Brother-and-Sister Duo Bring Brooklyn Robot Foundry to New Jersey

ALLENDALE, NJ.– 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 newest franchise partners, bringing the brand to New Jersey for the first time. 

Bergen County, New Jersey will now be home to the Foundry’s immersive STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) education programs, thanks to sister-and-brother duo Kyong and Paul Lee.

Paul’s journey to franchising started after garnering over 23 years of experience in IT. Upon losing his job during the pandemic, Paul turned his attention to finding something more rewarding within the world of engineering. He discovered the Foundry at a franchise convention in New Jersey and knew this was the right next step, as it was exactly the program he would have loved to attend when he was a child. 

With over 30 years of experience in education and as a small business owner, Kyong has a deep passion for STEAM education. When not helping students with robotics at the Foundry alongside her brother, Kyong owns and operates a hugely successful music school, the Nutley School of Music.

“Our mission is to inspire young minds by making learning fun and engaging through hands-on robot building. Seeing kids light up with curiosity and creativity when they interact with our robots is incredibly rewarding,” Kyong said.

The Lees believe that, in an increasingly technologically-driven world, consistent access to STEAM learning is a right, not a privilege. Brooklyn Robot Foundry franchisees operate with a mobile model, bringing their programs to schools and organizations, rather than operating a brick-and-mortar location. This mobility allows children greater access to their programs, as the programs take place within schools during the day, after-school programs in the afternoons, and a variety of locations on weekends and days out of school. 

The Lees have already forged partnerships within their community, working with local private schools, scouting troops, art schools, and extracurricular/after-school programs. In addition, they run regular full and half-day programs at Nutley School of Music on school holidays and conference days.

“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. “Paul and Kyong’s past and current career experiences will serve them well in providing crucial, hands-on STEAM experiences to local students in New Jersey. I can’t think of two better individuals to bring the magic of Brooklyn Robot Foundry to a new place.”

With locations currently open and operating throughout New York, Connecticut, Philadelphia, and now New Jersey, the Foundry aims to have an additional 3 franchises operating by the end of 2024. The brand is eager to continue its growth by introducing the power of STEAM to more children in communities throughout the country, one city at a time.

Over the past decade, the Robot Foundry has built a curriculum of over 650 unique robot projects. Unlike other programs, the brand strongly encourages creativity and independent thinking for all their builders. Students are encouraged to incorporate their own ideas and imaginations into each project, resulting not only in cool robots but also in a terrific outlet for self-expression and increased confidence. 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 seven franchise locations in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, 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.