How the tiny Kano computer is helping inspire a generation of kids in STEM

There’s a new weapon in the fight to keep kids engaged in computer science — a tiny single-board computer from the U.K. called Kano.

Kano’s the brainchild of Alex Klein, whose young cousin Mika challenged him to create a computer that he could build like Lego. Following an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign — targeting $100,000 in one month, it raised over $1.5M — Kano shipped its first 20,000 units last October. The $150 kit has been received with joy by kids and adults across 86 countries. Some kids are so attached they’ve even been taking their Kanos to bed with them, like a high tech teddy bear.