Marita Cheng has built a career developing the intersection of technology, social impact, and education, becoming one of Australia’s most influential technology entrepreneurs and advocates for women in STEM. Recognized nationally and internationally for both her technical achievements and leadership, Cheng’s work has focused on using robotics and artificial intelligence to improve access and inclusion as well as opportunity.
Born in Cairns, Queensland, Marita Cheng grew up in government housing with her brother and her single-parent mother, who worked as a hotel room cleaner. From an early age, Cheng showed exceptional academic ability and graduated high school in 2006 in the top 0.2 percent of students nationwide. She was named Cairns Young Citizen of the Year for her academic excellence and extensive volunteering. She completed her Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics) and Computer Science at the University of Melbourne.
Cheng initially gained recognition as the founder of Robogals, a student-led organization that addressed the scarcity of female representation in engineering and technology. Cheng, still a university student, observed the low enrollment of women in her engineering classes and decided to take action. Alongside fellow students, she began running robotics workshops in schools to introduce girls to engineering in a supportive way. The project soon expanded from Melbourne to regions across Australia and even internationally. Currently, Robogals has engaged with over 120,000 girls through workshops in 11 countries, gaining much recognition for its aim to diversify engineering.
Parallel to her work as an advocate, Cheng pursued entrepreneurship in robotics. She founded Aubot (formerly 2Mar Robotics), where she serves as a founder and CEO. Aubot is best known for developing telepresence robots, including the Teleport Robot, which allows children undergoing cancer treatment to attend school remotely, enables people with disabilities to participate in work environments, and helps elderly individuals stay socially connected. Offices, museums, co-writing spaces, and security organizations have also utilized the robots. Aubot is also able to conduct research into robotic arms, virtual reality, and autonomous navigation, positioning the company at the forefront of innovation in applied robotics.
Cheng’s work with Aubot has garnered international attention. She was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2016 and later recognized in Forbes Top 50 Women in Tech in 2018. VentureBeat famously described her as the “coolest girl at CES” during the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show. She has also presented at major conferences, including MIT Technology Review EmTech Singapore and the World Entrepreneurship Forum in France.
In 2015, Cheng was selected for Singularity University’s prestigious Graduate Studies Program at NASA Ames, supported by a $40,000 Google scholarship. During the program, she co-founded Aipoly, a technology startup focused on accessibility for people who are blind or visually impaired. Aipoly’s smartphone application utilizes artificial intelligence to recognize objects in real time and describe them aloud to users. Since its launch at CES in 2016, the app has expanded to 23 languages and surpassed 500,000 downloads worldwide.
Cheng has served on boards including the Foundation for Young Australians, RMIT University’s New Enterprise Investment Fund, the Victorian State Innovation Panel, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative’s Technology Advisory Board, providing a major contribution to Australia’s start-up ecosystem and supporting innovation-driven policy.
Her achievements have been widely recognized. In 2012, she was named Young Australian of the Year, and in 2019, she was inducted as the youngest Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her service to technology and education. Additional honors include the Asia Society’s Asia Game Changer Award and the NSW Award for Excellence in Women’s Leadership.
