We want our kids to not just thrive in the future, but to shape it.
I founded Robotton to bring to life a vision conceived by my husband, Glauber Cunha, when our family chose to settle in New Zealand in 2019.
"With its excellent education system, New Zealand has the potential to become a global leader in advanced technology within the next 15 to 20 years. I want our son to be part of that future.".
Good things take time, and we must help our young children understand the transformations unfolding in the technology sector. For example, while no/low-code platforms and robot assembly kits have their place, at Robotton, we firmly believe kids should understand what is happening under the hood. Glauber has a quote in his résumé from Josh Kaufman that I love: "Whoever best describes the problem is the one most likely to solve it.". Since the age of 18, every business Glauber has founded or co-founded has been high-tech driven. He started programming computers when he was fifteen years old. I cannot emphasise enough how passionate he is about the combination of technology and business.
Guided by this philosophy and passion, Glauber designed a robotics workshop program for kids aged 9 to 12. He has been gradually introducing programming, electronics, and robotics to our nine year old son since he turned seven and understanding what kids can assimilate and apply. From the age of nine, they are remarkably capable of grasping foundational physics, engineering concepts, programming, and the applied maths principles behind robotics while having lots of fun.
The workshops focus on understanding how things work and why, infused with a touch of art. Glauber strongly believes that teaching traditional computer programming to young kids combined with automation and robotics offers numerous benefits that go beyond engineering. Here are the main advantages:
Develops Computational & Digital Literacy
Understanding electronic circuits and programming helps kids become active creators of solutions and technologies, not just consumers. It gives them an early foundation in digital fluency, which is crucial in a tech-driven world.
Enhances Problem-Solving Skills
Kids learn to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts (decomposition). They develop design skills, logical thinking, systemic vision and algorithmic reasoning, which are useful in all aspects of life.
Builds Critical Thinking & Creativity
Programming and electronics combined challenge kids to think deeply, analyse situations, and develop innovative solutions. It encourages them to experiment, fail, and iterate, fostering creativity and resilience.
Strengthens Maths & Logical Reasoning
Coding in particular, involves patterns, sequences, and algorithms, reinforcing maths concepts in a practical way. Kids naturally develop computational thinking, improving their ability to solve logical problems.
Encourages Persistence & Resilience
Debugging code and circuits teaches patience and persistence, as kids learn from mistakes rather than giving up. They experience the satisfaction of overcoming challenges and seeing their projects come to life.
Improves Collaboration & Communication
Kids often work in teams, learning to share ideas, collaborate, and solve problems together. Explaining their designs, circuits and code helps them improve communication skills and articulate complex ideas clearly.
Prepares Them for Future Careers
Many careers will require some understanding of coding, automation, and AI in the future. Even if they do not become programmers, electronics and coding develop transferable skills for science, engineering, and business.
As a mother, my motivation comes from witnessing our son's incredible progress and joy as he effortlessly learns complex topics. His concentration, curiosity and ambition has dramatically increased while sharing this journey with his father. My goal is to take this experience to other kids. I have learned that kids need other kids to share the same interest to enjoy learning. That is the environment I aim to provide.
Fernanda Bonello, Robotton founder.