Romania shines at FIRST Tech Challenge 2026 with four top teams recognized

Romania has showcased its talent and dedication to robotics by securing the top four places at the FIRST Tech Challenge 2026 held in Houston. Among the awarded teams are Velocity from Brăila, Heart of RoBots from Buzău, Quantum Robotics from Bucharest, and AICitizens from Focșani.

In addition to this impressive achievement, Quantum Bits has established itself as a global leader by winning first place in the world at the FLL 2025 in Greece and now holds the title of national champions in 2026. They are the sole representative from Romania at the World Robotics Championship in the FLL category.

To celebrate these accomplishments, INACO awarded scholarships of 10,000 lei each to the prize-winning teams, totaling 60,000 lei in funding. The scholarships were presented on Saturday, June 13, 2026, during the ASTROFEST festival in Bucharest, where the medal-winning teams participated.

The program ICOTI, developed by INACO in partnership with Catena, Erbașu, Policypath, and Sistec, aims to promote robotics in education. INACO is advocating for the introduction of robotics as an optional subject in schools, as well as the official recognition of FTC and FLL competitions by the Ministry of Education.

Andreea Paul, the president of INACO, expressed her pride in Romania's extraordinary youth, dedicated mentors, and supportive parents. She emphasized that the success of these teams exemplifies how the future is constructed through education, science, technology, and character. The scholarships awarded by INACO align with their commitment to enhancing SMAC education in Romania and building strong, multi-year partnerships with private companies.

Additionally, Alexandru Mironov, the organizer of the ASTROFEST for 12 years and a seasoned editor at Revista Știință și Tehnică for 47 years, received an excellence award from Policypath, underscoring the importance of community support in fostering innovation and education.