Rising to the challenge

The team has already made their mark at home, topping the UK rankings alongside Norwood Industries.

With just two years of robotics experience, Powercut Robotics has proven that determination can take you far. You’d never guess this is the same team that got its name after accidentally causing a school powercut! 

And this isn’t their first rodeo internationally, either – shortly after the UK Champs, the team headed to the Netherlands to compete in FIRST Premier, where they placed 8th out of 50 in their division. 

It’s a journey they never imagined when they first joined their robotics club. “If you told us the day we started coming to robotics club that we’d be representing Great Britain, we wouldn’t believe you. Our journey in robotics is like a cinematic story,” shared Teddy.

Raising the bar in Panama

For Team Great Britain, their upcoming Panamanian adventure is about more than just the competition – it’s a platform to amplify their voice, showcase their initiative and build connections that last long after the event wraps up.

They’re determined to use the opportunity to become positive role models, inspiring other young people in the UK to see what’s possible in STEM. Ultimately, they want to become the people they looked up to when they started their journey.

With one of the UK’s top-performing robots, they’re ready to show what they can do. But just as important as their engineering skills is what the team stand for: you don’t have to come from a top school to succeed in robotics. 

“We want to show that you don’t have to be from a high-performing school to do really well. If you try hard enough, you can get to the very top.”

– Adrian (he/him), Project Manager

Opening doors with STEM Advance 

The team is using their platform to shine a light on their STEM access initiative called STEM Advance. 

The idea is simple, but powerful: “Every young person should have access to robotics education, no matter their background.” The team’s goal is to secure funding, so every school in the UK can access a one-off budget to cover their commitment fees for FIRST Tech Challenge UK. 

They started by exploring how to bring the challenge to more schools locally. Then they put their plan into action, reaching out to their local MP, Liam Conlon, for his support. It doesn’t stop there; the team hopes to contact top government decision-makers to boost their impact. 

As the team gears up to make their case to decision-makers, Adrian shares what drives them: “For me, robotics has been an incredible and life-changing experience, and I want to enable every young person to have that, no matter their circumstances.”

Why it matters

The team knows firsthand the impact the challenge can have. For many of them, participating in FIRST Tech Challenge UK opened the door to new friendships, skills and experiences, while also shaping their future ambitions. 

For Kieran, the challenge opened doors he didn’t know even existed. 

“Before Mr Fry brought the challenge to our school, we didn’t really know what it was. We didn’t know what skills we’d learn. If more people get the same opportunity, they’ll be able to learn new skills, meet new people and experience new challenges.” 

For Adrian, the challenge is about so much more than robots. 

“FIRST Tech Challenge UK is about opportunity – the opportunity to do things like build a robot, code, outreach, meet other people, visit companies and meet like-minded people. It’s great meeting people from all over the UK who have gone through the same thing for a year. It’s the opportunity to access a community of young people just like you.” 

Follow their journey 

You can follow their progress and cheer them on:

• Watch their matches 
• Visit the STEM Advance website 
• Follow their Instagram
• Donate to their fundraiser

Inspired by their story? 

Join the FIRST Tech Challenge UK community!