Stick ‘Em offers low‑cost robot kits

Published April 30, 2026 by The Daily Scout

- Stick ’Em, a Singapore edtech startup, is pitching chopstick-based robotics kits to Philippine schools as a cheaper way to bring hands-on STEAM into classrooms. - Founder Chong Ing Kai says a school package costs about ₱45,000 for 10 sets, versus roughly ₱50,000 for one conventional kit. - The bigger point is access — low-cost kits plus teacher-ready lessons could widen robotics learning beyond elite private schools.

Why it matters

Robotics kits are great in theory, but schools usually run into the same wall fast — they’re expensive, fiddly, and often built for specialist teachers, not regular classrooms. That is the gap Stick ’Em is trying to hit. The Singapore startup is now pushing its kits in the Philippines with a very simple pitch: make robot-building cheap enough, durable enough, and teacher-friendly enough that more schools can actually use it. The headline number is what makes people stop — about ₱45,000 for 10 sets, versus roughly ₱50,000 for a single traditional kit. (tiktok.com) ### What is Stick ’Em actually selling? It is not just a toy box. Stick ’Em sells a robotics set built around chopsticks, geometric connectors, and simple electronics, plus an online platform with lesson materials and control tools. Students can build shapes, mechanisms, and basic robots, then run them from phones, tablets, or laptops. The company frames the whole thing as a classroom system, not a one-off gadget. (raise.sg) ### Why chopsticks? Because cost and supply matter more than elegance in real schools. Stick ’Em’s core idea is that disposable chopsticks are cheap, widely available, and easy to replace, while the custom parts do the structural work. That also gives the product a sustainability angle — the company says the kits are designed around affordability and biodegradable connectors, not exp(raise.sg)h. (raise.sg) ### Why does the Philippine pricing matter? Because the comparison is brutal. Chong Ing Kai said the company’s school package runs around ₱45,000 for 10 sets, while a conventional robotics kit can cost about ₱50,000 for just one. Even if schools debate what counts as a like-for-like comparison, the direction is clear — Stick ’Em is trying to move robotics from “one demo unit in a lab(raise.sg) different budget conversation. (tiktok.com) ### Is this a proven company or an early-stage pitch? It is early-stage, but not brand new. Stick ’Em was founded in 2021 and won the 2025 Hult Prize, which came with US$1 million in seed funding. The company says its kits and curriculum have already been used by thousands of students and more than 1,200 teachers across multiple countries, though the exact c(tiktok.com)es, while its current site says 15 countries and 18,000-plus students. (channelnewsasia.com) ### Why talk about localization? Because cheap hardware alone does not fix classroom adoption. Chong said Stick ’Em is working with the Philippine Department of Education and Department of Science and Technology on localization. Basically, the company seems to understand that schools need local lesson plans, local teacher support, and alignment with curriculum goals — otherwise even affordable kits end up sitting in cabinets. (youtube.com) ### What is the catch? The catch is that low price is only the first test. Schools still need teacher training, replacement parts, time in the timetable, and proof that the kits help learning rather than just creating a fun afternoon. Stick ’Em does have a stronger answer than many hardware startups because it bundles curriculum materials and a web platform with the physical ki(youtube.com) boxes. (hultprize.org) ### Why does this matter beyond one startup? Because robotics education has mostly been concentrated in better-funded schools. If Stick ’Em’s pricing and localization hold up in real procurement, it could shift hands-on STEAM from enrichment for a few students to a regular classroom activity for many more. That is the real story here — not that one company make(hultprize.org) gets to build them. (tiktok.com) The bottom line is simple. Stick ’Em is selling a cheaper path into classroom robotics, and the Philippines looks like a test of whether that model can move from startup promise to school-scale adoption. If the numbers hold, this is less about novelty and more about access.

Key numbers

Founder Chong Ing Kai says a school package costs about ₱45,000 for 10 sets, versus roughly ₱50,000 for one conventional kit.
The headline number is what makes people stop — about ₱45,000 for 10 sets, versus roughly ₱50,000 for a single traditional kit.
Chong Ing Kai said the company’s school package runs around ₱45,000 for 10 sets, while a conventional robotics kit can cost about ₱50,000 for just one.
Stick ’Em was founded in 2021 and won the 2025 Hult Prize, which came with US$1 million in seed funding.

