At the recent Unique L.A. event, I shared with you some of my favorite new finds. One of those was this super cute kids’ toy, each with a special story. Kauzbots are robots “with a heart”. Each robot gives 10% back to their cause (or kauz). The variety of colors is no accident. Each one is affiliated with a specific cause that is national or international in scope and goes above and beyond financial donations to also offer on-the-ground efforts to help people. Currently, there are ten different causes including Autism, Breast Cancer, Refugee Relief, HIV/AIDS, World Hunger and many more…with five more launching between now and the holiday season.

LOVE THESE! And for only $24.99, they go on the top of our list of holiday must-buys for every child, tween or teen. We caught up with David Trotter, one of the founders of Kauzbots to get the full scoop on the genesis of this new brand and where he sees Kauzbots moving in the future.

LDB: How did the idea for these robots come about?

DT: In Sept. 2008, I saw a link on Facebook for a handmade robot made by a friend’s wife. I was intrigued by the idea and soon discussed it with my friend Keith, who had years of experience in non-profit work. We talked about the possibilities of recreating these robots and…what if they were each affiliated with a different cause? The idea moved quickly and in February 2009, we officially launched at the International Toy Fair in New York City.

LDB: You’ve come so far with your brand in such a short time. What has been the most exciting experience during the launch of Kauzbots?

DT: The emails and Facebook posts we get from people who benefit from the sales of Kauzbots has been the most exciting experience for me. Just the other day, I received a message from a mom from Idaho who told us how her child who suffers from Autism is so excited about the robot collection. He knows what each color stands for and he is in love with his robots. That is what it is all about for me.

LDB: Where do you see the company going in the future?

DT: We would love to have a full line. Toothbrushes, bed sheets, notepads…you name it. We would love to see Kauzbots become a liscensed brand.

And we certainly believe this team is on their way! Dora, Spongebob and Thomas are great…but how about Kauzbots? Robots helping to make the world a better place? Now that’s a character I can get behind. David continued to share more about this robot identity. While robots traditionally are known to be machines and heartless, they have reinvented the notion by giving these robots a heart (literally…they each have a heart attached to their body) and of course, they each love a cause! How sweet!

This is an adorable new holiday gift idea and a great lesson for kids all at the same time…all for under $25.00!!