What began as the brainchild of six-year-old Will Brandon has become a successful startup with the help of Will’s dad, Jim, and his colleagues. Meeper Technology, a company that designs remote-controlled motors to use with Lego™ blocks or other toy block systems, plans to launch meeperBOTS© 2.0 pending a successful KickStarter campaign.

The company was founded after Jim Brandon approached Liz Eversoll, a colleague at SOLOMO Technology in Madison, with his son’s vision of having the ability to make his Lego creations move. The two decided to run with the idea and create a separate company. Thus, Meeper was born.

The company initially conducted its product development at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Innovation Center and went from design concept to full-scale manufacturing in just six months. After a successful Indiegogo campaign, along with a total of $250,000 from angel investors and a grant from Whitewater’s Community Development Authority, the first meeperBOTS were ready for shipment.

Now, with three full-time employees and six interns, Meeper is leading its second fundraising round through Kickstarter to support the release of meeperBOTS 2.0, which can control up to eight bots at a time via an app from mobile phones or tablets—unlike the typical joystick control of other remote-controlled toys.

All of the company’s manufacturing takes place in Whitewater. Eversoll, the CEO, said she also hopes to open a retail store soon, with space to hold robotics club meetings or other events.

Find more information about Meeper and its products on the company’s website.