Raspberry Pi Foundation Merges with CoderDojo Foundation

Two open source organizations, the Raspberry Pi Foundation and CoderDojo Foundation, are joining forces. Whereas the Raspberry Pi Foundation is known for their innovative credit-card-sized single-board computers, CoderDojo focuses on exposing young people to computer programming.

According to Philip Colligan, CEO of Raspberry Pi Foundation, “Bringing together Raspberry Pi, Code Club, and CoderDojo will create the largest global effort to get young people involved in computing and digital making.”

It’s not a simple merger. The Raspberry Pi Foundation will become a corporate member of the CoderDojo Foundation, and Colligan will join the CoderDojo board as a director. In return, co-founders of CoderDojo, Bill Liao and James Whelton, will become members of the Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Both organizations will also continue to operate independently. Giustina Mizzoni, Executive Director of CoderDoJo, said that they will remain an independent charity based in Ireland.

“In practical terms, this merger will see our two organisations working closely together to advance our shared goals,” said Mizzoni. “It will enable us to leverage assets and capabilities ultimately driving further value for the CoderDojo Community.”

The Raspberry Pi Foundation will provide practical, financial, and back office support to the CoderDojo Foundation.

“With this extra support we will be able to reach and benefit even more young people globally by investing more time in resource development, community support and growth strategies to make it easier for our volunteers to start and keep running a Dojo in their community,” said Mizzoni.

The merger doesn’t imply that Raspberry Pi will become the exclusive platform for CoderDojo. As always, CoderDojo will remain software and hardware neutral.