Tarvo Metspalu

Overview

Inventor's kit was a turn-key service for (hobby) schools and youth centers for teaching STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) skills to kids from age 10 to 18. It consisted of everything necessary from basic tools, materials and introductory training to different workshops, thorough tutorials and challenging competitions. When the clients received our Inventor's kit and a primary training, they could run a whole STEAM course even if they were not experienced in the field beforehand. This meant that STEAM education would reach even those children who lived in the most remote places as long as the Inventor's Kit got there.

My inspiration for the service rose when I organized Physics & Engineering workshops for the University of Tartu summer science camp. I saw that most of the students were the same every year. This meant that a lot of kids are left out of this wonderful opportunity. When I started SPARK Makerlab in 2016, it didn't take long until I saw the opportunity to reignite this dream.

We managed to reach around 20 schools and hundreds of students. Unfortunately the project was closed due to the coronavirus. Nevertheless, we are glad that a similar idea lives on now as HK Unicorn Squad to which we also helped to produce some workshops. I got out of the project in Summer 2019 due to personal reasons.

My role

Project lead (initiator)
Engineer
Designer
Producer
Marketing & Sales
Educator

My tasks

Leading the team and the project
Finding funding for the project
Creating primary workshops for the kit
Writing and designing tutorials
Producing marketing materials
Sales, communication & feedback
Educating first clients

Other team members

5 DIY tinkerers
1 marketing & sales person

Duration

Autumn 2017 - March 2020