On October 30, 11-year old Youth Entrepreneur of the Year, Samaira Mehta, took the stage at HanaHaus to talk about her fascinating entrepreneurial journey as well as explore her global initiative “Yes, One Billion Kids Can Code.” She touched on a variety of topics including what inspired her to create a coding board game and how she plans to get 1 billion kids to code by 2030! Find out what she shared in this recap blog and video replay.
By Collin Gill-Sommerhauser from SAP Bay Area
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Samaira reminded the audience to not worry about failure but to think of the chances you miss if you don’t try.
Her Humble Beginnings
Samaira kicked off the evening with a powerful opening message: “Technology is not the future; people are the future.” Although computers, robots, and automation may seem like they are taking over society, the future actually lies in the hands of those who control these technologies. Her mission is to have every kid in the world learn computer programming so they, too, can help build a better future.
She then went onto explain how her her first experience with computer coding and how her love for board games transformed into a full-blown business idea. She thought to herself, “If I can’t bring a physical board game onto a computer coding screen, why not bring the computer coding onto a board game?” At only 6 years old and with the help of her father, she began inventing a STEM coding board game called, Coder Bunnyz. Now at age 9, she has been featured on the Today Show & CNBC while gracing the pages of Time Magazine & Vogue. She has also been featured at more than 50 conferences nationwide, hosted 60 workshops, and taught over 2,000 kids the basics of computer coding.
Coder Bunnyz –STEM Coding Board Game
What is Coder Bunnyz? It’s the most comprehensive STEM coding board game. Targeted for ages 4-10, this game allows players to learn all the concepts needed in computer programming. Essentially, the game works by allowing players to “program” the “Bunnyz with “Code Cards” in order to traverse through the maze, eat the carrot and reach a playful destination. Not only did Coder Bunnyz become the #1 hottest board game on Amazon in less than a year, it’s also being used as a STEM coding tool at over 600 schools and 380 libraries all around the world!
Samaira emphasized that one of her primary motivations for creating this board game was to inspire young girls. After she learned that women only account for about 20% of the computer science field, she began hosting workshops only for girls in an effort to drive their interest and involvement in coding. She explained that women have just as much potential to be great computer programmers; however, cultural norms have often discouraged girls from pursuing a career in this field. By changing these norms and encouraging girls to get involved with computer science at a young age, she hopes she can change this ratio significantly and bridge the gender gap in tech.
Yes, One Billion Kids Can Code
As Samaira approached the end of her speech, she highlighted one of her main mottos in life, “Follow your imagination, don’t listen to other people’s limitations.” This notion has guided her through her entrepreneurial journey as well as inspired her ambitious global movement called, “Yes One Billion Kids Can Code.” This initiative aims to help – you guessed it -- 1 billion kids in the world gain access to STEM and coding tools by the time she graduates college, around 2030. She explained that even if kids don't choose to become professional computer programmers when they grow up, a basic coding understanding can make them better thinkers, leaders, dreamers and creators of the next generation.
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If this short summary made you even more curious you can watch the whole interview here.