For over 30 years, FIRST has evolved into a global movement by engaging millions of people with a proven game-changer for preparing kids to solve the world’s greatest problems.

Past games, challenges, and winning teams

FIRST® Robotics Competition Game History "Hall of Fame" Chairman's Award Winners	FIRST® Tech Challenge Game History Inspire Award Winners
FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge Challenge History	FIRST® LEGO® League Explore Challenge History

 

Notable moments in FIRST history in Dean's words

1951	“Life is so short. We shouldn’t waste any of it trying to do anything marginal.” Dean Kamen is born.
1956	“Solving problems is what good inventing is all about.” Dean creates his first invention - a bed-making machine.
1989	“Let’s make something new.” FIRST is incorporated.
1992	“I want to compete for the hearts and minds of kids with the excitement of the Super Bowl.” 28 FIRST Robotics Competition teams meet in a high-school gym for the inaugural FIRST event.
1995 - 2002	“Keep trying, keep taking the best shots, learn from them, pick yourself up.” EPCOT hosts FIRST Championship
1996	“I think an education Is not only important, it is the most important thing you can do with your life.” Inaugural FIRST Scholarship made available by Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
1998	“Once a kid realizes they have the power to create a solution to a problem, it’s transformative. They’ll never go back.” FIRST and LEGO® join forces to launch junior robotics program with 200 teams in the pilot.
2004	“Everybody has to be able to participate in a future they want to live for. That’s what technology can do.” FIRST LEGO League Jr. launches for children ages 6 to 10.
2004 - 2010	“We are the only sport that every kid in school can participate in and then turn pro.” Georgia Dome hosts FIRST Championship
2005	“If you start to do things you’ve never done before, you’re probably going to fail at least some of the time. And I say that’s OK.” FIRST Tech Challenge is introduced as pilot to provide a more accessible FIRST experience.
2007	“No, the Secret Service has no sense of humor.” U.S. President George W. Bush honors FIRST teams at the White House.
2011	“I don’t work on a project unless I believe that it will dramatically improve life for a bunch of people.” FIRST Championship moves to St. Louis. Inaugural FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award Ceremony, presented by XPRIZE, held at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
2012	“Make it loud.” Global Music Artist, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist will.i.am honors FIRST as part of the Super Bowl halftime show. The technology he wore on field was created by a FIRST Alum.
2013	“I do not want to waste any time. And if you are not working on important things, you are wasting time.” FIRST Robotics Competition teams kick off the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®.
2017	“Most of the time you will fail but you will also occasionally succeed. These occasional successes make all the hard work and sacrifice worthwhile.” A dual FIRST Championship structure is scheduled.