STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education is crucial to one's overall brain development and it also has a wide career scope. Previously, STEM learning was emphasized only at the college level or senior-secondary levels. Now, it has deepened its roots to primary and pre-primary levels as well. The future will be powered by Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Automation, and IoT and all these come under STEM Learning. Promoting STEM learning in schools will open a new window of opportunities that will not only benefit students'personal growth but also pick the right career that can secure their future.

Thinker Place is an EdTech startup with headquarters in Pune that was founded in 2020 as part of the esteemed Lexicon Group of Institutes. It focuses on bringing a significant change to the way that kids learn and has been recognised as India's only company that teaches kids to think, create, and implement. "Our toys are developed to train kids in skills that will be extremely significant in the future. We focus on technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Our DIY toys focus on inculcating futuristic skills like coding, automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, IoT, and more in kids. With our educational DIY Toys, children can learn to make their own toys and implement STEM concepts by implementing them in real life", explains Deepti Sharma, Director of Thinker Place.

There is currently a great need for experienced and qualified personnel in the STEM sector due to the ongoing updating of technology and daily developments. With educational DIY toys based on S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) methods and concepts, Thinker Place strives to develop young minds and prepare them for the future in a technologically advanced society. At a very young age, these toys teach children how to think independently. The majority of STEM toy manufacturers focus on children between

the ages of 3 and 14 and offer universal toys that teach just one or two skills to all age groups. Thinker Place offers STEM toys for kids between the ages of 3 and 14+ that are specifically created for the growth and needs of each age group.

Getting Children Excited about STEM
Children's critical thinking, logical thinking, cognitive skills, problem solving abilities, and other abilities will improve if schools begin to instill STEM learning in them as early as elementary and secondary levels. Through its line of DIY educational toys, Thinker Place hopes to serve as the first point of contact for parents and kids interested in learning about S.T.E.M. and all of its potential applications. Talking about product offerings, Deepti Sharma says, "We offer three types of subscription boxes for three different age groups. The subscription box comes with six DIY Kits, every month children get two STEM DIY Toys for 6-8 years, 8-10 years and 10-12 years. Through these subscription boxes, children engage and learn a variety of concepts like automation, robotics, solar energy, automation, and more” shares Deepti. Thinker Place has an original Product Patent for all of the 200+ kits that have been built. The team of specialists and developers were able to build the most creative and compelling way to introduce kids to the idea of enjoyable learning and education thanks to this indepth study. Thinker Place has partnered with several foreign schools in Nigeria, the US, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Maldives, and Australia to develop young people who would become scientists and innovators in the future.

Scaling the Impact of Learning
In India, the prime focus is to spread the concept of STEM learning from the grassroots level catering to rural, urban, and every other level there is between these major categories. Thinker Place is striving to extend its client base to the level of preschools, having expanded its brand into the UAE, the United States, and Nigeria. Another initiative that Thinker Place is presently working on is the establishment of science centres all throughout India to expose kids to various scientific and technological ideas practically so they may enjoy the educational experience. This idea was developed to eliminate the negative perceptions that students have about science education in general.

For kids interested in S.T.E.M. related activities and concepts, Thinker Place has also begun hosting clubs and seminars. Thinker Place intends to focus on public and private schools as part of the B2B expansion and to target parents and kids by raising awareness about STEM and its promising future in the nation. India's population is growing, and the country has a great deal of potential in the years to come because GenZ is more interested in technology and ideas like robotics, coding, and more. Thinker Place envisions a time when children will use their DIY toys to study as well as play in the future.