【Jumpstarter 1 minute】Robo Wunderkind – Introducing STEM to kids through robots
by Jumpstarter
Startups
October 12, 2017
As the world moves toward automation and technology becomes increasingly ingrained in our lives, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects have never been more crucial to learn.
Three friends in Vienna started Robo Wunderkind in 2013 with the aim of introducing robots and STEM concepts to young children. The company’s premise was so successful that it raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars through Kickstarter in just five weeks.
Robo Wunderkind is a platform that makes robotics and programming easy for kids to understand and play with. The company embeds different electronics such as sensors, motors or microcontrollers into the cubes so that even a young child can assemble and program his or her own robot.
“We saw the problem in the education of technology actually started from elementary school. Children were not prepared for a technological future, so we decided to make technology accessible for kids,” said Robo Wunderkind Founder Rustem Akisbekov.
Akisbekov quit college three years ago to start Robo Wunderkind. The ingenious 23-year old has always been a tinkerer and ‘hacker’.
“I was always hacking my machines when I was young and I decided early that I want to be an entrepreneur. When I was 13, I came up with an idea of setting up and selling a website. Although that did not lead to a venture, I was keen to focus on my studies and start a business once my studies were settled,” Akisbekov said.
Currently, most of Robo Wunderkind’s sales are from Asia and the United States. Akisbekov said this is due to the important parents, especially those in Asia, place on education.
“We see a big opportunity in Asia because parents here are investing a lot in the education of their children and because the market is more competitive. Looking ahead, our success will depend on what kind of platform we are going to work with. So we hope that through Jumpstarter, we can work with Alibaba as a partner for us in Asia,” he said.
Akisbekov said the ingredients for success for the company would be the team’s passion for their products and its mission to make technology accessible to kids. While Austria is not optimal as a base for a wearable startup, Akisbekov said he hopes to open an office in Hong Kong soon to liaise with his Shenzhen team and expand further into the region.
“With parents in Asia already paying for their kids’ coding courses, we think this market will be very big in the future,” said Akisbekov.
Three friends in Vienna started Robo Wunderkind in 2013 with the aim of introducing robots and STEM concepts to young children. The company’s premise was so successful that it raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars through Kickstarter in just five weeks.
“I was always hacking my machines when I was young and I decided early that I want to be an entrepreneur. When I was 13, I came up with an idea of setting up and selling a website. Although that did not lead to a venture, I was keen to focus on my studies and start a business once my studies were settled,” Akisbekov said.
