The
Raspberry Pi Foundation, a UK-based nonprofit, was established in autumn 2008 to promote the study of computer science in schools. To support this mission, it developed a small, low-cost single-board computer, the Raspberry Pi. The first model was released in 2012 and, although initially aimed at education, it was quickly adopted by computing and electronics hobbyists. According to the organization, many of these users later applied their experience with Raspberry Pi in professional and industrial contexts. To commercialize the product and meet increasing demand, the Foundation created a wholly owned subsidiary, Raspberry Pi (Trading) Ltd, in late 2012 to handle product development and manufacturing. Profits from the commercial entity were used to support the Foundation’s charitable activities. Between 2012 and 2024, the subsidiary contributed nearly US$50 million to the Foundation.
Eben Upton, a co-founder, stepped down from the Foundation’s board in December 2012 to serve as
CEO of both the Foundation and the new trading company. In September 2013, Lance Howarth was appointed CEO of the Foundation, allowing Upton to focus on leading the commercial business. In early 2024, ownership of the commercial entity was transferred to a new parent company, Raspberry Pi Holdings, which was 77.31% owned by the foundation. On 3 June 2024, Raspberry Pi Holdings registered as a
public limited company and subsequently completed an
initial public offering (IPO) on the
London Stock Exchange. The Foundation supported the move and stated that proceeds from share sales would be used to establish an endowment for its educational programs, while maintaining a significant stake in the commercial entity. Following the IPO, the Foundation's ownership in Raspberry Pi Holdings decreased to 49.08%. == Operations ==