Danielle Boyer

Danielle Boyer is an Anishinaabe (enrolled Sault Tribe) robotics inventor, educator, and activist whose work focuses on the intersection of emerging technology and Indigenous cultural preservation. Boyer, an Indigenous (Ojibwe) robotics inventor and advocate for youth, began teaching children at age 10. Facing limited learning resources—a challenge experienced by many Native American students—she taught herself through online videos, electrical engineering books, and maker kits, often reverse engineering available materials. Motivated by these early obstacles, Boyer is committed to making STEM education accessible and representative for her community.

Boyer founded The STEAM Connection, a youth-led nonprofit organization that has provided free, culturally grounded technical education in robotics to more than one million young people worldwide. She invented "Every Kid Gets a Robot" (EKGAR), an educational robotics kit that enables students to assemble, wire, and program their own robot cars, which can be operated via smartphone. Boyer 3D prints these kits from recycled plastic in her home studio and has shipped more than 11,000 at no cost to recipients. To ensure accessibility for Native students, all robots are designed to function without internet connectivity.

Boyer is recognized for designing SkoBots, wearable AI-powered personal robots that teach Anishinaabemowin using community-authored data, locally run systems, and frameworks rooted in Indigenous data sovereignty. SkoBot was developed to support the teaching of the endangered Ojibwe language, Anishinaabemowin, and other Indigenous languages. Her robots are constructed from biodegradable components. Boyer also co-hosts the podcast "Hands-On Techie Talks," which educates children about environmentally focused engineering. She is a prominent voice on the ethics of artificial intelligence and technology use within Indigenous communities.

Boyer has delivered talks at the White House, UNESCO Headquarters, and the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Her work has been featured in an MIT Solve documentary that received a Webby Award, Sundance Brand Storytelling Award, Tribeca X Award, and a SXSW feature. Boyer has been recognized as a National Geographic Young Explorer, Echoing Green Fellow, MIT Solve Fellow, and recipient of the VentureWell Sustainable Practice Impact Award. She has also been named one of PEOPLE Magazine's Girls Changing the World, a L'Oréal Paris Woman of Worth, a Teen Vogue Indigenous Youth Changemaker, an NDN Collective Changemaker Fellow, and a Verizon Forward for Good Winner. Through her speaking engagements and advocacy, Boyer bridges technology, cultural heritage, and social justice, serving as a leading voice in STEM education and Indigenous innovation.