Van Robotics

Van Robotics, operating under the brand ABii's World, develops socially adaptive robot tutors and accompanying digital curricula for schools. Its product, ABii, is an approximately 18-inch robot that delivers standards-aligned lessons and adjusts pace and content according to a student's performance and attention, providing step-by-step guidance when a question is missed and redirecting attention when a student loses focus. The robot uses expressive social behaviors — encouragement, redirection and celebration such as fist bumps and high fives — as part of a growth-mindset instructional approach. [0][1][6]

The curriculum library spans PK-5 mathematics, PK-5 reading and life skills. Math lessons open with a pre-assessment of the target skill and use real-world scenarios, illustrations and step-by-step support. Reading lessons are multi-modal, with audio support for questions and answers aimed at early readers and multilingual students, plus phonics and phonemic awareness content. Life-skills lessons address character traits, conflict resolution, communication and persistence. The company positions ABii for short classroom rotations (about 10 minutes) as a way to limit K-5 screen time. [0][1]

For older students, Van Robotics offers Classroom to Career (C2C), a curriculum for grades 8-12 covering robotics, AI basics, machine learning and light electronics assembly. Students receive ABii Robot Kits containing servo motors, electrical components, fasteners, wires, compute boards and ABii plastic hardware, along with digital and video guides, and assemble, inspect and test robots that are then delivered to K-5 peers in their district, labeled with the builder's name. The company also markets an Impact Labs offering and product lines including Embedded In-Class Coaching, a Classroom Solution and an ABii Home Edition. [0][2][4]

Founding story

Laura Boccanfuso entered a computer science doctoral program at the University of South Carolina in 2008 after earning a master's degree at Bowling Green State University and spending years as a stay-at-home parent. While in the program she became interested in robotics and in how AI-powered robots could support children in classrooms, inspired in part by Bill Gates' Scientific American essay "A Robot in Every Home" and by emerging research on robots supporting children with autism and social-emotional skill development. She continued building the software during a social robotics postdoc at Yale and started the company rather than relocating to a traditional technology hub, choosing Columbia, South Carolina on the advice of MongoDB and Business Insider founder Kevin Ryan, whom she met through a Yale venture creation program. [6]

Business model

Van Robotics sells robot hardware and subscription-style curriculum products to schools and districts, with a quote-request process for school purchasing, and also offers an ABii Home Edition aimed at families. Product lines listed include Embedded In-Class Coaching, Classroom Solution, Classroom to Career and ABii Home Edition. An earlier company summary described private schools as the beachhead market, with schools then used as a distribution channel to reach parents. [2][4][7]

Revenue comes from sales of ABii robots and associated curriculum packages to schools (classroom solutions and embedded in-class coaching), Classroom to Career robot kits and curriculum, and direct-to-consumer ABii Home Edition units. [2][4]

Traction

The company states ABii is used in 38 states and 8 countries. Parent purchases of the home version rose after the May 2020 Shark Tank broadcast, and school usage subsequently grew. ABii is deployed in classrooms including Carver Elementary School in Florence, South Carolina. [3][6]

Latest developments

The company's current offering spans PK-5 reading and mathematics curricula and a 6-12 AI/robotics curriculum, marketed alongside Classroom to Career and Impact Labs programs. A May 2024 University of South Carolina article documented classroom use of ABii and the company's trajectory following its 2020 television exposure and 2023 CNN International feature. [0][4][6]