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§ Private Profile · Los Angeles, CA, USA
Two Bit Circus is a technology company.
Two Bit Circus developed and operated immersive micro-amusement parks, integrating high-tech entertainment with classic social play. The company engineered physical and digital experiences, featuring virtual reality arenas, interactive game shows, modernized carnival games, and Story Rooms, their unique take on escape rooms, all designed to foster collective fun and social interaction. Their approach blended cutting-edge technology with traditional entertainment formats, creating a multi-faceted venue for diverse audiences.
The company was co-founded by Brent Bushnell and Eric Gradman, who initially connected through their shared backgrounds in engineering and a passion for interactive experiences. Bushnell, whose father founded Atari and Chuck E. Cheese, and Gradman, a self-proclaimed "mad inventor," conceived Two Bit Circus from a desire to push the boundaries of entertainment by combining maker culture with large-scale attractions. Their collaboration aimed to create novel forms of play that encouraged engagement beyond passive consumption.
Two Bit Circus attracted a broad customer base, including families, groups, and corporate clients seeking engaging, interactive social entertainment. The company's vision was to bring people together through the power of play, demonstrating how technology could enhance shared experiences and build community. While its primary physical location has ceased operations, the foundational concept remains a notable effort to redefine the landscape of location-based entertainment.
Two Bit Circus has raised $22.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Two Bit Circus has raised $22.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Two Bit Circus is a technology-driven entertainment company specializing in high-tech games, immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences, and micro-amusement parks that blend carnival traditions with modern tech to foster social connections.[1][2][6] It builds interactive attractions like VR adventures, story rooms, and high-tech carnival games, serving groups, families, event organizers, brands, and communities seeking unique team-building, parties, or outings.[1][5][7] The company solves the problem of passive entertainment by creating active, elbow-to-elbow fun that encourages interaction and creativity, with locations in Los Angeles and Dallas showing expansion momentum through new offerings like Reveler’s Resorts for hotels and ongoing content rotations.[4][6][7]
Formerly Synn Labs, it evolved from interactive art projects into a full experiential entertainment business, also operating a nonprofit arm focused on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) education via hands-on workshops.[1][4][5]
Two Bit Circus was founded in 2012 by Brent Bushnell, an electrical and computer scientist trained as a clown, and Eric Gradman, a roboticist, clown, and "mad inventor" with a background in circus performance, aerial arts, and fire dancing.[2][3][5] The idea emerged in 2008 amid economic turmoil, when the duo—frustrated with their day jobs—began collaborating on nights and weekends to build interactive art and contraptions as a fun hobby in East Los Angeles.[2] Early experiments yielded "awesome stuff" that attracted brands for corporate events and holiday parties, revealing a viable business model and prompting a shift to full-time focus on larger-than-life, out-of-home entertainment.[2]
Pivotal moments included creating experiential marketing for events like the NBA and Super Bowl, blending VR with physical elements, and launching STEAM Carnival to inspire kids.[5] This led to the world's first micro-amusement parks in Los Angeles (Arts District) and Dallas (2022), innovating on American traveling carnival history with inventions like the Flambé fire dunk tank.[6]
Two Bit Circus rides the wave of experiential entertainment and location-based VR, capitalizing on post-pandemic demand for social, in-person fun amid declining passive media like streaming.[2][5] Timing aligns with AR/VR maturation and the rise of "experience as currency," where interactive tech counters isolation by making users active story participants.[5] Market forces favoring it include growth in team-building events, family outings, and STEAM education initiatives, plus its platform model for third-party creators akin to app ecosystems.[1][5] It influences the ecosystem by democratizing high-tech fun—reviving carnival vibes with inventions that inspire creators, educate via nonprofits, and prototype future attractions like the planned Secret Inventor’s Lab.[5][6]
Next for Two Bit Circus involves further expansion, including a teased 2026 announcement, more Micro-Amusement Parks, and scaling Reveler’s Resorts while deepening STEAM outreach.[4][7] Trends like AI-enhanced games, hybrid VR/AR, and sustainable entertainment will shape its path, amplifying its role in blending play with learning. Its influence may evolve from niche innovator to chain operator and education platform, perpetually redefining fun by empowering creators and communities—proving two nerds' hobby can spark a joyful tech circus.[2][5]
Two Bit Circus has raised $22.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Two Bit Circus's investors include John Spinale, Calibrate Ventures, Costanoa Ventures, Foundry Group, Project A Ventures, Dentsu Ventures, Georgian Pine, Intel Capital, Techstars, Mark Solon.
Two Bit Circus has raised $22.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $15.0M Series B in January 2017.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2017 | $15M Series B | John Spinale | Calibrate Ventures, Costanoa Ventures, Foundry Group, Project A Ventures, Dentsu Ventures, Georgian Pine, Intel Capital, Techstars | Announced |
| Oct 1, 2015 | $7M Series A | Foundry Group, Mark Solon | Calibrate Ventures, Costanoa Ventures, Project A Ventures, Intel Capital | Announced |