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

Trendingnow

1

CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea

2

Social Security's 2032 deadline puts a 22% cut on the table — but Washington has way less room to negotiate than 1983

3

Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026

1

CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea

2

Social Security's 2032 deadline puts a 22% cut on the table — but Washington has way less room to negotiate than 1983

3

Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026

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
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

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
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

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

Agentic AI systems are doing more and more work. Now humans need to figure out how to verify it all
AIBrainstorm Tech
Agentic AI systems are doing more and more work. Now humans need to figure out how to verify it all
By Alexei OreskovicJune 15, 2026
4 hours ago
The Southeast Asia 500 has a new engine: Vietnam
MagazineSoutheast Asia 500
The Southeast Asia 500 has a new engine: Vietnam
By Andrew StaplesJune 15, 2026
5 hours ago
President Donald Trump shakes hands with American mixed martial artist Josh Hokit as Hokit stands on the edge of the UFC ring during a championship event at the White House.
CryptoDonald Trump
UFC fighters at the White House got paid with Trump family stablecoins—but an ethics expert says a gap in the law allows this
By Camila Grigera NaónJune 15, 2026
6 hours ago
The Strait of Hormuz is finally reopening, but energy flows may not get back to normal until next year
EnergyOil
The Strait of Hormuz is finally reopening, but energy flows may not get back to normal until next year
By Jason MaJune 15, 2026
7 hours ago
gavin
PoliticsElections
Gavin Newsom accuses Trump of launching political probe into him. The real issue may be his wife’s taxes
By Sophie Austin, Alanna Durkin Richer and The Associated PressJune 15, 2026
7 hours ago
claudia
North AmericaWorld Cup
‘All of this sould prompt reflection’: Sheinbaum says World Cup tickets are too expensive for most Mexicans
By The Associated PressJune 15, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea
Success
CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea
By Preston ForeJune 13, 2026
3 days ago
Social Security's 2032 deadline puts a 22% cut on the table — but Washington has way less room to negotiate than 1983
Personal Finance
Social Security's 2032 deadline puts a 22% cut on the table — but Washington has way less room to negotiate than 1983
By John W. Diamond and The ConversationJune 12, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 15, 2026
16 hours ago
Boomers actually do hold most of the wealth and power. So why do they call it 'whiny' to point that out?
Economy
Boomers actually do hold most of the wealth and power. So why do they call it 'whiny' to point that out?
By Nick LichtenbergJune 14, 2026
2 days ago
Meet Gwynne Shotwell, the engineer-turned-COO who runs SpaceX in platform heels and is now worth over $2 billion
Startups & Venture
Meet Gwynne Shotwell, the engineer-turned-COO who runs SpaceX in platform heels and is now worth over $2 billion
By Eva RoytburgJune 15, 2026
23 hours ago
SpaceX surge further boosts Saudi billionaire prince’s fortune
Investing
SpaceX surge further boosts Saudi billionaire prince’s fortune
By Adveith Nair and BloombergJune 14, 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.