Chong Ing Kai: Chopstick Robots, ADHD Grit and Why Tinkering Beats Traditional STEAM – E649

Chong Ing Kai Founder and CEO of Stick’Em joins Jeremy Au to unpack how tinkering shaped his early years, how ADHD influenced his learning journey, and why he built a chopstick robotics kit to make STEAM education affordable for all. They explore how schools struggle with hands-on learning, why teachers need flexible tools rather than rigid kits, and how students learn better when they build instead of follow instructions. Their discussion covers the rise of open-ended tinkering, the pitfalls of screen-first childhoods, and the structural challenges of selling innovation into schools. Kai also shares how Stick’Em grew from a hundred-dollar prototype to a company used by thousands of students and how winning the Hult Prize at 22 changed his plans for global expansion.

02:42 Schools lacked quality STEAM programs: While working as a robotics trainer, Kai notices that schools rely on vendors who are businessmen rather than educators, creating weak learning experiences.

04:54 Chopsticks unlock creativity for kids: Kai shares why Stick’Em uses chopsticks, how they are cheap, sturdy, and open-ended, and how kids build robots, weapons, helicopters, and costumes in early tests.

07:05 Teachers adopt Stick’Em when it fits their real lessons: He explains how teachers use Stick’Em inside core subjects like social studies, ICT, science, and mother tongue — not just in after-exam activities.

11:38 Modern dopamine loops hit ADHD harder: Kai goes deep into TikTok, gaming, poor sleep, and how dopamine addiction creates pitfalls for impulsive students — plus how he manages these triggers as a founder.

18:48 Shifting the business model to recurring school revenue: Kai explains why selling hardware once was unsustainable and how Stick’Em now targets booklist placement so every P3 student receives a kit yearly.

29:39 Winning the Hult Prize transforms the company’s scale: He recounts entering the competition for mentorship, making semifinals and finals, and ultimately winning the million-dollar global prize because of traction and clarity.

Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/chong-ing-kai-chopstick-engineering

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