Press ReleaseAmanda Vaden
Sphero logo.
BOULDER, Colo, September 25, 2018 – Sphero, the technology company utilizing play as a powerful teacher, today announced a partnership with a new Facebook-led initiative, CodeFWD, to expand education and discovery around computer programming in the United States. Sphero’s leading educational department, Sphero Edu, will spearhead this initiative with its most-advanced robot, the Sphero BOLT, which launched earlier this month. Together, Sphero Edu and CodeFWD will expand access and participation in computer programming for underrepresented students, including Black, Latino/Hispanic, Native American and female audiences so the next generation of tech innovators can incorporate diverse perspectives, building a future that benefits us all.

Through this partnership, Sphero Edu and Facebook will provide a complimentary Sphero BOLT Power Pack to a select number of applicants through the CodeFWD by Facebook program, a free online program for educators and organizations that uses videos and other activities to inspire interest in computer programming for 4th-8th grade students in the US. Educators and organizations must complete all three steps of CodeFWD by Facebook in order to be eligible to apply for a free Sphero BOLT Power Pack. The Sphero BOLT Power Pack consists of 15 Sphero BOLT app-enabled robots as well as accessories designed to make it easy to bring Sphero BOLT into any school or maker environment. Making the educator experience extremely seamless, the Sphero BOLT Power Pack charges all 15 Sphero BOLT robots simultaneously. The Sphero BOLT Power Pack is valued at $2,499.

“We have an incredible track record with schools across the globe that have already adapted Sphero into their classrooms to increase STEAM education,” said Melissa Gomez, senior director of education, Sphero. “We’re proud to be partnering with Facebook to bring more robots into hands of children, inspiring our future generations with new, engaging ways of learning.”

Building upon the Sphero’s suite of products rooted in a commitment to education, Sphero BOLT’s capabilities empower users to dive deeper into the world of STEAM learning. Sphero BOLT is accompanied by the Sphero Edu app. The app provides educators, parents and kids alike with an ecosystem to share curriculum, projects and learnings with ease, furthering Sphero’s mission to educate consumers through the act of play. Sphero BOLT comes to life through the existing Sphero Edu app for learning and coding on iOS, Android, Kindle, Mac, Windows and Chrome, as well as the new Sphero Play app for unique drive modes and games on iOS and Android.

To learn more about the Sphero Edu and CodeFWD by Facebook partnership, please visit http://sphero.com/codefwd. For more information about Sphero BOLT Powerpack, visit http://sphero.com/BOLT or follow Sphero on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Press release