Kano, a venture-backed British start-up known for its proprietary computer kits and software that teaches coding and related STEM skills, is one of Warner Bros.’s copies of one of its products and its intellectual property (IP ) for infringing.
The product in question was Warner Bros.’ Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand, which was announced in October and shipped to consumers in the US and UK just before Christmas for $150. London-based Kano issued a “stop order” to Warner Bros. this week, which TechCrunch saw, demanding that the media and entertainment giant halt its marketing and promotional efforts.
Kano is probably best known for its Raspberry Pi and Windows-based modular PCs, but the company has launched a Warner Bros.-like device. A new cane was introduced in 2018. Kano’s Harry Potter Coding Kit comes with his physical, gesture-controlled Bluetooth wand, and by waving the wand delicately, you can change the color of an on-screen cauldron, fly wings, and more. Designed to help kids code spells.
Powering the wand are various sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers that help the wand communicate its orientation and movement to a connected tablet or PC.
Kano says he sold about 180,000 Harry Potter coding wands in the years that followed. Considering similar gesture-controlled products that Kano has since launched in partnership with Disney across the Star Wars and Frozen franchises, that number rises to 460,000.
Kano no longer actively sells Harry Potter wands, but some retail partners, including formerly Apple and Target, still do.
Patented
Last April, Kano co-founder and CEO Alex Klein patented the wand’s gesture recognition system. This covers the basic mechanics of its functioning. When the user presses and holds the button to initiate gesture recognition, a cursor trail is displayed on the screen. The user moves the wand to see how spells are being cast in real time.
It’s worth noting that Kano launched the wand as part of a brand licensing partnership with Harry Potter copyright holders Warner Bros.
In a conversation with TechCrunch, Klein explained what was behind the initial success Warner Bros. saw with its Harry Potter wand in 2018: The corporate department reached out to his Kano and asked him to explain a little more about how the product works, including how it recognizes components and spells, as well as other potential use cases for the underlying technology.
And here’s where it gets interesting regarding the altercation with Warner Bros.
Unlike Kano’s original Harry Potter wand, which Warner Bros. was all about teaching kids to code, Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand is all about the smart home. Designed to connect to devices such as TVs, lights and speakers, it allows users to control the contraption using “spells” and choreographed wand gestures.
According to Klein, Kano already envisioned such use cases with its own wand and had some early developments in the smart home space.
“In the process of making it easier for people to cast spells while holding down the button on their wand, we realized that this was a new language for human-computer interaction,” Klein said. “In addition to exploding Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans on screen, he can also cast spells. [also] We use gestures to control lights, unlock doors, and control music volume. We have found this gesture-style interaction to be very powerful and extendable to other domains in the smart home.So we came in, they [Warner Bros.] I got really excited about this idea of controlling my smart home. “
Klein showed TechCrunch a video of an early prototype of Kano’s wand controlling various connected devices, which he says was recorded as part of a demonstration at Warner Bros. in November 2018. office.
Fast-forward to 2022, and with Warner Bros. bringing a similar Harry Potter wand to market, Klein has reached out to various people at the company asking for clarification, adding that he was told an internal investigation would follow. rice field. But he said the lack of communication led to Kano issuing a cease and desist letter to Warner Bros. this week.
“A side-by-side comparison of the operation of both coding wands [Kano’s] and a witch’s wand [Warner Bros.’] We have clarified that an issue has arisen and are now disclosing it to multiple third-party observers, including patent and intellectual property experts,” the letter said. “The new product uses Kano’s intellectual property (multiple patent-protected assets, trade secrets, inventions, etc.), some of which were identified during the many detailed engagements between the two companies. It was shared confidentially with
Up to this point
Founded in 2013, Kano is backed by prominent backers such as European VC Index Ventures, Barclays, Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff, and Microsoft, who worked with Kano to develop Windows-based PCs in 2019. Raised approximately $45 million.
According to this post from 2021, Mark Zuckerberg is also apparently a fan of Kano’s products.
Mark Zuckerberg is apparently digging cano. Image credit: Mark Zuckerberg
But Kano has been relatively quiet in recent years, announcing a series of job cuts in late 2019 and not releasing many new products since. , launched the Stem Player, a device that allows users to isolate and remix individual song elements. Anti-Semitic comments by West eventually led to withdrawal from the partnership.
Today, Kano continues to sell Stem Player without West’s involvement, and a few weeks ago the company announced Stem Projector, hinting at all sorts of new products, including food and clothing. revealed that it was spinning out Kano World, a powerful software suite, as a separate business, suggesting a shift away from its traditional DIY PC business.
However, the company plans to stay true to its roots, at least a little, as it develops modular two-in-one devices that can run Windows or ChromeOS.
Kano’s upcoming DIY modular PC. Image credit: Kano
Financially, things have not gone so well for Kano.In its most recently reported financial year ending March 2021, Kano revealed a pre-tax loss of £10.1m ($12m). However, this was an improvement from the £16.8m ($20.8m) loss reported last year. The company told TechCrunch a few weeks ago that its preliminary accounts for fiscal 2022 show pre-tax figures. profit About £1.2 million ($1.5 million).
what’s next
Klein is naturally eager to paint Kano’s situation a rosy look, but the fact that Kano is actively releasing and developing new products is an encouraging sign. But an IP war with his billion-dollar mass media conglomerate probably isn’t necessary right now.
In the modern David v. Goliath scenario, defending your intellectual property in court as a relatively small startup is no easy pursuit. This is something Klein is acutely aware of when considering his next move.
“It can cost up to $3 million to defend and protect patents and technology IP,” says Klein. “This stacks the deck in favor of big companies.
At least at this point, we can’t say for sure that this is going to play out like this. But if so, Klein has shown he is willing to do whatever it takes to defend Kano’s work. pro bono As a rationale, it’s a “fairly open and closed” case.
“When necessary, I work late nights and weekends to represent ourselves. for yourself,” he said. It’s all out in the open and can be understood with a little effort.”
A Warner Bros. spokesperson finally provided a comment to TechCrunch, saying “Kano’s allegations are baseless.”*
*This story was updated shortly after its publication to include a response from a Warner Bros. spokesperson..
