What Robofun does

Robofun is a New York City-based STEAM education company founded in 1998 by Laura Hart, operating under the legal entity Vision Education & Media, LLC. The company delivers hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics instruction to children ages 3-14 (PreK through 8th grade), anchored in a constructivist teaching philosophy developed through collaboration with Dr. Seymour Papert at MIT Media Lab. Curriculum spans Robotics Classes built on the LEGO Education Spike system, Minecraft & Circuits Classes using Redstone and physical circuitry, Coding & Game Design Classes using the Scratch visual programming language from MIT Media Lab, Little Engineers and PreRobotics programs for younger learners using LEGO Duplo and Finch robots, Python Coding for ages 9-14, and Stop Motion Animation. Class sizes average 8 children with a stated maximum of 10, supporting a high teacher-to-student ratio.

The business operates through two distinct channels. On the direct-to-consumer side, Robofun runs afterschool programs (1.5-hour weekly semester-long classes), 12 weeks of summer camp per year, vacation day camps during NYC school closures, private and small-group lessons (up to 4 students, sold in 5- or 10-class packages with a 10% discount on the larger bundle), themed birthday parties, and field trips, all delivered primarily from a single studio at 110 West End Ave on Manhattan's Upper West Side with online delivery as a secondary channel. On the institutional side, parent entity Vision Education & Media delivers programs into over 100 NYC schools, community centers, and libraries, including a partnership with the New York City Department of Education. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; afterschool and private lessons function as recurring/seasonal recurring revenue, while camps, birthday parties, field trips, and gift certificates are transactional. Robofun has taught more than 20,000 children cumulatively and employs over 50 teachers and staff, supported by grants from the MacArthur Foundation, National Science Foundation (three grants), and My Brother's Keeper Initiative rather than institutional equity capital.

Name

Robofun

Legal name

Vision Education & Media, LLC

Website

https://robofun.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Robofun is a New York City-based STEAM education company founded in 1998 that delivers hands-on robotics, coding, and engineering classes to children ages 3-14 via a Manhattan studio, online programs, and in-school partnerships across 100+ NYC schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's STEAM Education Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Computer Training (61142)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

LEGO / Block-Based Robotics Programs (EDAMADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Robotics & Engineering Summer Camps / Bootcamps (EDAMADAF), Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE), Robotics After-School & Enrichment Clubs (EDAMADAA)

Keywords

• STEAM education services
• Children's coding classes
• Robotics education programs
• Afterschool enrichment classes
• Youth STEM programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Afterschool Classes: 1.5-hour afterschool classes meeting once weekly for an entire semester. Provides ongoing, recurring revenue through semester-based enrollment.
2. Summer Camps: Week-long summer camp sessions available for registration by the week. Morning (9am-12pm), afternoon (1pm-4pm), or full-day options. One-time per-session revenue.
3. Vacation Day Camps: Half-day (3 hours) or full-day (7 hours) camps during NYC school holidays and closures. Provides supplemental revenue on school closure days.
4. Private Lessons and Learning Pods: One-on-one or small group (up to 4 students) private lessons. Offered in packages of 5 or 10 classes with 10% discount for 10-lesson packages. Trial class available individually.
5. Birthday Parties: Themed birthday party packages at the studio with activities like robotics, Minecraft, coding games, and stop motion animation.
6. Field Trips: Two-hour field trip experiences at the studio for groups of 10-30 students, with hands-on projects in robotics, coding, animation, or circuitry.
7. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates available for purchase, redeemable towards any class or private lesson.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Robofun delivers hands-on STEAM education classes, camps, and private lessons for children ages 3-14 (PreK through 8th grade), centered on robotics (LEGO Education Spike/Mindstorms), coding (Scratch, Python), Minecraft circuit design, and stop motion animation. Programs are offered in multiple formats including semester-long afterschool classes, week-long summer camps, vacation day camps, birthday party packages, and in-school programs delivered through parent company Vision Education & Media across NYC schools.

