High Tech Kids

What High Tech Kids does

High Tech Kids is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 and headquartered in Eagan. It operates as the exclusive official regional partner for FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge programs in the state of Minnesota, delivering tiered K-12 STEM robotics education across three programs: FIRST LEGO League Explore (grades 2-4, non-competitive), FIRST LEGO League Challenge (grades 4-8, competitive robotics), and FIRST Tech Challenge (grades 7-12, competitive robotics with TETRIX-class kits).

The organization's technical foundation is built on LEGO Education platforms — SPIKE Essential for FLL Explore and SPIKE Prime for FLL Challenge and FTC — combined with FIRST's standardized competition frameworks, scoring software, and judging rubrics. High Tech Kids adds Minnesota-specific operational layers: a regional qualifier and state championship infrastructure culminating at Burnsville High School, a proprietary Mission Merge alliance-format competition, a virtual festival option, and year-round volunteer training pipelines. It also plans to introduce FLL Future Edition (CS & AI curriculum) for grades 3-8 starting in the 2026-2027 BIOGLOW season.

High Tech Kids monetizes through a hybrid model combining team registration fees (approximately $640 in first-year costs including robot kit, FIRST national registration of $150, and Minnesota festival fee of $130), corporate sponsorships from major Minnesota employers (3M, Boston Scientific, Ecolab, Northrop Grumman, Target, and others), tax-deductible individual and organizational donations, and merchandise sales. Delivery is volunteer-driven with 1-10 staff handling administration. The organization is governance-only, with no parent company or venture capital backing, and operates exclusively within Minnesota geography.

Name

High Tech Kids

Legal name

High Tech Kids

Website

https://hightechkids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating as the official regional partner for FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge, delivering tiered K-12 STEM robotics education and statewide tournament infrastructure across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 STEM Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Competition Robotics Teams & Coaching (FLL/FTC/FRC, VEX) (EDAMADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

LEGO / Block-Based Robotics Programs (EDAMADAD), Math & STEM Learning Technology (incl. Coding/Robotics Platforms) (EDAJAMAG)

Keywords

• Youth STEM education
• K-12 robotics programs
• FIRST LEGO League
• FIRST Tech Challenge
• Robotics competitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Eagan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Team Registration Fees: Fees collected from teams for participation in FIRST programs including national registration fees paid to FIRST and Minnesota festival fees paid to High Tech Kids. First-year teams pay approximately $510 combined for robot equipment, national registration, and Minnesota festival participation.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from major Minnesota employers including 3M, Boston Scientific, Ecolab, Northrop Grumman, Target, and others who sponsor tournaments, provide scholarships, and support team participation costs.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting STEM education for Minnesota youth, processed through the organization's 501(c)(3) status.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online store sales of seasonal t-shirts, pins, and merchandise with proceeds supporting High Tech Kids programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

High Tech Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as the official regional partner for FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge in Minnesota. It delivers tiered K-12 STEM programs (FLL Explore for grades 2-4, FLL Challenge for grades 4-8, FTC for grades 7-12, plus the new FLL Future Edition covering CS and AI) through school-registered teams, regional qualifiers, festivals, and an annual State Championship at Burnsville High School. The organization provides event management, volunteer training, judging processes, and team scholarships to enable hands-on robotics education across Minnesota.

Product overview

High Tech Kids is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of K-12 FIRST robotics and STEM education programs. The organization serves as the official regional partner for FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge in Minnesota, managing three tiered programs: FIRST LEGO League Explore (grades 2-4, non-competitive), FIRST LEGO League Challenge (grades 4-8, competitive robotics), and FIRST Tech Challenge (grades 7-12, competitive robotics). These programs are delivered through a combination of regional tournaments, festivals, league play, qualifier events, and an annual State Championship at Burnsville High School. The organization also provides team funding and scholarships (e.g., Boston Scientific scholarships) and recruits and trains hundreds of volunteers annually for judging, refereeing, and event operations. The 2026-2027 season introduces the BIOGLOW theme across all programs, with the FLL Future Edition also covering CS and AI concepts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FIRST LEGO League Explore (FLL Explore)

