# RoboTerra, Inc.

> RoboTerra, Inc. is a Silicon Valley educational robotics company founded in 2014 that teaches middle- and high-school students to build robots and write real code. Its flagship Origin Kit pairs more than 85 hardware components and the RoboCore controller with the cloud-based, gamified Castle Rock learning platform, turning C++ programming into something a 10-year-old can pick up. Led by founder and CEO Yao Zhang, a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, the company set out to make hands-on robotics education accessible far beyond elite schools, reaching institutions across dozens of countries.

- **Founded:** 2014
- **Headquarters:** Palo Alto, California, United States
- **Founders:** Yao Zhang (Founder & CEO)
- **Team size:** Reported between ~9 and ~70 employees across U.S. and China offices (sources vary)
- **Products:** Origin Kit, Castle Rock (CastleRock), RoboCore, School & institutional curriculum
- **Notable:** Named a 'Star Company' at the 2014 World Learning Technology Summit, Recognized among 'Top 30 Innovation Companies' at the 2015 SVIEF, Founder Yao Zhang named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader (2016)

## Products & services

- **Origin Kit** — RoboTerra's third-generation robotics kit containing 85+ component types - the RoboCore controller, sensors, actuators, aluminum parts, nuts, bolts and tools - that lets students build and program their own robots. Priced around $429 and aimed at middle- and high-schoolers and teachers.
- **Castle Rock (CastleRock)** — A cloud-based, gamified online learning platform launched at CES 2016 that works alongside the Origin Kit, teaching students C++ programming and robotics through interactive content.
- **RoboCore** — The proprietary robot controller / brain at the heart of RoboTerra kits, allowing students to program robot behavior.
- **School & institutional curriculum** — Robotics kits and curriculum solutions distributed to schools and learning institutions, used by 1000+ institutions across 40+ countries per company claims.

## Achievements

- Named a 'Star Company' at the 2014 World Learning Technology Summit
- Recognized among 'Top 30 Innovation Companies' at the 2015 SVIEF
- Founder Yao Zhang named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader (2016)
- Launched the Castle Rock cloud platform and Origin Kit at CES 2016
- Raised a Series A at a reported ~$25M valuation
- Reached 1000+ institutions across 40+ countries (company claim)

## Latest updates

- **2016-01** — Launched the Castle Rock cloud coding platform and Origin Kit at CES 2016 in Las Vegas and closed its Series A round.
- **2017-06** — Founder Yao Zhang featured by CNBC discussing adaptability, AI, and the future of work.

## Links

- Website: https://roboterra.com.cn
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/roboterra-inc-
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/roboterra
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/roboterrainc

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/roboterra-inc
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-13