Jewelbots is a company that makes programmable friendship bracelets to teach girls coding, and it’s taking Kickstarter by storm. The company met its initial goal of $30,000 in 24 hours and, with 22 days still left in the campaign, has raised more than $80,000. 

Sara Chipps, Brooke Moreland, and Maria Paula Saba founded the company to encourage teenage girls to explore coding. “The girls we know are curious and creative, just like we were when we were young (and still are!),” they wrote on the Kickstarter page. “We wanted to create something that lets them communicate with their friends while discovering the tools of programming.”

The bracelet works out of the box alongside an app for Android or iOS and can be plugged into a computer via USB for more serious coding.

“Jewelbots are friendship bracelets for the iPhone era,” they said. “Technology-enabled jewelry for tween and teen girls, they’re a means of communicating with friends by lighting up when a BFF is near or buzzing to send messages to a pal across the school.”

With the extra funds, the founders will be able to add colors and designs to the bracelets. “Millions of kids have already taught themselves how to code…and we want to harness that energy and build something for girls, because we are girly. And being girly doesn’t mean you can’t also like science and technology,” said Moreland. 

JCK