Clicbot is an educational toy I found on Kickstarter, designed to progressively engage and develop robotics / coding skills in children. I’m thinking, cuter, more modern, more “WALL-e” than LEGO Mindstorm. There is a progressive teaching structure, from kit-building to customization though to coding in Python.
Clicbot
4 responses to “Clicbot”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Clicbot is a venture I would invest in. Although the pitch takes a little while to get to the best part of the product, the breadth of possibilities and the depth of the learning potential is there. Like many of the videos you find on Kickstarter, this video linked above is directed more at its target sales audience (parents). It begins with young children being amazed and having fun with the Clicbot, then when they “level up” to explore coding language, the children are older. On the Kickstarter page, however, there is more detail available, including a presentation by the CEO. The venture is original and feasible, with a previous-generation product on the market, and the current product showcased at the CES 2020. The pitch emphasizes the design by a well-known designer, and also emphasizes the modular design of the robot, and the ease of building variations. There is little of the detail one would expect in a venture pitch, but as an elevator pitch, it grabbed my attention and piqued mydesire to “level up” with this company.
Yes, I would invest in this venture.
Clicbot satisfies the rising need for quality STEAM learning tools and has an appealing design that seems simple and user friendly. The target audience is primarily consumers, specifically parents and school aged kids. It does a good job in appealing to the WHOLE family- the parents, who want their children to learn how to code, and the children, who want a fun versatile toy that could double as a companion. I especially enjoyed how many ways the Clicbot could receive/process information (through block coding, python, and movement recording), because it includes children of all ages and abilities. For the ones that have no experience to the ones that have more experience, there is an entry point. Not to mention, being able to configure and build your own car/ snack provider/ companion is a common interest among children, myself included, 30 years later.
I did however notice that the Clicbot requires an iPad (as shown in the pitch) or at least a smart phone. The demonstration of both block coding and python in the pitch were shown on an iPad, which hints that for the best experience, a tablet of some sort would be required. The need for extra tech may be unappealing to consumers and therefore is a challenge that needs to be addressed.
As the STEAM market is new and growing, there are many new businesses and products. Thus I am also weary that there is notable competition among STEAM learning technologies, making adequate differentiation a main concern.
Most of the pitch was highly targeted to the consumer, and had little information that would be important for an investor. From an investor’s point of view, I would continue to invest my attention because it seems like a great product but would hesitate opening my wallet without more thorough analysis of market competition and a business plan.
I would support this venture.
I see coding and robotics as key skills for students and children that are absent in many schools and homes. Often, it appears to be the barrier to understanding and programming that causes teachers, schools and parents alike to avoid investing in robots that require coding. This where the Clicbot comes in. It has multiple access points for the user. Differentiation is so key with technology tools and absent with most “home-toys” that also offer an educational component. It is easy for children to grow out of toys very quickly. This is where Clicbots integration with Python really makes sense. For children who age out of the simple robot commands the ability to learn and play with a robot that can respond on demand to code is incredible.
With the more recent ability to write code using AI the integration of AI and code available with Clicbot and the freedom to explore for the child makes this a viable option in my mind. I am always interested when looking at new tools about what the tech support will look like. I like Clicbot because they have built a community component into the programming which allows for continuous feedback from peers and not just the development team.
Although this is more of a commercial, I would invest in the Clicbot venture for several reasons if presented with a pitch:
– STEAM resources and programs are highly valued in education at this time. Schools are looking to build up their STEAM programs and products such a Clicbot would make an exciting addition. The design of Clicbot is cute, the modular aspect allows students to personalize the robot and adapt it for a variety of environments, and the programs allow for students to engage in multiple aspects of STEAM in one product.
– Differentiation capabilities in a product like this make it highly valuable in educational settings. Clicbot is adaptable to different challenge levels, from very basic positioning of modules to guide Clicbot’s movement up to writing more complex strings of code, which means that this product could be used across grade levels and with beginner to more advanced coders.
– Teachers want to create a STEAM time for their students that provides hands-on experience with the latest technology and devices in order to prepare them for the future. Many educators do not feel qualified to teach coding or robotics to their classes. However, the video lessons provided with this product take the pressure off of the educator and allow them to use Clicbot with their students even if they don’t have a background in coding or robotics.
As a potential investor, I would have questions about what separates them from the competition and what they are asking from me as an investor before I could make my decision.