Wonderbly

Wonderbly
TypePublic
IndustryPublishing
Founded2012 in England
HeadquartersLondon, England
ParentPenguin Random House
Websitewww.wonderbly.com

Wonderbly, previously Lost My Name, is a technology and publishing business that produces personalized books for children and adults. Launched in 2012, Wonderbly has sold over 8 million books in 169 countries and territories, and their titles are available in 11 languages. The company's headquarters are in Bloomsbury, London. As of June 2025, Wonderbly is owned by Penguin Random House, a subsidiary of the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann.

History

Wonderbly was founded by Asi Sharabi, former advertising exec; The company is currently headquartered in East London.

In June 2015, Wonderbly announced a $9 million Series A round, led by Google Ventures, and in July 2017, another $8.5 million Series B round led by Ravensburger. The company also underwent a rebrand from Lost My Name to Wonderbly in the same month.

In July 2021, private equity firm Graphite Capital acquired Wonderbly.

On 4 June 2025, it was announced that Penguin Random House had acquired Wonderbly.

Products

The initial product published by Wonderbly, The Little Boy/Girl Who Lost His/Her Name, is a personalised picture book for readers whose age ranges between two and six years old. The book tells of a child who has lost their name and goes on an adventure to find it. Each book comprises a selection of mini stories, each of which feature the letters of the child's missing name.

The Little Boy/Girl Who Lost His/Her Name has been translated into British English, American English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Chinese and Japanese.

Wonderbly followed this up with The Incredible Intergalactic Journey Home, a picture book personalised around a child's address that featured a satellite image of their real home.

Wonderbly's third title, Kingdom of You, is a personalised picture book based on a child's favourite things.

Most recently Wonderbly released The Birthday Thief, which uses a child's birthdate as its narrative structure.

Recognition

The company won recognition in Series 12 of BBC's Dragon's Den, where two of the co-founders appeared on British and Australian television to secure a record breaking investment.

Awards

2014

  • Best Start Up, FutureBook Innovation Awards
  • Startups Award, People's Champion
  • Silver winner for Best Children's Story 3 to 5 Years (The Little Boy/Girl Who Lost His/Her Name), Loved by Parents
  • Bronze winner for Best Children's Story Preschool (The Little Boy/Girl Who Lost His/Her Name), Loved by Parents

2015

  • Winner of the Self Published Books category, British Book Design and Production Awards
  • Shortlisted for Digital Business of the Year, Bookseller Industry Awards

2016

  • Future Fifty, Tech City UK
  • The Top 50 Innovative Companies in the United Kingdom, Innovative Business Awards
  • Gold winner for Innovative Book of the Year (The Incredible Intergalactic Journey Home), Junior Design Awards
  • The Leap 100, City AM
  • Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Media, Fast Company
  • Most Innovative Companies For Parents & Kids, Fatherly
  • One to Watch, Sunday Times Tech Track 100
  • Shortlisted for Best E-Commerce Startup, The Europas Conference & Awards
  • BAFTA nominee for the Original Interactive category (Blinkies), BAFTA

2017

  • Silver winner for Best designed/illustrated book for children (Kingdom of You), Junior Design Awards
  • Rank #1, Sunday Times Tech Track 100

References

  1. 1 2 "New name, same us". 24 July 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "Lost My Name: Personalised books are the name of the game". 3 February 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "Wonderbly press page". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  4. ↑ "How Asi Sharabi went from PhD-dropout to international digital publisher". Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  5. ↑ "Privacy Policy of Wonderbly". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  6. ↑ "Lost My Name, The Kids "Full-Stack" Personalised Book Publisher, Raises $9M Led By Google Ventures". 25 June 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "Lost My Name, the tech-driven kids book publisher, raises $8.5M and partners with Roald Dahl Estate". 31 July 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "Printweek - Wonderbly plans further expansion under new owner". Printweek. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  9. ↑ "Graphite Capital buys fast-growing personalised children's book business Wonderbly | AltAssets Private Equity News". 2021-07-27. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  10. ↑ "PRH Acquires Wonderbly, One of the UK's Fastest-Growing Independent Publishers and Leader in Personalized Gift Books". Penguin Random House. 4 June 2025.
  11. 1 2 "Book Review: The Little Girl Who Lost Her Name from Lostmy.Name". Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  12. ↑ "Exclusive interview with David Cadji-Newby". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  13. 1 2 3 "The Little Boy Or Girl Who Lost Their Name". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  14. ↑ "The Little Boy Or Girl Who Lost Their Name". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  15. ↑ "Ach, du Schreck, mein Name ist weg!". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  16. ↑ "Oh, j'ai perdu mon nom". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  17. ↑ "El niño/La niña que perdió su nombre". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  18. ↑ "Dov'è finito il mio nome". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  19. ↑ "Wat een pech mijn naam is weg!". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  20. ↑ "Lost My Name个性定制绘本". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  21. ↑ "だれか なまえを みなかった?". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  22. 1 2 "The Incredible Intergalactic Journey Home". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  23. 1 2 "Kingdom of You". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  24. ↑ "The Birthday Thief". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  25. ↑ "Dragon's Den contestants scoop £100k investment for their children's book company in show's best EVER deal". Daily Mirror. 27 July 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  26. ↑ "Dragon slayers nab £100,000 from Piers Linney for a 4pc slice of their kids publishing start-up". Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  27. ↑ "Dragons Den de Movie". YouTube. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  28. ↑ "Nosy Crow, Profile and PRH among FutureBook's innovation winners". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  29. ↑ "People's Champion Finalist: Lost My Name". 20 October 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  30. 1 2 "Lovedbyparents Awards Results 2014". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  31. ↑ "British Book Design and Production Awards, 2015 Winners". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  32. ↑ "Bookseller Industry Awards, 2015 Winners". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  33. ↑ "Deliveroo and Lost My Name among tech stars likely to make spectacular IPOs". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  34. ↑ "Innovative Business Awards 2016". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  35. ↑ "Junior Design Awards 2016 RESULTS". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  36. ↑ "THE LEAP 100". 14 March 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  37. ↑ "Most Innovative Companies 2016". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  38. ↑ "20 Innovative Companies For Kids And Parents In 2016". Forbes. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  39. ↑ "Tech Track Ones to Watch". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  40. ↑ "Vote now in The Europas Conference & Awards for European startups". 30 May 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  41. ↑ "Introducing Blinkies". 12 August 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  42. ↑ "BAFTA Children's Awards Nominees Announced". Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  43. ↑ "Best Designed/Illustrated Book for Children 2017". Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  44. ↑ "Tech Track 100 - Britain's fastest-growing private technology companies". Retrieved 12 September 2017.