GeorgiaFIRST Robotics
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that administers FIRST robotics competitions (FLL, FTC, FRC) for Georgia K-12 students, supported by four statewide practice field centers, corporate sponsorships, and Google Team Support Grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersCumming, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What GeorgiaFIRST Robotics does
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 2300 Bethelview Road, Suite 110-265, Cumming, Georgia, operating as the official state-level administrator of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) programs across Georgia and the Peachtree District (which includes South Carolina teams). It delivers a structured K-12 STEM pipeline through three core competition programs: FIRST LEGO League (FLL) for ages 4-16, FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) for grades 7-12 using Android-powered robots programmed in Java, and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) for grades 9-12 using a standardized kit of parts. Supporting infrastructure includes four Destination Exploration (DE) practice field centers in Marietta, Atlanta, Columbus, and Albany; off-season events GRITS and SCRIW; the annual GeorgiaFIRST Symposium (now in its 9th year); XRP Summer Robotics Camps; and a Mentor Advisory Council. In 2025, leadership transitioned from a CEO model (Connie Haynes, retired) to a co-leadership structure with Beth Culp as Director of Operations and Debra Cox as Director of Strategy & Development.
The organization reaches 14,000+ youth participants across 80+ annual events, supported by 4,000+ mentors and volunteers. The revenue model is grant- and sponsorship-driven rather than fee-driven: Google Team Support Grants fund FTC teams ($2,600 rookie / $1,400 veteran / $2,600 FLL-to-FTC transition); Novelis donates aluminum fabrication material at no charge; corporate sponsors (Procter & Gamble, Lockheed Martin, Verizon, NCR, Comcast, UPS, Carrier, Georgia Power, Shaw Industries, Kimberly-Clark, Johnson R&D) provide cash, in-kind materials, and venue access; event registration fees ($400-$500 per team) cover competition logistics; and individual donations plus a corporate matching gift program supplement. Most participant-facing programming is free for students due to this subsidy structure.
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GeorgiaFIRST Robotics
- Legal name
- GeorgiaFIRST Robotics, Inc.
- Website
- https://gafirst.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- GeorgiaFIRST Robotics is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that administers FIRST robotics competitions (FLL, FTC, FRC) for Georgia K-12 students, supported by four statewide practice field centers, corporate sponsorships, and Google Team Support Grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- STEM Education Programs
- NAICS
- All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Competition Robotics Teams & Coaching (FLL/FTC/FRC, VEX) (EDAMADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Robotics & Engineering Summer Camps / Bootcamps (EDAMADAF), Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE), Robotics After-School & Enrichment Clubs (EDAMADAA), Robotics Learning Platforms (EDAFANAB)
Keywords
Where GeorgiaFIRST Robotics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cumming
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Corporate Sponsorships: Major corporations sponsor the organization with funding, materials (aluminum from Novelis), venue access, and in-kind support. Sponsors include Procter & Gamble, Google, Lockheed Martin, Shaw Industries, and many others.
- Google Team Support Grants: Google provides grants to FTC teams: $2,600 per rookie team, $1,400 per veteran team. Funds cover registration, electronics kits, build kits, driver kits, hand tools, and partial field game sets.
- Event Registration Fees: Teams pay registration fees for competitive events. GRITS off-season event costs $400 for two-day participation.
- Individual Donations: Accepts donations through website, with corporate matching gift program to increase impact of contributions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Rookie FTC Team Grant - $2,600 per team |
| Other | Annual | Veteran FTC Team Grant - $1,400 per team |
| Other | Multi-year contract | FLL to FTC Transition Grant - $2,600 per team |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | GRITS Off-Season Event - $400 per team |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | SCRIW Off-Season Event - $400-$500 per team |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that administers the statewide FIRST robotics program portfolio in Georgia. The organization operates three age-progressive competitive programs—FIRST LEGO League (ages 4-16), FIRST Tech Challenge (grades 7-12, Android/Java), and FIRST Robotics Competition (grades 9-12)—alongside four practice-field DE Centers, summer robotics camps, off-season competitions (GRITS, SCRIW), and grant programs that subsidize participation for under-resourced teams.
