• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

2

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

1

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

2

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

3

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

Exclusive: ‘Netflix for Legos’ startup Pley raises $6.75 million

By
Erin Griffith
Erin Griffith
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Erin Griffith
Erin Griffith
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 20, 2014, 1:00 PM ET

FORTUNE – Pley, a startup which rents Lego sets to kids through monthly subscriptions, has raised $6.7 million in funding from Allegro Venture Partners, alongside Floodgate, Correlation Ventures, Maven Ventures and Western Technology Investments. (The company also changed its name from Pleygo to Pley.)

The company launched in 2012 under the premise that the easiest way to teach kids to share might be through the sharing economy. Netflix (NFLX) pioneered the model of renting items through the mail. Now countless startups have taken up the torch, launching “Netflix for ______” concepts. “Ownership is old school,” says Pley co-founder Ranan Lachman. “The really smart consumers only own something … for the exact amount of time they need it.”

Thus, we have Rent the Runway, (Netflix for designer dresses), Le Tote (Netflix for women’s clothing), Oyster, Scribd and Entitle (Netflix for books), Mindsy (Netflix for learning), Freshneck (Netflix for neckties), Lacquerous (Netflix for nail polish), Jetworthy (Netflix for jewelry) and of course, Zipcar (Netflix for cars).

There are several other “Netflix for toys” companies, too: Spark Box Toys offers a box of surprise toys for between $24 to $35 a month. Another, called Toygaroo, was featured on the ABC show Shark Tank but its site is no longer live and the company appears to have filed for bankruptcy. Two “Netflix for baby clothes” companies, Plum Gear and Chillbaby, have also shut down.

Pley and its investors are betting the company will outlast competitors with its special twist on the Netflix model, which allows kids to choose the sets they receive in a “pleylist,” and offers price points of $15, $25 and $39 per month. The company even counts former Netflix COO Tom Dillon among its board of directors. (It does not, however, have any Lego representatives on board.)

The company started with Legos because they’re one of the most popular and expensive toys in the world. (The company had $4.5 billion in revenue in 2013; a set can cost between $40 and $400.) It just so happens they’re also very complicated to rent out. There are many tiny pieces to keep track of, and they must be sanitized and cleaned between each rental. But that was strategic: by solving the hardest problems first, Pley has created a barrier to entry. “Let’s crack the toughest toy to rent and any one we do after that will be easier,” Lachman says.

RELATED: How Lego got hot… again

Pley has designed a system which quickly sanitizes the pieces and weighs them within one hundredth of a gram to determine if any are missing. The Pley warehouse can turn around a set for its next renter within 2.5 minutes, co-founder Lachman says.

A Pley employee sorts out Lego sets.

The company is already off to a strong start: Prior to taking on any outside funding, the Pley shipped 75,000 Lego sets around the country to more than 15,000 families.

And as for Lego? How does the toy company feel about a potentially disruptive startup undercutting its sales? “They are aware of us,” co-founder Elina Furman says. “They’re absolutely fine with the fact that we are out here doing what we do.” Pley conducted a survey among its subscribers; 40% said their kids showed an increased brand awareness of Lego after subscribing and 26% said they actually bought more Lego sets after subscribing.

The venture capital funds will help Pley build out an East coast warehouse, expand to Europe, and double its team of 23 in the next year. Pley will expand into other kinds of toys as well, with a focus on educational toys at higher price points. In addition to teaching kids to share their toys, Pley aims to encourage kids to play constructively and creatively away from a screen, Furman says.

(Note: An earlier version of this story referred to the company by its prior name, Pleygo, but it has changed its name to “Pley.”)

About the Author
By Erin Griffith
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Markets rejoice as deal to reopen Hormuz nears, but U.S. forces conduct ‘self-defense strikes’ on Iranian missile sites and boats laying mines
EnergyIran
Markets rejoice as deal to reopen Hormuz nears, but U.S. forces conduct ‘self-defense strikes’ on Iranian missile sites and boats laying mines
By Jason MaMay 25, 2026
4 hours ago
As the U.S. and Europe pull back from global climate aid, can Asian funders fill the gap?
Asiaphilanthropy
As the U.S. and Europe pull back from global climate aid, can Asian funders fill the gap?
By Angelica AngMay 25, 2026
8 hours ago
Rosewood Hotel Group institutes a global 16-week paid parental leave policy as Asia grapples with falling birth rates
AsiaHong Kong
Rosewood Hotel Group institutes a global 16-week paid parental leave policy as Asia grapples with falling birth rates
By Nicholas GordonMay 25, 2026
8 hours ago
Current refi mortgage rates report for May 25, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current refi mortgage rates report for May 25, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganMay 25, 2026
10 hours ago
le
AIReligion
Pope Leo called AI an ‘instrument of domination, exclusion and death.’ Anthropic was in the room
By Nicole Winfield, Kaitlyn Huamani, Paolo Santalucia and The Associated PressMay 25, 2026
12 hours ago
g
North AmericaHolidays
Memorial Day is 161 years old — and its true origin was buried almost immediately
By The Associated PressMay 25, 2026
12 hours ago

Most Popular

The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
Economy
The pig in the python: Baby Boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
By Nick LichtenbergMay 25, 2026
21 hours ago
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
17 hours ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
5 days ago
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
Investing
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
By Eva RoytburgMay 25, 2026
16 hours ago
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
Real Estate
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 25, 2026
17 hours ago
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
Lifestyle
Uber CEO says rideshare 'freed up' his son from having to get a driver’s license—and he's one of many Gen Zers who aren’t willing to drive
By Sasha RogelbergMay 24, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.