “ scale the orbit ” of its current offering , this newfangled funding will go toward “ extend to extra product categories . ” Patel did not give away specifics .
The European firmFairphone , which operates on a standardized philosophy of consumer access , recently expanded its own portfolio . In addition to smartphones , the company now offer repairable headphones and earbuds . “ We love what they ’re doing , ” Patel say of the kindred troupe . “ It ’s obviously a savagely competitive class that they ’re in , and they ’ve been doing quite well in it . ”
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Part of the funding will go toward hiring . Framework is project to fulfil a aggregate of 10 purpose in 2024 , adding to a headcount that is presently just under 50 . In spite of that figure , the company maintains a extensive international scope , including the marque novel territory of Poland .
“ It ’s all verbatim to consumer , ” enunciate Patel . “ We managed our go - to - food market directly . We do n’t trade with electrical distributor or channel or retail , and we have this very , very unforesightful pipeline from storage warehouse to the consumer ’s threshold . That makes it operationally improbably effective . For the most part , we have a confident cash round , in the common sense that we ’re amass money from the customers buying our product before we need to compensate provider , in many casing . ”
Fairphone launches easy - to - repair earbuds
The cycle was lead by Spark Capital and feature Buckley Ventures , Anzu Partners , Cooler Master and Pathbreaker Ventures . In addition to the $ 17 million , the troupe is opening up $ 1 million to fairness crowdfunding through $ 10,000 investments .
“ It ’s a small bit of an experimentation , ” says Patel . “ We ’re bringing in 100 investor , and probably for the most part , the vast legal age of them are not go to be professional investors . This might even be the only secret company investiture any of them have ever made . We ’ll see what that ’s like , have that 100 - someone community board . ”
