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For many children, Minecraft is a place to build dream houses, explore different worlds, and play with friends after school.
But for a pair of brothers named Parsa and Rohan, who are 13 and 11 respectively, Minecraft became the starting point for something much bigger.
The duo are the creators of Minedu AI, an AI-powered tutor inside Minecraft that helps primary school students learn school subjects more interactively and enjoyably in 2025.
What started as a simple thought between two students eventually grew into an education technology project that has received recognition at competitions, including Gold at ITEX and the Best Young Inventor Award.
However, the brothers shared that the idea was never about winning awards.
“We never started Minedu AI to win awards. We simply wanted to solve a problem. The recognition was a bonus,” added Parsa.
From playing Minecraft to building a learning tool
Before Minedu AI, both brothers were already drawn to technology and creative projects, with Parsa describing himself as someone who loves technology, AI, sports, and building new things.
“Outside of Minedu AI, I spend a lot of my time training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), wrestling, and grappling. I also enjoy coding, creating Minecraft projects, and learning new things,” he said.
Rohan, meanwhile, has always been curious and full of ideas.
“I enjoy Minecraft, sports, building inventions, and exploring how technology can solve real-world problems. I also love competing in BJJ and spending time with my family and friends,” he shared.
For them, Minecraft was not just a game. It was a space where they could imagine, experiment, and build freely.
Parsa said he was already interested in Minecraft, coding, robotics, and AI before Minedu AI began.
“I liked experimenting with technology and finding ways to make learning more fun,” he said.
Rohan added that he loved building things in Minecraft and imagining future cities and schools.
“I was always thinking about how technology could improve everyday life.”.
Inspired by experience as students
Like many students, Parsa and Rohan had to deal with homework, revision, and school subjects that could sometimes feel repetitive.
That was when one question sparked the idea for Minedu AI.
“One day, we asked ourselves, ‘What if we could combine learning and playing together?’” Since we were already spending time in Minecraft, we thought it would be interesting if students could learn inside a world they already enjoyed.
“We wanted to turn learning from something students have to do into something they want to do. That’s how the idea of an AI-powered tutor inside Minecraft was born,” shared Rohan.
For Parsa, building something for primary school students felt natural because both he and Rohan understood the struggle personally.
“We were primary school students ourselves when we first started, and we understood the challenges firsthand and wanted to create something we would personally enjoy using,” he said.
Why an AI tutor inside Minecraft?
Instead of creating a completely separate learning platform, the brothers wanted to bring education into a space children were already familiar with.
Rohan said Minecraft made sense because many children are already creative and engaged while using it.
“Minecraft is already a platform where millions of children are creative and engaged. AI allows students to ask questions anytime and receive personalised support. Thus, combining them both felt natural,” he explained.
Parsa added that the goal was not to force students to learn differently, but to make learning feel closer to something they already enjoy.
“Instead of forcing students to learn differently, we wanted to bring learning into a space they already love,” he said.
Through Minedu AI, they hope students can ask questions, explore topics, and receive guidance in a way that feels less like traditional studying and more like discovery.
An exciting but tough process
For the brothers, one of the most exciting parts of the journey was seeing their idea come to life.
“Seeing our ideas become real was the most exciting part. Watching students interact with Minedu AI for the first time was incredibly rewarding,” said Parsa.
Rohan said it was meaningful to realise that something they built could make a difference for others.
“For me, it was realising that something we built could actually help other students learn better,” he said.
However, building Minedu AI at such a young age also came with many challenges.
Parsa said they had to learn technical skills and solve problems they had never faced before.
“Sometimes things simply didn’t work, and we had to keep trying,” he said.
Rohan added that balancing school, sports, homework, and competitions was also a massive juggling act.
Despite their packed schedule, the brothers have learned that time management is key.
“We plan our schedule carefully and make sure school responsibilities are completed before working on projects.
“Sports also actually help us to stay disciplined. Training teaches us consistency, and we apply the same mindset when building Minedu AI,” they said.
Working together
Although they are brothers, Parsa and Rohan each bring something different to the project.
While Parsa is usually focused on the AI side, research, testing, and educational content, Rohan contributes ideas, design concepts, user experience, creative features, and testing.
“We work closely together on most decisions, but there are times when we don’t agree on everything. That’s normal when you’re working as a team.
“But instead of turning disagreements into arguments, we try to test their ideas and make decisions based on what works best. We listen to each other’s ideas, test them, and let the results guide our decisions,” said Rohan.
When asked whether they feel pressured after being hailed as “young founders” or “young entrepreneurs”, the brothers admitted it was the case, as much is expected of them.
“For us, we try not to focus on titles. We focus on learning, improving, and helping students,” said Parsa.
Minedu AI has since received several awards and recognitions, but the brothers said many only see the success.
“People usually see the awards, but they don’t see the many late nights, rejected ideas, and continuous improvements.
“There were countless hours being spent on testing, fixing problems, making mistakes, and learning from failures.
“So when it was announced that we won Gold at ITEX and were named the Best Young Inventor, it became one of the most meaningful moments for us as it showed that our idea could create real impact,” said Parsa.
For Rohan, being able to represent young innovators from Malaysia was something he will always remember.
“The recognition not only gave me and Parsa confidence, but it also showed us that our project has to keep on improving.
“Winning awards also served as a reminder that we should keep improving because more students may benefit from what we create,” he said.
All about helping students enjoy learning
Beyond the awards and technology, Parsa and Rohan hope Minedu AI can help students feel differently about learning.
“We hope it makes learning more accessible, engaging, and enjoyable, as well as spark a higher level of curiosity and confidence among students.
“We know what makes learning fun and what makes students lose interest because we’re students too.”
Rohan said Minedu AI could be especially helpful for students who learn better through interaction, exploration, and creativity.
Most importantly, the duo wants parents and teachers to know that Minedu AI is not meant to replace teachers.
“Technology should support education, not replace teachers. Minedu AI is merely designed to be a learning companion that helps teachers and parents guide students more effectively.”
‘You can too!’
Looking ahead, Parsa and Rohan hope Minedu AI can support more subjects, languages, and students across Malaysia before eventually reaching students around the world.
Rohan said both his and Parsa’s dream is for every child to have access to learning that feels engaging and personalised.
Both brothers also see themselves continuing in AI, education, or entrepreneurship as they grow older.
“Whether it’s AI, education, or entrepreneurship, we want to continue creating things that make a positive impact.”
“We also hope our journey can show that young Malaysians are capable of creating meaningful ideas, as well as aid Malaysia’s bid to be recognised as a leader in innovation and educational technology,” said Parsa.
To other young Malaysians who have ideas but feel they are too young to start, Parsa said age should not stop anyone from trying.
“Age should never stop you from trying. Start small, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.”
Rohan echoed the same message: “You don’t need to wait until you’re older to make a difference. If you have an idea, take the first step today. The best way to learn is by doing.”
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