In a remarkable milestone, Mumbai-based high school robotics team, Team Sigma 9692, has clinched the prestigious Engineering Inspiration Award at the FIRST Robotics Midwestern Regional Championship held in Chicago, USA. This triumph secures their place at the FIRST World Championship in Houston, scheduled from 16–19 April 2025.
This is only the second year of participation for Team Sigma—a feat seldom achieved by even veteran global teams. Comprising 27 dedicated students from 13 Mumbai schools, with two team members collaborating remotely from Indore and Delhi, the team demonstrated extraordinary ingenuity.
This year’s challenge, Reefscape, required robots to place coral pieces up to 7 feet high. Team Sigma’s robot, affectionately dubbed Spongebot, ranked first in high-level coral placement and third in autonomous coding. It features a four-wheel swerve drive, hitting speeds of 7 m/s, and an elevator system reaching 8 feet in just 0.5 seconds.
Beyond competitions, the team has impacted over 3,000 underserved students in Mumbai by introducing them to robotics. With ₹20 lakh raised from Indian corporates, they established robotics labs in 10 underserved schools. Their initiative earned recognition from Maharashtra’s Skill Development Ministry and a webinar for 50,000 ITI students. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra personally congratulated the team.
Mentored by RFL Academy and led by CEO Ashwin Shah—recipient of the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award in the US—Team Sigma now readies to represent India on the global stage, powered by support from Hong Kong-based sponsor Adipro.
