The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is a robotics competition for upper middle and high-school students. It offers the traditional challenge and excitement of a FIRST Robotics Competition but with an accessible and affordable robotics kit. The ultimate goal of FTC is to reach more young people with a lower-cost, more accessible opportunity to discover the excitement and rewards of science, technology, and engineering.

 

What is FTC?     Who is FIRST?     Who is Playing At Learning?

In 2005, FIRST and RadioShack teamed up to present the FIRST Vex Challenge (FVC) demonstration at the FIRST Championship in Atlanta, GA. The purpose of the demonstration tournament was to stimulate and explore interest in FIRST Vex competitions. The event was an overwhelming success. FIRST began a full pilot of the program during the 2005-2006 FIRST season. After two years as a pilot program, the FIRST Board of Directors approved FTC as an official FIRST program, changing the name to FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) in 2007.   

During the first official season in 2007, FTC grew to 799 teams and 31 official events, reaching about 8,000 students across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Today FTC teams use components from Rev Robotics with Android phones as their driver station controller. In the 2019 season, there were 7,696 teams world wide including 77,000 students.

Resource Page:  FTC Game & Season Information

For more information about starting a team,  visit the national FTC program section of the FIRST website.