Brainstoy began as a family project shared by two scientists and educators, Pietro Cottone and Valentina Sabino, faculty at Boston University, together with their curious young son, Victor.
Outside of our university roles, we enjoy developing family-led creative projects. Brainstoy grew naturally from that experience—combining our scientific backgrounds with the everyday adventure of raising a young learner to create toys and games that spark curiosity, build real skills, and bring families together.

Pietro Cottone, PhD

Pietro is a scientist and faculty with a PhD in pharmacology and more than 70 peer-reviewed publications. Separate from his academic responsibilities, he enjoys pursuing independent creative projects—such as developing educational games with his family—that support children’s curiosity and problem-solving skills.

Valentina Sabino, PhD

Valentina is a scientist and faculty with a PhD in pharmacology and over 70 scientific publications. Outside her university role, she is dedicated to family-led creative work that encourages learning and exploration, including the development of thoughtful, engaging educational games.

Victor Cottone

Victor is a public-school second grader who studies at the third grade honors level at the Russian School of Mathematics. His love of numbers, dominoes, and discovery inspired the creation of Brainstoy.