--- title: The Startup Teaching Kids Robotics Using Chopsticks [TBS 46] description: "Why is quality STEM education still not accessible to every kid?\nWe sit with Adam and Kai from Stick’ Em - the startup that’s been making headlines for teaching kids to build robots using something you’d never expect: chopsticks." image: https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/hubfs/TBS%2046.png --- [Skip to content](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/thebusinessshow-46#main-content) [![Full_COlour](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Full_COlour.png?width=456&height=80&name=Full_COlour.png)](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/) - [Retirement Marketspace](https://retirementmarketspace.thefinancialcoconut.com/) - [Events](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/events) Show submenu for Events - [For Investors](https://tfcmysterymeetup.com/) - [For Business Owners & Creators](https://ipcreatorunite.peatix.com/) - [For Salaried Workers](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/thought-leadership-series) - [TFC Events](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/events) - [Shows](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/tfc-shows) Show submenu for Shows - [Wise and Shine](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/wise-and-shine) - [The Business Show](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/tfc-business-show) - [Chills with TFC](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/chills-with-tfc) - [Blog](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog) Show submenu for Blog - [Work Smart](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/worksmart) - [Invest](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/invest) - [Retire Well](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/retire-well) - [Business](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/business) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Retirement Marketspace](https://retirementmarketspace.thefinancialcoconut.com/) - [Events](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/events) Show submenu for Events - [For Investors](https://tfcmysterymeetup.com/) - [For Business Owners & Creators](https://ipcreatorunite.peatix.com/) - [For Salaried Workers](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/thought-leadership-series) - [TFC Events](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/events) - [Shows](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/tfc-shows) Show submenu for Shows - [Wise and Shine](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/wise-and-shine) - [The Business Show](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/tfc-business-show) - [Chills with TFC](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/chills-with-tfc) - [Blog](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog) Show submenu for Blog - [Work Smart](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/worksmart) - [Invest](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/invest) - [Retire Well](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/retire-well) - [Business](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/business) - [Contact us](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/contact-us) [Contact us](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/contact-us) Jan 21, 2026, 4:23:15 PM # The Startup Teaching Kids Robotics Using Chopsticks \[TBS 46\] ![Picture of The Financial Coconut](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Square%20(2)-3.png?width=50&name=Square%20(2)-3.png) [The Financial Coconut](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/author/the-financial-coconut) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/thebusinessshow-46) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/thebusinessshow-46) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/thebusinessshow-46) [Share this page](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/thebusinessshow-46)   [![Follow The Financial Coconut](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/46975693/interactive-182431637553.png)](https://cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/web-interactives/public/v1/track/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLL2CjCe42iR2RH2MpVX0Ej%2BKJQ%2F3A0Z7pXnUs35To%2Bo6nbKcpBVq9I98X5NUungVEwfs5YCKuM%2FaP97VxIITkTlihT57%2F%2F4XDW9rT3VR4MatSLDi%2BMU5mbQqihfX3LRRz83ij8K19OiD8UXy8sdct4t0Q%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=182431637553&portalId=46975693)   They didn’t start with a fancy lab, big funding, or a “Silicon Valley” playbook. They started with scrappy prototypes, real classrooms, and a question that hits hard: Why is quality STEM education still not accessible to every kid? If you’ve ever been curious about startups, education, or what it takes to build something real (literally hardware), this one’s for you. We sit with Adam and Kai from Stick’ Em - the startup that’s been making headlines for teaching kids to build robots using something you’d never expect: chopsticks. But that’s only the start… What you’ll hear - How Stick’ Em turned a simple, low-cost idea into a real robotics ecosystem schools are paying for - The behind-the-scenes truth about robotics competitions that most people only whisper about - Why going hardware-first is way harder than it looks (and why they still did it anyway) - The moment they realised: “Okay… this isn’t just a fun kit. This could scale.” - How they grew through schools talking to schools before doing any serious marketing - What winning a major global competition actually changed (and what it didn’t) Tune in soon because the most interesting parts aren’t the headlines… it’s what happened before and after them. **Episode Resources:** - [Spotify](https://linktw.in/OrCrMq) - [YouTube](https://linktw.in/MVTQUg) - [Apple podcast](https://linktw.in/reZqdx) New episodes every [Wednesday](https://www.thefinancialcoconut.com/blog/tag/tfc-business-show) Share us your thoughts on this episode and let us know what do you want to hear next. You can now be our community contributor and make a [pitch ](https://thefinancialcoconut.com/contact/)to have your favourite personality be on our show. 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