The robot startup that teaches children to code

The startup Photon Entertainment wants to give children a big headstart on the global job industry as it uses a robot to teach kids to code. The Polish-based company was recently named the top startup in the Central and Eastern European region at an annual competition hosted by the European Business Angels Network (EBAN).

“Photon supports children in developing the basic skills of modern times,” the startup’s website reads. “It helps them develop creativity, improve their logical thinking abilities and learn the basics of programming.”

According to Business Insider, the startup was created by four friends at a Polish university who had the idea of giving children a first look into programming and tech.

Though most AI-based startups have the robot doing the work for us, it’s actually the children who end up instructing the friendly looking robot what to do as they learn coding principles step-by-step.

Photon can be programmed in thousands of different outcomes and variations and boasts 10 different sensors to react to the world around it based on how children program it. Though the robot has only been available to the public for sale for eight months now, some 5,000 robots have already been sold and the awards continue to roll in for the startup. The company is steadily moving into global markets after beginning in a select few countries like Poland, Sweden, Singapore, and Australia.

In terms of cost, the robot sells for $213.

“We’re still only at the beginning of sales, which is promising,” Photon co-founder Marcin Joka told Business Insider. “At the moment we are going based on our own forecasts. It’s difficult to assess and to make predictions because there are no figures for previous quarters: we started in the fourth quarter of 2017 and don’t have a full sales year yet.”