DevTech Research Group
DevTech Research Group is an academic research lab at Boston College that designs educational technology and curricula — including ScratchJr, the KIBO robot, and the Coding as Another Language curriculum — to teach computational thinking and coding to Pre-K through Grade 2 children, their educators, and their families.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersChestnut Hill, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DevTech Research Group does
DevTech Research Group (Developmental Technologies Research Group) is an academic research laboratory founded in 2001 by Prof. Marina Umaschi Bers and currently housed within the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, following a 2022 relocation from Tufts University. The group promotes young children's learning about computational thinking, coding, making, and engineering through playful, developmentally appropriate activities, targeting Pre-K through Grade 2 learners, the educators who teach them, and the families who support them.
The lab's core product portfolio centers on two flagship tools — ScratchJr, a visual block-programming app for ages 5-7, and the KIBO robotics kit, a screen-free programmable robot — both integrated into the Coding as Another Language (CAL) curriculum, a set of K-2 units combining unplugged activities, storytelling, and movement with technology. Supporting offerings include TeachCAL, a professional development platform for educators; DevTech Assessments for learning outcome measurement; and the Positive Technological Development (PTD) framework, a theoretical model that guides the design and evaluation of coding playgrounds. The technology stack is built on Boston College's WordPress-powered Sites@BC platform, augmented with LearnDash for course delivery and Formidable Forms for assessments.
DevTech operates as a non-profit academic entity rather than a commercial business. It has no disclosed pricing, no paying customers, and no revenue; funding flows through research grants and institutional allocations from Boston College. Curriculum materials are distributed globally under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial-ShareAlike license, while professional development is delivered through workshops and the TeachCAL platform, with discovery driven by academic publications, YouTube, and active social media channels.
DevTech Research Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DevTech Research Group
- Legal name
- DevTech Research Group
- Website
- https://sites.bc.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- DevTech Research Group is an academic research lab at Boston College that designs educational technology and curricula — including ScratchJr, the KIBO robot, and the Coding as Another Language curriculum — to teach computational thinking and coding to Pre-K through Grade 2 children, their educators, and their families.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DevTech Research Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early Childhood STEM Education
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Educational Support Services (61171), Computer Training (611420)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- STEM & Coding Readiness for Early Learners (EDACANAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Early Learning Digital Curriculum & School Readiness Content (EDAFACAN), Teacher-Led Classroom Platforms (Lesson Delivery, Centers, Whiteboard) (EDACANAH), Assessment, Screening & Progress Monitoring Tools (0–5) (EDACANAI)
Keywords
Where DevTech Research Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chestnut Hill
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
DevTech Research Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
DevTech Research Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DevTech Research Group is an academic research laboratory at Boston College that develops educational technologies, curricula, and professional development programs for early childhood computational thinking and coding education. Its core offerings include the ScratchJr coding application for ages 5-7, the KIBO screen-free robotics kit, and the Coding as Another Language (CAL) K-2 curriculum, supported by the TeachCAL teacher training platform and the Positive Technological Development (PTD) theoretical framework.
Product overview
DevTech Research Group offers a suite of educational technologies and curricula focused on promoting young children's learning about computational thinking, coding, making, and engineering in developmentally appropriate ways. The core product portfolio includes ScratchJr (a coding app for ages 5-7) and the KIBO Robot (a screen-free robotics kit), both integrated into the Coding as Another Language (CAL) curriculum—a set of K-2 curriculum units combining unplugged activities with technology. Supporting offerings include TeachCAL (teacher professional development), DevTech Assessments (learning outcome evaluation tools), and the theoretical Positive Technological Development (PTD) framework that guides the design and evaluation of their educational technologies. The group also develops research prototypes exploring new approaches to early childhood STEM education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KIBO: A robotics kit designed for young children developed by the DevTech Research Group
- ScratchJr
- Coding as Another Language (CAL)
Products and services
- ScratchJr
- KIBO Robot
- Coding as Another Language (CAL) Curriculum
- TeachCAL
- DevTech Assessments
Companies that use DevTech Research Group
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
DevTech Research Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
DevTech Research Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
DevTech Research Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Scratch Foundation: The Scratch Foundation stewards the Scratch and ScratchJr platforms; DevTech co-developed ScratchJr. Both target young learners (ScratchJr specifically ages 5-7) with free visual programming tools, making Scratch Foundation the closest product- and audience-aligned peer.