Product overview

Robofun is a STEAM education company offering a comprehensive portfolio of hands-on technology and engineering programs for children from PreK through 8th grade. The core offerings include Robotics Classes (using LEGO Education Spike), Minecraft & Circuits Classes, Coding & Game Design Classes (using Scratch), Little Engineers Classes for PreK, PreRobotics for Kindergarten, Python Coding for older students, and Stop Motion Animation. These programs are delivered through multiple formats: Afterschool Programs (weekly semester-long classes), Summer Camps (week-long immersive camps), Vacation Day Camps (half or full-day camps during school closures), Birthday Parties, Private/Pods Lessons, and School Programs (field trips and in-school partnerships). The company serves children ages 3-14 and operates from a studio on the Upper West Side of Manhattan while also partnering with over 80 schools and community organizations across New York City.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Robotics Classes Students build and code robots using LEGO Education's Spike system to explore mechanical systems, sensors, and motors through hands-on STEAM projects. Offered to children across multiple age groups at the Manhattan studio and online.
• Minecraft & Circuits Classes

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,000 children taught STEM skills in NYC
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• See and Bee KitchenminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2026Robofun donated LEGO materials to See and Bee Kitchen in Cairo, NY for a free LEGO distribution event. Both companies are alumni of the Goldman Sachs 10KSB program. Partnership focused on community engagement and the importance of play.
• LEGO EducationcoreTechnology or IntegrationLEGO Education provides the LEGO Spike system, LEGO Mindstorms, and LEGO WeDo software used in Robofun's robotics programs. Robofun uses these tools to teach children to build and code robots, exploring mechanical systems, sensors, and motors.
• MIT Media LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding CEO Laura Hart collaborated with Dr. Seymour Papert (founder of MIT AI Lab) and Dr. Mitchel Resnick. Robofun uses Scratch programming software developed at MIT Media Lab and has written curriculum including the original Scratch user's manual.
• New York City Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRobofun's parent company Vision Education & Media runs programs for students and teachers in over 100 schools in the NYC area through partnership with NYC DOE.
• NYU ITPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) at Tisch School of the Arts is listed as a collaborator
• Columbia School of EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbia University's School of Engineering is listed as a collaborator on educational programs
• New York Hall of SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Margaret Honey, President and CEO of NYSCI, serves on Robofun's Advisory Board. NYSCI has developed a Design-Make-Play approach to STEM learning that aligns with Robofun's philosophy.
• Boys and Girls Clubs of AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRobofun wrote curriculum for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America's STEM programs
• YWCA TechgyrlsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRobofun wrote curriculum for the YWCA's Techgyrls program supporting girls in STEM
• Goldman Sachs 10KSBminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRobofun founder Laura Hart is a fellow alumna of the Goldman Sachs 10KSB program, which supports small businesses

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Wonder Workshop: Maker of Dash and Dot educational robots used in K-12 STEAM curricula. Functions as a tool provider and curriculum partner ecosystem that Robofun competes within for kids' attention. Indirect competitor via schools adopting its robots.
• LEGO Education: Provider of the LEGO Spike, Mindstorms, and WeDo systems that Robofun uses for robotics instruction. Not a direct competitor but a critical infrastructure/enabling partner — and a potential long-term competitive threat if it expands into direct-to-consumer curriculum delivery.

Direct peers

• Code Ninjas: National franchise offering coding and robotics enrichment for kids through after-school programs, camps, and birthday parties. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping curriculum (robotics, game design), target demographic (kids), and multi-format delivery model.
• Engineering For Kids: International franchise providing STEM and engineering programs (including robotics and coding) for children ages 4-14 through after-school, camp, and in-school formats. Comparable curriculum and age range.
• MakerKids: Toronto-based STEAM program for kids offering Minecraft, coding, and robotics classes. Comparable in STEAM breadth and use of LEGO/Scratch platforms, though regional rather than NYC.
• The Coder School: After-school coding school franchise offering private and small-group lessons (typically 2-4 students) for kids using Scratch, Python, and other languages. Comparable via small-format private lessons and coding-focused curriculum.
• STEM For Kids: Franchise delivering STEM and robotics enrichment (LEGO, coding, engineering) for children through after-school, camp, and in-school programs. Comparable in curriculum mix and franchise-style delivery, though smaller scale.
• iCode: National STEAM franchise teaching computer science, robotics, and coding to K-12 students through after-school classes and camps. Comparable in curriculum breadth (Scratch, Python, robotics) and child-targeted positioning.
• Code Galaxy: Online coding school for kids offering live classes in Scratch, Python, and Minecraft coding. Comparable in coding-first curriculum and live-class delivery, with stronger online-distribution DNA.

Broad incumbents

• ID Tech: Established operator of summer camps, after-school programs, and online private lessons in coding, AI, game design, and robotics for kids and teens. Broader national footprint and more recent online-platform scale make it a scaled incumbent peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Robofun
• Xx.com/RoboFunNYC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Robofun