What Devoxx4Kids does

Devoxx4Kids is a Belgium-based non-profit educational initiative founded in 2012 during a Belgium Java User Group (BeJUG) brainstorming session, headquartered in Oostkamp and led by co-founders Daniel De Luca, Tasha Carl, and Stephan Janssen. The organization runs free, hands-on workshops for children aged 7-14 covering visual programming (Scratch, MIT App Inventor), Java development (Greenfoot, Minecraft modding), robotics (Lego Mindstorms, NAO humanoid, Thymio, Sphero, Quadcopter), electronics (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Tinkerforge), and game development. All workshop materials are published as open-source content and distributed through a volunteer-driven chapter network spanning 25+ countries across Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Technically, the platform consists of a freely shared workshop materials repository, a structured chapter setup framework, and a multi-track curriculum covering software programming, robotics, electronics/IoT, game modding, and mobile app development. Devoxx4Kids integrates tightly with parent developer conferences — Devoxx Belgium/France/Morocco, JavaOne, OSCON, and JavaLand — for venue, volunteer, and sponsorship infrastructure. The initiative has served over 100,000 children cumulatively since inception and earned the 2013 Duke's Choice Award for innovative use of Java technology.

Devoxx4Kids operates a freemium donation-based revenue model funded entirely by corporate sponsorships and individual donations. Named financial partners include Red Hat (Platinum sponsor since 2014), Oracle/Oracle Academy (via Oracle User Group Membership Initiative), ING Belgium (EUR 100,000 donation in November 2023), Lightbend, and O'Reilly. Standard workshops are free to attend; rare exceptions such as STEAM Fest charge nominal per-student fees. In May 2025, the Devoxx4Kids Foundation was formally established to provide dedicated organizational structure for the initiative's global mission of empowering future tech leaders through technology education.

Name

Devoxx4Kids

Legal name

Devoxx4Kids

Website

https://devoxx4kids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Devoxx4Kids is a Belgium-based non-profit that organizes free, volunteer-led workshops worldwide teaching children aged 7-14 programming, robotics, and electronics, operating through a global chapter network and partnerships with major developer conferences and corporate sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's STEM Education

NAICS

Computer Training (61142)

akta.pro primary industry

Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Robotics & Engineering Summer Camps / Bootcamps (EDAMADAF)

Keywords

• Children coding education
• Youth programming workshops
• Robotics education for kids
• STEM learning events
• Non-profit tech education

Headquarters

HQ city

Oostkamp

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: Devoxx4Kids is a non-profit initiative that operates entirely on donations and corporate sponsorships. Organizations such as Red Hat, Oracle, ING Belgium, Lightbend, and O'Reilly provide financial support, equipment donations, and in-kind contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Devoxx4Kids is a non-profit initiative that organizes free, hands-on workshops worldwide for children aged 7–14, teaching programming, robotics, and electronics through tools such as Scratch, Greenfoot, Lego Mindstorms, NAO humanoid robots, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and Minecraft modding. The organization operates via a volunteer-driven global chapter network that co-locates events with major developer conferences (Devoxx, JavaOne, OSCON, JavaLand) and shares its curriculum and materials as open-source resources.

