Founding story April 2023 - Forscherbox

© Jan Blachura

Since 2020, the FORSCHERBOX has been an extracurricular place of learning with various STEM courses and themed workshops in the middle of the List, which has the necessary modern and technical equipment as well as a professionally trained team. The FORSCHERBOX was founded by economist Alan Temirov together with physicist Volker Gies. Today, the team consists of eleven people, mainly young pupils and students, who pass on their knowledge to children and young people in various projects and courses.

Alan and Volker - how did you come up with the idea of the FORSCHERBOX?

Alan comes from Russia, where STEM subjects are taught very differently. When he finished his studies in 2011, he really wanted to do something for and with children and make the world a better place with his actions. The two of us met by chance through our children. We developed the idea of the FORSCHERBOX together, even though Alan had never had much to do with technology before. Our motivation today is to work with our team to create an innovative platform and STEM community for children and young people in Hanover and the region so that they can become creative and self-confident digital makers and active co-creators of the world we live in today and tomorrow.

Jan Blachura

How does the FORSCHERBOX work?

We offer numerous courses and themed workshops in our learning workshop. From individual topics such as "The Journey to the Moon" to the "Junior Maker Workshop", the "Coding Club", "Building and Programming LEGO Robots", the "Environmental and Sustainability Workshop" and the "Technology Club", everything is included. In addition, we are now also visiting schools, were present at the Ideas Expo and are planning to include parent-child courses in our program. There is something new to discover every month. Our LEGO robot courses are particularly popular. Here, the children first build a LEGO robot and then program it. Our environmental and sustainability workshop also focuses on environmental, climate and nature conservation.

What is particularly important to you?

We see ourselves as a social enterprise. We want all children to be able to benefit from our services, regardless of their origin or social background. This is why cooperation with schools is very important to us. We are developing more and more collaborations in this area, primarily with STEM projects and activities. We also try to organize regular STEM clubs or afternoon activities for all-day schools. The schools don't have to worry about anything, we provide everything from equipment and materials to staff.

How do you finance yourselves?

We were founded three years ago and have so far financed ourselves from our own resources. Thanks to our non-profit status, we now not only have our courses as a source of income, but also potential funding from foundations and public bodies. For example, we received funding from the Lower Saxony Lotto Sports Foundation for our "MINTogether" project for children who have fled from Ukraine. We are also currently looking to expand our partnerships with companies from business and industry in order to drive our projects forward.

What advice do you have for other founders?

You have to try. If you have an idea, you shouldn't be afraid, you should just go for it. Even if it doesn't work out, you're not ruined - it's an experience you can learn from. In Hanover, there is great support for founders, networks and many opportunities for exchange. You should definitely take advantage of them.

Jan Blachura

Contact details:

RESEARCHER BOX

Lister Meilen Passage
Access from Lister Meile 85 or Edenstr. 34
30161 Hanover

0511 696 042 605

hallo@team.forscherbox.de

forscherbox.de

Alan and Volker on the cooperation with hannoverimpuls:

Thanks to hannoverimpuls, we have given our idea a structure. We made great contacts and received a lot of support. We are currently in the process of developing and implementing a new sales concept with the help of hannoverimpuls and the private University of Applied Sciences for Business (FHDW).

Susanne Blittersdorf, Project Manager for Start-ups and Entrepreneurship at hannoverimpuls, on the collaboration with Alan and Volker:

The FORSCHERBOX is a really good idea to introduce children and young people to STEM subjects at an early age. They are the skilled workers and perhaps also the founders of tomorrow. Of course, we want to support them in the best possible way.