What happens next

Basically, the company seems to understand that schools need local lesson plans, local teacher support, and alignment with curriculum goals — otherwise even affordable kits end up sitting in cabinets.
If Stick ’Em’s pricing and localization hold up in real procurement, it could shift hands-on STEAM from enrichment for a few students to a regular classroom activity for many more.
The bigger point is access — low-cost kits plus teacher-ready lessons could widen robotics learning beyond elite private schools.

Sources

Quick answers

What happened in Stick ‘Em offers low‑cost robot kits?

Stick ’Em, a Singapore edtech startup, is pitching chopstick-based robotics kits to Philippine schools as a cheaper way to bring hands-on STEAM into classrooms. Founder Chong Ing Kai says a school package costs about ₱45,000 for 10 sets, versus roughly ₱50,000 for one conventional kit. The bigger point is access — low-cost kits plus teacher-ready lessons could widen robotics learning beyond elite private schools.

Why does Stick ‘Em offers low‑cost robot kits matter?

Robotics kits are great in theory, but schools usually run into the same wall fast — they’re expensive, fiddly, and often built for specialist teachers, not regular classrooms. That is the gap Stick ’Em is trying to hit. The Singapore startup is now pushing its kits in the Philippines with a very simple pitch: make robot-building cheap enough, durable enough, and teacher-friendly enough that more schools can actually use it. The headline number is what makes people stop — about ₱45,000 for 10 sets, versus roughly ₱50,000 for a single traditional kit. (tiktok.com) What is Stick ’Em actually selling? It is not just a toy box. Stick ’Em sells a robotics set built around chopsticks, geometric connectors, and simple electronics, plus an online platform with lesson materials and control tools. Students can build shapes, mechanisms, and basic robots, then run them from phones, tablets, or laptops. The company frames the whole thing as a classroom system, not a one-off gadget. (raise.sg) Why chopsticks? Because cost and supply matter more than elegance in real schools. Stick ’Em’s core idea is that disposable chopsticks are cheap, widely available, and easy to replace, while the custom parts do the structural work. That also gives the product a sustainability angle — the company says the kits are designed around affordability and biodegradable connectors, not exp(raise.sg)h. (raise.sg) Why does the Philippine pricing matter? Because the comparison is brutal. Chong Ing Kai said the company’s school package runs around ₱45,000 for 10 sets, while a conventional robotics kit can cost about ₱50,000 for just one. Even if schools debate what counts as a like-for-like comparison, the direction is clear — Stick ’Em is trying to move robotics from “one demo unit in a lab(raise.sg) different budget conversation. (tiktok.com) Is this a proven company or an early-stage pitch? It is early-stage, but not brand new. Stick ’Em was founded in 2021 and won the 2025 Hult Prize, which came with US$1 million in seed funding. The company says its kits and curriculum have already been used by thousands of students and more than 1,200 teachers across multiple countries, though the exact c(tiktok.com)es, while its current site says 15 countries and 18,000-plus students. (channelnewsasia.com) Why talk about localization? Because cheap hardware alone does not fix classroom adoption. Chong said Stick ’Em is working with the Philippine Department of Education and Department of Science and Technology on localization. Basically, the company seems to understand that schools need local lesson plans, local teacher support, and alignment with curriculum goals — otherwise even affordable kits end up sitting in cabinets. (youtube.com) What is the catch? The catch is that low price is only the first test. Schools still need teacher training, replacement parts, time in the timetable, and proof that the kits help learning rather than just creating a fun afternoon. Stick ’Em does have a stronger answer than many hardware startups because it bundles curriculum materials and a web platform with the physical ki(youtube.com) boxes. (hultprize.org) Why does this matter beyond one startup? Because robotics education has mostly been concentrated in better-funded schools. If Stick ’Em’s pricing and localization hold up in real procurement, it could shift hands-on STEAM from enrichment for a few students to a regular classroom activity for many more. That is the real story here — not that one company make(hultprize.org) gets to build them. (tiktok.com) The bottom line is simple. Stick ’Em is selling a cheaper path into classroom robotics, and the Philippines looks like a test of whether that model can move from startup promise to school-scale adoption. If the numbers hold, this is less about novelty and more about access.