Charlottesville Roots, Global Vision

At Roversa Robotics, Charlottesville isn’t just where we started—it’s where we thrive.
​
From collaborating with UVA faculty and students to pitching at the Tom Tom Festival, we've been embraced by a vibrant, values-driven startup community that is as innovative as it is supportive. Our journey so far has included some incredible opportunities right here in town—like participating in the UVA Licensing & Ventures (LVG) I-Corps program, presenting our story at Charlottesville Business Innovation Council (CBIC), and being selected for the 434 Accelerator, which supports early-stage, tech-driven companies based in and around Charlottesville.

This place is more than a launchpad. Charlottesville is our long-term home. We’re proud to grow Roversa’s global headquarters right here in Central Virginia. The region’s unique blend of educational talent, innovation infrastructure, and collaborative spirit makes it an ideal hub for building an edtech company that’s committed to equity and impact.

​Powered by Educators, Inspired by Community

Roversa Robotics was founded by two educator-entrepreneurs who’ve been part of Charlottesville’s education ecosystem for years:

• Eric Bredder (Co-Founder, CEO/CTO) earned his PhD from UVA’s School of Education and Human Development, where he invented and tested the robotics platform that became the foundation for Roversa. An award-winning educator, Eric blends technical expertise with a passion for hands-on learning and currently supports data science integration as a Senior Instructional Designer in UVA’s College of Arts and Sciences.
  
  
• Kim Wilkens (Co-Founder, COO/CFO) is a longtime CS education advocate and UVA staff member with deep roots in community-based learning. She has launched and led multiple initiatives in the region, including Tech-Girls, Charlottesville Women in Tech, and the Global Center for Equitable Computer Science Education.
  

​Building the Local Tech Talent Pipeline

Our growth is fueled by the incredible student talent right here in Virginia. With support from a Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) CCF grant and matching funds from UVA LVG, we’ve built a strong internship program that brings students directly into the world of educational robotics. So far, we’ve welcomed eleven UVA interns and two from Virginia Tech, giving them hands-on experience in product development, marketing, and classroom integration.

We partnered with student teams through UVA’s First-Year Engineering Program and the Youth and Social Innovation Capstone, helping students tackle real-world problems through human-centered design. These collaborations are shaping the next generation of creative, community-minded innovators.

As we prepare to bring Roversa to even more classrooms around the world, our roots in Charlottesville continue to guide us. We’re building something that’s not only globally scalable, but deeply local—grounded in the belief that education, innovation, and equity go hand in hand.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, student, or fellow entrepreneur, we invite you to join us on this journey. Charlottesville made us who we are—and we’re just getting started. Learn more and be part of the launch!