Quantifiable outcome

• 170 teams and 1,020 students served in 2025-2026 season through FLL Explore alone, with additional participation in FLL Challenge and FTC programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• FIRST (The United States Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial regional partner relationship where High Tech Kids serves as the exclusive provider of FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge programs in Minnesota. HTK manages national team registration, provides Minnesota-specific event management, volunteer training, and tournament operations. FIRST provides program frameworks, competition rules, and national branding.
• LEGO EducationcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides LEGO Education SPIKE Essential and SPIKE Prime platforms used by teams. FIRST and LEGO Education partnership provides the robotic platforms for competition. Note: FIRST and LEGO Education announced they will end their collaboration after the 2026-2027 season.
• 3MmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate sponsor of High Tech Kids programs, teams, and events. 3M supports FLL Challenge State Championship and provides volunteer support at events including Super Science Saturday at 3M.
• Boston ScientificmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor providing team scholarships for FLL Explore, FLL Challenge, and FTC teams. Supports youth participation in robotics programs through financial assistance to teams.
• EcolabminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting High Tech Kids events and programs.
• Northrop GrummanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting High Tech Kids events and programs.
• TargetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting High Tech Kids events and programs.
• Xcel Energy FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting High Tech Kids events and programs through foundation grants.
• Banner EngineeringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting High Tech Kids events and programs.
• Minnesota Schools and School DistrictscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with Minnesota schools enabling team formation and participation. Includes St. Paul Public Schools, Minneapolis Public Schools, and districts across the state who host events and provide coaches.
• 3D Robotics DuluthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent host for FLL Explore Festival in Duluth, providing venue and organizational support for the regional event.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Project Lead The Way (PLTW): National K-12 STEM education nonprofit providing computer science, engineering, and biomedical science curriculum to schools. Not a competition operator, but competes for the same K-12 STEM program slots and teacher-adoption budget as High Tech Kids' FIRST partnerships in Minnesota schools.
• Code.org: National nonprofit focused on expanding K-12 computer science access through curriculum, teacher training, and the Hour of Code campaign. Adjacent rather than direct competition, but vying for the same donor dollars, school district attention, and policy momentum around K-12 STEM access that supports High Tech Kids' mission.
• Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation: National nonprofit operating the VEX Robotics competition ecosystem (VEX IQ, VEX V5, VEX U) at K-12 and university levels. Operates a functionally parallel K-12 competition robotics franchise but with a different equipment platform (VEX metal kits) and global footprint; competes for the same teacher/team mindshare that High Tech Kids targets in Minnesota.

Regional players

• FIRST Wisconsin: Wisconsin's FIRST state partner running the same three-tier FLL/FTC competition portfolio under the same national partnership framework. Neighboring Minnesota with overlapping demographic and corporate sponsor profile, making it a tight geographic and operational comparable.
• Pennsylvania FIRST Robotics: Pennsylvania's designated FIRST regional partner running FLL and FTC programs with a comparable event infrastructure model (regional qualifiers, state championship). Mirrors High Tech Kids' operational scope but at a larger population scale and in a different state geography, providing the closest comparable programmatic structure outside of Minnesota.
• FIRST in Michigan: Independent state-level operational partner for FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge programs in Michigan. Operates an identical model to High Tech Kids (FLL Explore/Challenge + FTC tournament infrastructure, regional qualifiers, state championship) under FIRST's national affiliation, with comparable participation scale and corporate sponsorship base in a neighboring Midwest state.
• FIRST North Carolina: North Carolina's designated FIRST state partner running FLL and FTC programs across multiple regional events. Mirrors High Tech Kids' operating structure within a different state, providing a useful parallel for participation scale, sponsor mix, and tournament logistics.
• FIRST Indiana Robotics: Indiana's designated FIRST state partner operating FLL Explore, FLL Challenge, and FTC events with regional qualifiers and state championships. Highly comparable operating model to High Tech Kids in a similar Midwestern state with strong STEM/sponsor support from companies like Eli Lilly and Cummins.
• FIRST California: California's FIRST regional partner running the largest state-scale FLL/FTC operation in the U.S. Comparable to High Tech Kids in mission and program design (FLL Explore, FLL Challenge, FTC, regional qualifiers, state championships) but operating at materially larger scale and population base.
• FIRST Chesapeake: Regional FIRST partner covering DC, Maryland, and Virginia with FLL and FTC programs and tournament infrastructure. Operates an analogous event-management model to High Tech Kids in an adjacent geography, with state-level championship and advancement pipelines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@hightechkids/streams
• Xx.com/HighTechKids1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/high-tech-kids

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about High Tech Kids