Brooklyn Robot Foundry Announces Three New Franchise Partners in the Big Apple
NEW YORK, NY– Brooklyn Robot Foundry - the vibrant and inclusive brand dedicated to prioritizing diversity and empowerment for children of all backgrounds and communities through STEAM Education, has announced its next three locations opening in New York this year. The brand currently has three locations in New York (Rochester, Manhattan, and Brooklyn), and the unveiling of these three new locations, all owned and operated by women, is a huge milestone for the brand as they work to bring accessible STEAM programs to children throughout the state.
Caroline Crilly will be serving the areas of Williamsburg, Bushwick, Greenpoint, Maspeth, Bed-Stuy, Oceanhill, Glendale, Ridgewood, Middle Village and Elmhurst starting in Summer of 2024. Crilly has lived in New York for 15 years—as her daughter is growing up local, she is excited to connect to the community now as a business woman and entrepreneur in addition to being a parent.
“It's important that students have access to programs like Brooklyn Robot Foundry, so that they get exposed to STEAM concepts through joyful play experiences. I'm excited to make these available in neighborhoods for schools that might that not have anything like this,” Crilly said. “Growing up, I was very curious about math, science and engineering, but I think that because I was a girl, it was not as fully embraced as it might have been if I was a boy. I hope to provide the space for little girls to explore STEAM in a way that I didn’t.”
Alison Khalaf will be serving the areas of Brownstone Brooklyn (Park Slope, Greenwood, BoCoCa, Red Hook, Prospect Lefferts, Crown Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Downtown BK, DUMBO, and Brooklyn Heights) starting in Summer of 2024. Khalaf, who was familiar with The Brooklyn Robot Foundry’s programming since her son had attended the brand’s camp and birthday parties, is new to franchising but possesses years of experience and skill managing an early childhood center.
“I love working with kids and I feel like running the childcare center definitely has prepared me for my first foray into franchising. Robots and AI are here to stay, so kids might as well get comfortable with them and learn how they work from an early age. I have seen an increasing number of robotics labs in high schools, and parents seem interested,” Khalaf said. “I hope to bring the inherent fun of robots combined with inspiring creativity and learning how to build out of everyday objects to the students.”
Carmen Tsang will be serving Downtown Manhattan come Fall 2024. Having recently stepped away from over 20 years in the corporate world, Carmen is eager to apply her versatile, international business experiences in her new role within the robotics industry.
“I hope to bring my community jobs, a sense of purpose, and most importantly, something for the kids to learn and have fun with,” Tsang said. “Downtown Manhattan is a great market with high value audiences fitting for an educational program like Brooklyn Robot Foundry. One day, I hope to bring The Foundry international, but for now, I am happy to be making a difference in the community I’ve known and loved for 15 years.”
With three locations currently open and operating, the Foundry aims to have an additional 12 franchises operating by the end of 2024. The brand is eager to continue its growth to introduce the power of STEAM to more children in communities throughout the country, starting with New York.
“Not only is there a huge need for access to this kind of education and tech on a community-wide level, but there is a huge need for intersectionality in these spaces as it relates to women and minority-owned businesses in robotics and engineering in general,” said Jenny Young, CEO and founder of Brooklyn Robot Foundry. “Alison, Caroline and Carmen have vastly different life experiences and career paths, all of which will serve them well in providing crucial, hands-on STEAM experiences to local students. These women will serve as examples to the students and show them that they can accomplish and be anything they want to be.”
The findings of the State of U.S. Science and Engineering 2022 report revealed a lack of improvement in math scores from 2007 to 2019 in New York, underscoring the need for STEAM education in the state. Despite New York state’s commendable rank as one of the most educated in the nation, this lack of progress in mathematic proficiency highlights the ongoing need to prioritize comprehensive STEAM education. Brooklyn Robot Foundry wants to expand its reach into new communities throughout New York, equipping students with the critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation skills necessary to succeed in an increasingly technologically driven world.
Over the past decade, the Robot Foundry has designed over 2,000 unique robot designs. Students are encouraged to incorporate their own ideas and imaginations into each project, resulting not only in a cool robot, but also in increased confidence. Unlike other programs, the brand strongly encourages creativity and independent thinking for all their builders. The brand offers fun, creative, and educational classes, parties, summer programs, and field trips for children 2-14 years old.
Brooklyn Robot Foundry is excited to welcome all builders and future franchisees into the Brooklyn Robot Foundry family. The brand is continuing to target single-unit operators looking to own a business in an energized and meaningful market. There is an initial investment of $91,000 - $118,000. For more information about the franchise opportunity, please visit, https://brooklynrobotfoundry.com/franchise/.
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About Brooklyn Robot Foundry
Founded by Jenny Young who is a mechanical engineer turned entrepreneur, Brooklyn Robot Foundry has been offering creative robot-building programs for children and adults in company locations throughout New York City since 2011. Brooklyn Robot Foundry launched its franchise opportunities in late 2022 and currently operates one corporate-owned location in Brooklyn, NY and five franchise locations in Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania providing franchisees with all the tools, materials, and know-how to run a successful, mobile business in their community. The Foundry is committed to a mission of ensuring that every child, regardless of their background or circumstances, feels valued, inspired, and empowered to explore the exciting world of robotics and STEAM education, the brand is eager to find passionate franchisees to help achieve this goal.