BinaryBots – which was developed by Chris Burgess (pictured above, centre) – enables children to build their own robot from a kit as well as learn to write code to control its actions.

Chris’s Yorkshire-based company CB Information Systems (CBIS) has been supplying educational kits to schools since 2012, but BinaryBots is its first venture into the retail toy market.

Over 6,000 kits have been sold and the company has signed up resellers in Europe and North America and is in talks with a number of large UK retailers.

The NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).

The funding will be used to build a supply of stock to allow the company to take on larger orders.

“Our mission is to make coding accessible and affordable for everyone,” said Chris.

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“We believe robots are the best way to engage children in learning how digital stuff really works.”

Graham Davies, investment director at Mercia Fund Managers, which manages NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance (pictured above, left), added: “BinaryBots have so far been sold to distributors in small volumes to trial the products and have been well received.

“This investment will allow the company to fulfil larger orders and give it the opportunity to build a strong position in the growing market for ‘smart toys’.”

The NPIF is supported by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.

Grant Peggie, director at the British Business Bank, added: “Yorkshire and the Humber is a great location for investment and the digital and technology sector in the region is doing particularly well.

“BinaryBots has the potential to expand in this market, and we are pleased that our NPIF fund managers have backed the company as it moves into the retail toy market.”