- KinderLab Robotics: KinderLab Robotics commercializes the KIBO robotics kit originally developed by DevTech Research Group. Both serve the same early-childhood coding/robotics niche with tangible, screen-free programmable robots targeted at Pre-K through Grade 2 classrooms.
- Tynker: Tynker provides a self-paced, gamified coding platform for K-12 with a strong early-elementary offering and integrated curricula for schools. Like DevTech, Tynker targets young learners learning coding fundamentals, but with a commercial subscription model and broader content library.
- Wonder Workshop: Wonder Workshop (Dash, Dot, Cue) offers robotics and coding tools for elementary classrooms, directly competing with KIBO in the tangible-robots-for-young-learners category. Both sell into schools seeking hands-on STEM products for early grades.
- Osmo (PlayOsmo): Osmo blends physical manipulatives with iPad-based interactive learning, including coding (Coding Awbie, Coding Jam) targeted at ages 5-10. Like DevTech, Osmo emphasizes hands-on, developmentally appropriate learning that bridges tangible play and digital skills.
- Kodable: Kodable delivers a K-5 computer science curriculum with self-paced lessons and educator tools, overlapping with DevTech's CAL curriculum for early-elementary coding instruction. Both serve teachers and districts introducing computational thinking in early grades.
Broad incumbents
- Code.org: Code.org is a leading non-profit promoting K-12 computer science education through free curricula and the Hour of Code. While Code.org serves a broader K-12 range, it directly overlaps with DevTech's mission of expanding early access to coding education and competes for the same educator and district mindshare.
- LEGO Education: LEGO Education offers WeDo, SPIKE, and other STEM/robotics kits for elementary classrooms, broadly competing in the same hands-on STEM-for-young-learners category as DevTech/KIBO but with global brand reach and a much broader portfolio.
- BrainPOP: BrainPOP offers animated educational content across subjects including coding/technology for K-8 schools. While broader in subject matter, it shares DevTech's school-district distribution channel and emphasis on educator-led digital learning.
Emerging players
- CodeWizardsHQ: CodeWizardsHQ provides structured online coding courses and curriculum for elementary through high school students. While more focused on live instruction, it overlaps with DevTech's mission of building early coding fluency through a structured pedagogical approach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
DevTech Research Group social profiles
Digital presenceDevTech Research Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DevTech Research Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
DevTech Research Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DevTech Research Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DevTech Research Group
What does DevTech Research Group do?
DevTech Research Group is an academic research laboratory at Boston College that develops educational technologies, curricula, and professional development programs for early childhood computational thinking and coding education. Its core offerings include the ScratchJr coding application for ages 5-7, the KIBO screen-free robotics kit, and the Coding as Another Language (CAL) K-2 curriculum, supported by the TeachCAL teacher training platform and the Positive Technological Development (PTD) theoretical framework.
Is DevTech Research Group a public or private company?
DevTech Research Group is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was DevTech Research Group founded?
DevTech Research Group was founded in 2001. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is DevTech Research Group based?
DevTech Research Group is headquartered in Chestnut Hill, United States, in the North America region.
Who are DevTech Research Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Scratch Foundation, KinderLab Robotics, Tynker, Wonder Workshop, Osmo (PlayOsmo) and Kodable. Broad incumbents are Code.org, LEGO Education and BrainPOP. CodeWizardsHQ is listed as an emerging player.
Does DevTech Research Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for DevTech Research Group.
What industry is DevTech Research Group in?
DevTech Research Group's product category is Early Childhood STEM Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACANAF, STEM & Coding Readiness for Early Learners, with a secondary code of EDAFACAN, Early Learning Digital Curriculum & School Readiness Content. Its NAICS code is 54172 and its SIC code is 8200.