Portrait No. 001
Teresa Giovannoli
Founder and Chief Engineer
Little Squiggle
Raised — $250K
Little Squiggle is a children’s toy company that’s creating a future we’re proud to bring our little ones into. Our toys are part of a circular ecosystem, where we pay our parents to take them back when playtime is over. The toys are designed for those valuable resources to be recovered and used again as raw materials for brand new toys, rather than their predetermined path to the landfill. We don’t accept the current scary outlook of the planet, and we disagree with where that responsibility lies. We believe that there’s a way to make amazing products that people love, to be a successful company, while also moving with intention and care. We also believe that should be the standard, so we’re building a company to show how it can be done.
In her words
“I want a world where companies are here for us humans to live better lives and improve the world with their impact.”
Chapter I
The toughest challenges you've faced as a founder.
Everything we’re doing at Little Squiggle is seeking to break assumed systems: female technical founder, plastic electronic product made locally, reverse logistics of accepting the toy back, intentionality in a capitalistic market. As I’ve been building this company, it’s felt like every step is that much more difficult because I’m trying to find the intentional AND successful path through. In our current state of this fast-moving manufacturing world, the intentional path is a new path. When trying to raise my very first round of funds in 2024, I was met with a lot of excitement about the idea but no money. There were a wide variety of reasons that all seemed legitimate, yet data might suggest it was because Little Squiggle is not a male-led AI company. But the idea was resonating…and I couldn’t let go of that. I decided to raise through equity crowdfunding and was able to raise $224K through my community. I don’t even know if what I’m doing is going to work because it’s never been done before, but I know it can work so I have to try.
Chapter II
Your vision.
My vision for Little Squiggle is to break our current systems. For all the people who have thought “sustainability is nice in theory but it will never actually work”, I can’t wait to show them how successful a company can be by adopting these circular principles. I believe us “consumers” want better and different but companies aren’t doing enough to give it to us. I want a world where companies are here for us humans to live better lives and improve the world with their impact. As a consumer, I want companies to be held to that responsibility. As a business owner, I want our people to trust that the words we speak and the way we do business means something. Fast forward 10 years, I see an ecosystem of toys that teach children to love their things and empathy in returning it when they’re ready to say goodbye.
Chapter III
The impact you want to leave behind — for your industry, your community, and the women who come next.
My hope is that our toys inspire children to question the world around them and feel like there’s a way to change it for the better. There’s a lot of big systems that we’re a part of and we need some big voices to change that. I hope to inspire a generation full of big voices.