The NextMaker Box is a subscription-based STEM/STEAM kit designed by Jasen Wang (founder of Makeblock, a well-known robotics and coding education company). It aims to inspire kids (ages 6-12) with hands-on engineering, coding, and creativity projects.
NextMaker Box provides kids a monthly toolbox with online coding courses that allow kids to learn coding in a fun and anticipating way at home or anywhere.
About NextMaker Box
NextMaker Box is accompanied by an enriching online learning experience built upon a standard-aligned curriculum. Animated video activities deconstruct complex problems into smaller parts to provide kids with step-by-step guidance. The platform checks code and provides feedback as they go, helping kids learn how to debug by sharing tips via engaging animations for an interactive learning experience.
About Makeblock
Makeblock Co., Ltd was founded in 2013 and is a global STEAM education solution provider. It targets the STEAM education and entertainment markets for schools, educational institutions, and families, providing comprehensive hardware, software, content solutions, and top-notch robotics competitions, with the aim of achieving the deep integration of technology and education. Makeblock is known globally for well-made products, earning multiple international awards in industrial design. Makeblock is a five-time Red DotAward Winner, three-time IF Design Winner, and winner of an Idea Gold Award and Edison Gold Award. Makeblock’s products are currently sold in 140 countries, used by 15 million people globally, and used in more than 25,000 schools around the world.
About Jasen Wang – Makeblock Founder & CEO
Jasen Wang (Wang Jianjun), the founder and CEO of Makeblock (Makeblock Co., Ltd), is a robotics enthusiast, a product manager, and a hardcore maker. He has been ranked as one of the 30 top entrepreneurs under the age of 30 by Forbes China and was named an entrepreneurial game-changer by Reuters. Wang grew up in a farming community with little money and had few opportunities to interact with electronic toys or computers. When he attended university, he discovered his passion for robotics and became part of the maker movement. He founded Makeblock in Shenzhen to give adults and children alike access to the skills and tools to thrive in the modern era and turn their ideas into reality.
Good for robotics mania and a very solid starting point. One time subscription fee might be costly for most parents. I would say it is rare and fill in a market blind spot for learning technology and I truly like the monthly delivery idea which creates anticipation from users.
Sources:
https://www.makeblock.com/pages/about-us
Thank you for sharing this, Jiange! I would say that Jasen’s journey from the rural countryside to the tech leadership is impressive enough, let alone his wonderful NextMaker Box idea where kids get to practice and build new items every month. Although there are some similar projects/competitors on the marker, NextMaker Box is making robotics and coding education quite accessible, filling a gap in the market even at the cost of a subscription fee. I think Jasen is a strong role-model for learning tech entrepreneurs.