Schlagwort-Archive: crowdfunding

Big September for STEM Toy Startup TROBO: Kickstarter Launch, ABC Kids Expo and Maker Faire Orlando

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ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s a big month for TROBO the Storytelling Robot as the company launches its Kickstarter campaign and participates in both the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas and Maker Faire Orlando.

Created by two dads, Jeremy Scheinberg and Chris Harden, TROBO is a huggable stuffed robot toy and storytelling app that answers kids’ questions about the science and engineering around them.

The plush storytelling robot, TROBO, uses an interactive storytelling app to read out loud and engage children ages 2-7 through an iPad. They currently have 2 characters…a male TROBO, Edison and a female TROBO, Curie.

“TROBO’s mission is more than just child’s play,” stated Scheinberg. “The goal is to get kids excited about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in the world around them through exciting and creative story lines that make the child the star of the story.”

TROBO’s Kickstarter campaign launched on Wednesday, September 3rd and raised 1/3 of their $60,000 goal in the first 24 hours. The campaign will fund the first round of manufacturing and complete development of the storytelling application. The campaign – which is accessible at www.TROBOkickstarter.com – aims to appeal to parents and grandparents looking for smarter toys for children.

The company will also be appearing at the ABC Kids’ Expo September 7-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center where they were accepted into the show’s “Invention Connection” pavilion for innovative juvenile product startups. “We are really excited to meet with toy buyers from all over the world to get more feedback which will help us bring TROBO to market,” said Scheinberg. TROBO will be exhibiting at the show at booth #35 in the Invention Connection.

Rounding out a busy few weeks, the company will also be exhibiting at Maker Faire Orlando at the Orlando Science Center September 13-14. “We have had such great support from the Orlando community since we created TROBO. It will be great to show our product to people who have followed us since the beginning,” said Harden.

So how do two Central Florida fathers invent and prototype this amazing technology toy?
Scheinberg and Harden both have backgrounds in engineering and storytelling.

Jeremy Scheinberg was the Chief Operating Officer at Alcorn McBride, the leading manufacturer of audio, video and control products for themed entertainment with clients including NBC, Universal, Lego and Disney.

Chris Harden was a Development Director with EA Sports, managing the User Experience core technology group for the label and has a history in film and comics.

For more information visit www.HereComesTrobo.com

$40 robot has a shot at Kickstarter crowdfunding

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Robotics company, Microbric has done the impossible by developing Edison a small
robot with an amazing array of sensors for under $40, making it the most affordable educational robot in the market. Edison was launched today on Kickstarter. This small yet feature packed robot is set to revolutionise how robotics and programming are taught in schools thanks to its easy to use drag and drop programming software, modular design and intelligent sensors that react to light, sound and remote commands. Its unique design and compatibility with LEGO products lends itself to creativity – the seed of fun robotics to inspire the inventors of tomorrow.

Edison was created to make robotics more accessible to students and hobbyists alike and is the brainchild of Brenton O’Brien, himself an electronics engineer with a passion for robotics. For over 10 years his company, Microbric, has been creating educational robots for hobbyists but his dedication to bringing robotics into mainstream education paid off when the Australian Curriculum changed in January to specifically include robotics within the Digital and Design streams.

‘I realised that my goal was within reach but that the main obstacle to bringing robotics into every classroom was the cost of buying kits for schools with already tight budgets. So I created Edison with the functionality of a much more expensive robot, at a fraction of the price,‘ Brenton said.

But, whilst Brenton’s dream may be within reach, it’s still not a reality until the funding goal on Kickstarter is met and the capital is raised to manufacture Edisons en masse.

Microbric’s Edison Kickstarter campaign seeks to raise $20,000 in 30 days via the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. If they meet their goal, the funds raised will foot the manufacturing bill of an initial production run of robots, which will then be sent to backers wherever they are in the world. If you’re interested in supporting Microbric’s campaign, visit the Meet Edison Kickstarter page. If you want to follow the journey of Edison from idea to reality, track the project’s progress on Facebook, Google+ and the Edison website (www.meetedison.com).

Crowdfunding is an increasing trend in fund raising for new initiatives. It involves the collection of finance from backers to fund a project. Crowdfunding is expected to completely transform venture capital over the next decade.

“We are launching Edison on Kickstarter because we wanted to give people the chance to be part of something that will change the way our children learn about robotics in mainstream education,’ Brenton said

“Now, every child in Australia can learn about robotics and the importance of technology to their future careers. I’m really excited about this launch and hope that parents and teachers alike will back Edison.’

Microbric is a small Adelaide based company which has worked with the Adelaide Advertiser newspaper in producing two collectable robots and initially selling its robots through Dick Smith Electronics. Now, creating all types of robots for over 10 years nearly 100,000 Microbric robots have been manufactured and sold in Australia and overseas. Microbric anticipates that Edison will be its most successful robot yet.

http://www.meetedison.com