UoA Academics-Turned-Entrepreneurs Spark STEM Curiosity in Kiwi Classrooms

At Newmarket Innovation Precinct, a chance connection sparks Wayfinders of the Pacific—a Matariki-themed collaboration blending culture, circuitry, and classroom creativity.

Little Engineers

Drs. Dulsha Kularatna-Abeywardana and Rajith Abeywardana are the co-founders of Little Engineers, a social purpose enterprise aiming to drive interest in electrical engineering among primary and secondary school children. The couple design and sell educational kits that introduce learners to electrical circuitry and its underlying theory in a fun and accessible way.

As a University of Auckland lecturer in electrical engineering, Dr. Dulsha Abeywardana sees firsthand the gaps in knowledge faced by students entering university. Spotting these gaps and a general decline in student interest, Dulsha and Rajith set out to increase both the number of students entering the profession and the depth of their knowledge. Little Engineers aims to bridge this gap through practical demonstrations that connect theory with real-world application.

Dulsha reflected on how her father, an electrical engineer, first ignited her passion through simple experiments at home. Realising the advantage of early, hands-on exposure, she hopes Little Engineers can instil that same curiosity in students around New Zealand.

“That got us thinking. If we got this exposure into schools, then hopefully we can spark a few kids with that curiosity. Not everyone is going to be an electrical engineer, but it might make them curious, and some of them will make that informed decision coming into engineering.”

Looking at the market, they saw plenty of STEM kits, but few that focused on the basics of electrical engineering.

“We want to provide the basics, the fundamental stuff that will bridge the gap between school education and university education.”

Noting many kits offer coding, mechatronics, and robotics, the couple saw far fewer that help students build strong foundations in electronics.

They also recognised the need for the kits to be accessible not just for students but for teachers too. That meant making them safe, straightforward to use, and easy to slot into lesson plans, with parts like switches and motors clearly distinguishable for learners.

Building Connections: Collaboration with Craffft and Alex Radley at the Newmarket Innovation Precinct.

A recent partnership grew out of a conversation with Newmarket Innovation Precinct (NIP) Industry Coordinator Claire Bennett. Claire connected Little Engineers with fellow co-locator Alex Radley, leading to an immediate opportunity.

“When you collaborate, you go further than operating alone,” Dulsha reflected.

Their meeting led to Wayfinders of the Pacific, a Matariki project where Little Engineers will deliver workshops giving students the chance to create their own LED Matariki star circuits. The workshops combine cultural education around the traditions of Matariki with practical electronics skills and a wayfinding game hosted on Radley’s educational game, Craffft.

Claire also introduced the project to Ying Yang of Te Hononga Akoranga COMET, helping to secure funding support for the project.

“Claire connects people she thinks will benefit. I think she is a fantastic person to run NIP,” said Dulsha.

The Wayfinders of the Pacific project marks an important step for Little Engineers and a success for the Newmarket Innovation Precinct. It opens new ways to engage students, support teachers, and showcases the possibilities created through collaboration.

The Newmarket Innovation Precinct (NIP) connects industry professionals with University of Auckland researchers and technical experts. Our R&D community collaborates especially on high-risk challenges with the potential to create new technologies.

Chris Manning,

Newmarket Innovation Precinct.