Astrohaus has cornered a very specific niche. This Michigan-based startup builds hardware for writers who want to eliminate distractions. After all, it's really hard to finish that novel when Instagram exists.
The company has made a name for itself by going against most technology trends, but its latest product has managed to jump on the bandwagon. Announced at CES 2025, Wordrunner embraces the mechanical keyboard craze while staying true to Astrohaus' mission statement of writing without distractions.
The Freewrite Wordrunner is essentially a standard mechanical keyboard with a few tricks for writers. Specifically, the peripherals include a word meter (word count) and a “sprint timer” for writing.
Image credit: Astro House
The idea is to build productivity tools directly into the product itself. Astrohaus essentially offers a way to bypass writing apps and focus on writing itself.
“Writers use keyboards more than most people, but they didn't have professional tools built just for them,” says founder and CEO Adam Reeve. “While gamers across the industry are developing specialized features for themselves, writers have had to rely on generic keyboards and add-on software to track their work. Transform this relationship by making it an active participant in the writing process. It becomes a true writing partner, not just a passive input device.”
The keyboard is made of aluminum with floating keys and red control knobs. The system launched on Kickstarter in February and is expected to ship in late 2025.