Eben Upton, the inventor of Raspberry Pi, founded the company to inspire young people's interest in computer programming and address a decline in computer science applications at universities. He created the credit card-sized computer board with colleagues, making it affordable at around £26 in the UK, aiming for accessibility so children could purchase them directly. Upton believes that inexpensive programmable hardware is crucial for fostering enthusiasm in computing, allowing children to "accidentally slide into engineering."
Initially, Raspberry Pi's target audience of schoolchildren was not the primary buyer; instead, adults who enjoyed tinkering were. However, sales trends shifted, with schools eventually purchasing classroom sets. The company launched in 2012, and Upton predicted selling 1 million units in the first year. Roughly a third of its UK-manufactured products were sold in the UK, another third in North America, and the rest globally. Upton pursued an Executive MBA at Judge Business School during the development of Raspberry Pi, finding the courses in strategy, organizational behavior, and marketing particularly useful, despite humorously noting that IT was his lowest mark.
Raspberry Pi has grown significantly, listing on the London Stock Exchange in June 2024 with an initial valuation of £542 million, which has since risen to over £1.3 billion. Upton maintains that being a public company provides beneficial discipline, helping to "armour your balance sheet" against economic cycles. He also discussed the company's decision to list in London rather than New York, citing discussions with American investors who suggested a UK listing would offer better visibility for a company of Raspberry Pi's size. He stresses the importance of manufacturing in the UK, with design in Cambridge, assembly in Bridgend, and plastics molding in Dudley, but highlights high energy prices as a major threat to British manufacturing. Upton acknowledges the geopolitical risks associated with semiconductor production in Taiwan but believes global access to advanced chipmaking is indispensable for the world economy and AI development. He uses AI tools regularly but warns against overestimating their current capabilities, emphasizing that human judgment and engineering skills remain vital. Upton's advice to young people is to "do more maths," as the world will need more engineers, not fewer. He also credits his wife and co-founder for pushing him to remain focused on Raspberry Pi in its early stages.
