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Kids Engine
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Our mission

We're bringing real STEAM labs to children with limited access to hands-on tools

Kids Engine is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. We bring human-centered STEAM workshops, in a variety of formats and backed by Kite, our learning platform, to communities with limited access, train local facilitators, and help build programs that can continue locally.

Communities differ in resources, language, technology access, and local expertise. Kids Engine is built for those differences, so hands-on learning can happen in many more places.

Our storyAdvisory board
Dr. Rojin Vishkaie, Founder & Executive Director

Dr. Rojin Vishkaie

Founder & Executive Director

LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)@rojinvishkaie on Twitter (X), opens in a new tab

The story

Where it started

Over a decade ago, founder Dr. Rojin Vishkaie ran hands-on technology workshops for K–12 learners in communities with limited access in the American Midwest, using hardware donated by a major technology company. Those workshops produced measurable learning outcomes, positive participant surveys, and peer-reviewed published research. Kids Engine builds on that model for broader use with schools, community partners, and local facilitators. Her background in human-computer interaction is why Kids Engine teaches human-centered STEAM: children design for real people and real needs, then build, test, and improve what they make.

About the founder

Dr. Rojin Vishkaie is a researcher, educator, and strategist with a Ph.D. in Computational Design and Human-Computer Interaction and 15 years of experience spanning tech, academia, nonprofits, and R&D. She is a former Assistant Professor at Arizona State University, where she designed and taught STEAM curriculum. She has led initiatives across both consumer and enterprise sectors, collaborating with cross-functional teams to translate research insights into innovative solutions. Her teaching, research, and industry experience together shape how Kids Engine designs curriculum, builds partnerships, and pursues funding.

Read the research behind Kids Engine

The model

Why Kids Engine is different

Kids Engine is more than a STEAM enrichment program. It is a portable lab and local-capacity model for communities with limited access to real hands-on tools.

  • Human-centered STEAM

    Kids learn STEAM by designing for real people and real needs, using human-centered design principles.

  • Real tools, many formats

    Microscopes, sensors, circuits, robotics kits, laptops, and more, in workshop formats that fit schools, libraries, community centers, and partner sites.

  • Donated equipment

    Useful technology and lab tools donated by corporate partners get a second life in learning instead of becoming waste.

  • Local facilitators

    Teachers, volunteers, university students, and community educators are trained and supported, so learning continues after we move on.

  • Kite, our learning platform

    Kite by Kids Engine, our human-centered STEAM learning platform, supports every workshop with lessons, missions, the Launchpad, and tools for teachers and families.

  • Research-backed and measured

    Built on a decade of peer-reviewed research. Every program documents participation, learning outcomes, and facilitator feedback.

Values

What we believe

  • We go where hands-on STEAM tools are limited

    Schools, community centers, and international partner communities with limited access to hands-on STEAM tools.

  • Real hardware in every child's hands

    Not screens, not simulations. The feel of a science fair, the structure of a lab.

  • Local people run the program

    Trained teachers, community educators, university students, and local professionals. We invest in the community, not just the children in it.

  • Joy is the engine

    If it isn't fun, it isn't Kids Engine.

Roadmap

How we scale, in three phases

  1. Phase 1 • Now

    Team-led launch

    1–3 US locations, programs run by our team, building the evidence base and first corporate equipment partnerships.

  2. Phase 2 • 2027–2028

    Facilitator network

    Pilot expansion across selected U.S. and international partner sites, with trained local facilitators running programs with Kids Engine support.

  3. Phase 3 • 2029+

    Licensed curriculum

    A global partner network. Kids Engine curriculum, toolkits, facilitator training, and evaluation tools adapted with approved partner organizations worldwide.

Our headquarters is in Bellevue, WA. Other pins illustrate our growth plan, not specific sites.

Governance

Guided by our advisory board

Kids Engine is guided by leading educators, researchers, and scientists with expertise in STEAM education, engineering learning, computational thinking, informal learning, workforce development, and global program design.

Meet the board