Product overview

Devoxx4Kids is a single educational initiative (not a product company) that provides workshop materials and organizes events to teach children programming, robotics, and engineering. The program includes multiple workshop types covering visual programming (Scratch), Java development (Greenfoot, Minecraft modding), robotics (Lego Mindstorms, NAO humanoid robot, Thymio, Sphero, Quadcopter), electronics/IoT (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Tinkerforge, Squishy Circuit), and mobile app development (MIT App Inventor). These workshops are shared freely as open-source materials for volunteers to use worldwide. Devoxx4Kids Foundation was launched in 2025 to formalize and expand the initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 children attended events in the first few years alone across multiple continents
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oracle / Oracle AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOracle and Oracle Academy partnered with Devoxx4Kids for JavaOne Kids Day events in 2014 and 2015, providing funding, resources, and co-hosting combined events. Oracle recognized Devoxx4Kids through the Oracle User Group Membership Initiative with development funding. At JavaOne 2014, Devoxx4Kids children appeared on the main stage during the Opening Keynote.
• Aldebaran RoboticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAldebaran Robotics, developer of NAO and ROMEO humanoid robots, has supported Devoxx4Kids from the beginning. Their ASK NAO (Autism Solution for Kids) program was used for a dedicated workshop for an autistic child at Devoxx France 2014. Nicolas Rigaud from Aldebaran created and taught NAO programming workshops.
• Fox Valley Robotics ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Fox Valley Robotics Club loaned 6 Lego Mindstorms robots for a Devoxx4Kids Chicago event. The club's members also helped teach at the event and promoted their summer camp and school-year competition program to attendees.
• FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevoxx4Kids identifies FIRST robotics clubs as good partners for providing equipment (Lego Mindstorms) and experienced student helpers. FIRST is dedicated to inspiring kids to pursue STEM careers through robotics challenges.
• Ecole 42minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcole 42, a private French computer programming school known for peer-to-peer pedagogy, hosted the Devoxx France 2015 Devoxx4Kids event in Paris. It was described as a perfect inspirational venue for Devoxx4Kids children.
• CNA4Kids / Café NumériqueminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDevoxx4Kids partnered with CNA4Kids in Luxemburg (through Café Numérique) to bring technology education to children. ITNation Luxemburg covered this partnership.
• New RelicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Relic invited Devoxx4Kids USA founder Arun Gupta to present at New Relic Future Talks in Portland, providing exposure to the Devoxx4Kids initiative in the New Relic developer community.
• GlobalcodeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobalcode hosted the first South American Devoxx4Kids event in São Paulo, Brazil on February 9, 2014.
• Thrive (Cherry Creek)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThrive in Cherry Creek, Denver hosted the first Devoxx4Kids Denver event where Matt Raible taught Minecraft modding to 20 children.
• BeJUG (Belgium Java User Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeJUG is the Belgium Java User Group through which Devoxx4Kids is organized. The Devoxx4Kids initiative was born out of a BeJUG brainstorming session in 2012. BeJUG, through its steering members including Stephan Janssen and Daniel De Luca, drives the global Devoxx4Kids movement.
• LVPAC (Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLVPAC partnered with Devoxx4Kids for STEAM Fest, an annual event with Livermore Valley Unified School District for students in grades K-10. LVPAC provides venues and coordination for technology workshops.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• iD Tech: Largest commercial operator of STEM summer camps and after-school programs for kids and teens. Operates in the same category but on a paid-camp business model rather than donation-funded free workshops.
• LEGO Education: Commercial arm of LEGO providing classroom STEAM/robotics kits (incl. Mindstorms/spike) used in schools globally. Overlaps Devoxx4Kids at the Lego Mindstorms robotics track but sells hardware and curriculum rather than running free workshops.

Direct peers

• Girls Who Code: Nonprofit working to close the gender gap in tech via clubs, summer programs, and alumni support. Overlaps Devoxx4Kids' diversity-outcomes track (43% female attendance at JavaOne Kids Day 2014).
• FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology): Runs FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Robotics Competition for K–12 students. Devoxx4Kids itself explicitly identifies FIRST as a partner supplying Lego Mindstorms kits and helpers.
• CoderDojo: Volunteer-led, free global movement of coding clubs for children and young people. Most direct comparable — same volunteer-chapter model, free-to-attend workshops, and similar target age range (typically 7–17).
• Code.org: Nonprofit expanding access to computer science in K–12 schools via free curriculum, teacher training, and the Hour of Code. Comparable mission and donor-funded model, with a much larger curriculum-distribution footprint.
• Scratch Foundation: Nonprofit supporting the Scratch visual programming environment used in millions of schools and in Devoxx4Kids' introductory Scratch workshops. Closely aligned on the block-based programming pedagogy.

Emerging players

• Black Girls CODE: Nonprofit introducing girls of color to computer science through workshops and hackathons. Comparable chapter-based free-workshop model and inclusivity focus, at a smaller geographic scale.

Others

• Khan Academy: Nonprofit online-learning platform with a free computer-programming track for children. Adjacent rather than directly competing — Devoxx4Kids runs in-person workshops while Khan Academy is online-first.

Regional players

• European Code Week: EU-backed grassroots initiative running free coding events across Europe each October. Complementary in geography (Europe overlap) and free-workshop posture, though broader and event- rather than chapter-led.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/devoxx4kids
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/devoxx4kids
• Facebookfacebook.com/Devoxx4Kids
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/devoxx4kids
• GitHubgithub.com/devoxx4kids

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Devoxx4Kids