Playing Outside of the Playground: Teaching Tech to Young Kids at Robotkamp.

Matthias Mevis wanted to mix and match his studies in industrial engineering and his interest in entrepreneurship. What he found? That there were more ways to start his business than to stick to the well-trodden paths. With the right mindset, any field of study can produce a great business idea.

A recent graduate, at 26 he is organizing Robotkamp. It started as an idea during his studies. Instead of jumping on it straight away however, Matthias decided to finish his studies and gain valuable knowledge working as an employee for a year. After being exposed to different perspectives, and being reminded of his initial business idea whilst working abroad in Singapore, he decided now was the time to return to it.

So what is Robotkamp? For kids, it’s a week of play and fun, not in the playground, but in the lab. Activities are educative and tailored to the young kids ages, from 8 to 12 years old. For parents, it’s a great opportunity to find out whether their kid might be interested in studying in STEM at a later age. By guiding the kids through hands-on experiments and simple exercises that lay a foundation for thinking in scientific and computer language (or programming language), Matthias is convinced that kids can have all of the fun, whilst learning valuable skills at a young age. It’s part of a mission to help lower the stress that comes when young teens have to choose what to do in high school.

Whether it results in a study choice, or becomes a fun hobby, Matthias is excited to bring his project to more kids, in more locations and with a bigger team. Scaling the project is his next big step. His advice to students stems from his own experience. To students who are wondering what the next step is: “Grab your chance, but know there’s no need to rush it.”

Are you feeling inspired? Matthias will be present at TechNight 2025.