TL;DR
SparkFun has ended its reseller relationship with Adafruit, saying Adafruit personnel violated SparkFun's Code of Conduct in online interactions. Adafruit counters that it had reported harassment tied to SparkFun's founder and a former employee and says SparkFun is effectively punishing the messenger.
What happened
Retailer SparkFun Electronics informed Adafruit in a December 8, 2025 letter that it would stop doing business with the electronics kit maker, citing alleged violations of SparkFun's Code of Conduct during online interactions. SparkFun said it would attempt to fulfill outstanding orders through January 15, 2026 and would cancel any remaining unshipped orders after that date. The dispute centers on Teensy development boards, a product Adafruit sources through SparkFun. Adafruit's managing director, Phillip Torrone, says the split followed his reporting of multiple harassing actions directed at Adafruit founder Limor Fried by SparkFun founder Nate Seidle and a former employee. Torrone and Fried said they repeatedly asked SparkFun to address the behavior; when the company did not, Torrone says SparkFun ended the reseller arrangement. Adafruit says it will shift toward creating an open alternative to Teensy, possibly under the name “Freensy.” SparkFun CEO Glenn Samala pointed media to the company’s official response; Seidle did not comment when approached.
Why it matters
- The break severs a supply channel for Teensy boards that Adafruit has been reselling, potentially affecting availability for customers.
- The disagreement highlights how alleged off-platform conduct and enforcement of codes of conduct can spill into supplier and reseller relationships.
- Adafruit’s plan to build an open alternative could shift development and support patterns for that class of microcontroller boards.
- The episode raises questions about how companies document, investigate and act on reports of harassment tied to leadership or staff.
Key facts
- SparkFun announced the end of its reseller relationship with Adafruit in a letter dated December 8, 2025.
- SparkFun said it would try to ship outstanding orders until January 15, 2026 and would cancel remaining unfulfilled orders after that date.
- The dispute involves Teensy development boards, which Adafruit sources from SparkFun.
- Adafruit managing director Phillip Torrone says he reported alleged harassment of Adafruit founder Limor Fried by SparkFun founder Nate Seidle and a former employee.
- Torrone alleges repeated, documented incidents—including promoted harassment, scraped website activity, and reposting of targeted material—that SparkFun leadership did not properly address.
- Adafruit says it will pursue an open alternative to Teensy, possibly called "Freensy."
- Torrone additionally accused SparkFun of scraping Adafruit’s site and of publishing Fried’s source code without clear attribution or license details; he also raised concerns about royalties and past compensation agreements.
- SparkFun CEO Glenn Samala referred inquiries to the company’s official response; Nate Seidle did not provide a comment when asked.
What to watch next
- Whether SparkFun provides the alleged harassing material or other evidence for its Code of Conduct determination (not confirmed in the source).
- Whether SparkFun will continue to honor any royalty or settlement arrangements referenced by Adafruit (not confirmed in the source).
- Progress and timeline for Adafruit’s proposed open Teensy alternative, "Freensy," including compatibility and release plans (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Reseller: A business that purchases products from a manufacturer or distributor and sells them to end customers or other retailers.
- Teensy development board: A small microcontroller board used by hobbyists and developers for embedded projects and prototyping.
- Code of Conduct: A set of policies or guidelines that outlines acceptable behavior and interactions for members of an organization or community.
- Web scraping: Automated extraction of data from websites, which can be used for legitimate or malicious purposes depending on how it's performed and used.
Reader FAQ
Why did SparkFun cut ties with Adafruit?
SparkFun said the decision followed alleged violations of its Code of Conduct during online interactions, according to a December 8, 2025 letter from CEO Glenn Samala.
What does Adafruit allege happened?
Adafruit’s managing director Phillip Torrone says he reported multiple harassing actions directed at Adafruit founder Limor Fried by SparkFun’s founder and a former employee; he also alleged website scraping, unauthorized publication of source code without attribution, and concerns about royalties.
Will existing Teensy orders through SparkFun be fulfilled?
SparkFun said it would do its best to ship outstanding orders until January 15, 2026 and would cancel any remaining unfulfilled orders after that date.
Did SparkFun or its founder respond to the allegations?
SparkFun CEO Glenn Samala pointed reporters to the company’s official response; Nate Seidle did not comment when asked. The Register requested further materials and comment but did not report additional responses.
PERSONAL TECH Maker fight! SparkFun cuts ties with Adafruit in harassment dispute Adafruit claims SparkFun aims to shoot the messenger for criticizing corporate tolerance of intolerance Thomas Claburn Thu 15 Jan 2026 //…
Sources
- Maker fight! SparkFun cuts ties with Adafruit in harassment dispute
- Official Response to Comments Made in a Public Forum
- Media & Events
- Editor's Picks
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