Product overview
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that administers the FIRST robotics competition programs in Georgia. The organization operates three core competitive programs: FIRST LEGO League (FLL) for ages 4-16, FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) for grades 7-12 using Android-powered robots with Java programming, and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) for high school students using standard kit-based robots. Supporting these core programs, GeorgiaFIRST offers the XRP Summer Robotics Camps for middle school coding education, DE Centers providing four practice competition fields statewide, and annual events including GRITS and SCRIW off-season competitions and the GeorgiaFIRST Symposium for professional development. The organization also facilitates grant programs like the Google Team Support Grant and the Novelis Aluminum Partnership to reduce barriers to participation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Peachtree District (PCH): The FRC Peachtree District, commonly abbreviated as PCH, organizes FIRST Robotics Competition events throughout Georgia and South Carolina.
- DE Centers
Products and services
- FIRST LEGO League (FLL)
Quantifiable outcome
- 14,000+ youth participating annually across all programs
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use GeorgiaFIRST Robotics
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Kimberly-ClarkcoreCo-founded DE program with GeorgiaFIRST and Walton Robotics Team 2974 in 2012 to help teams practice on FRC competition fields.
- NoveliscoreProvides aluminum materials (5xxx series, heat treatable) to all FRC Peachtree District teams and Georgia FTC teams at no charge. Material available at Alpharetta warehouse.
- Walton Robotics (Team #2974)coreCo-hosts DE Center Marietta at Walton High School. Partnered with GeorgiaFIRST and Kimberly-Clark to create original DE program.
- Georgia TechcoreHosts FRC Kickoff events at Ferst Center. FLL Georgia is run by Georgia Tech. Partnership for venue access and program support.
- Kennesaw State UniversitymajorHost venue for GeorgiaFIRST Symposium events. Provided facilities for annual knowledge-sharing events.
- Shaw IndustriescorePartners with GeorgiaFIRST to host Peachtree District Qualifier events at Dalton Convention Center.
- Automation DirectmajorDesigns and builds trophies for GRITS off-season event. Longstanding partnership providing awards.
- EVE RoboticscoreFRC Team #7514 and FTC Team #10458 hosting DE Center Atlanta at Johnson STEM Activity Center.
- Columbus Space Program (Team 4188)coreFRC Team hosting DE Center Columbus at Butler STEAM Center in partnership with Muscogee County School System.
- 4C Academy / The Commodores (Team 6919)coreFRC Team hosting DE Center Albany. Also hosts FRC Kickoff events at Albany facility.
- Cobb County School SystemmajorPartner with Walton Robotics for DE Center Marietta hosting.
- Muscogee County School SystemmajorPartner hosting DE Center Columbus with Columbus Space Program.
- Gwinnett County Public SchoolsmajorPartner hosting PCH District Qualifier events at Discovery High School.
- Mercer UniversitymajorHost venue for PCH District Championship events at Hawkins Arena.
- University of West GeorgiamajorHost venue for PCH District Qualifier at The Coliseum in Carrollton.
- Riverside Military AcademymajorHost venue for PCH District Qualifier in Gainesville and FTC State Championships.
- Georgia Department of EducationcoreGovernment partner providing recognition and alignment with state STEM education initiatives.
- 21st Century PartnershipmajorEngages stakeholders, school systems, and investors in workforce development. Debra Cox joined GeorgiaFIRST from this organization.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- FIRST California: California state-level FIRST affiliate running the same FLL/FTC/FRC portfolio. Similar nonprofit structure, multi-regional event hosting, and corporate sponsor mix (tech + industrial partners), making it a like-for-like peer for benchmarking participation and fundraising.
- FIRST Indiana Robotics: Indiana FIRST state affiliate administering FLL/FTC/FRC with comparable team counts, district event structure, and corporate sponsorship base (including Cummins, Rolls-Royce, Eli Lilly). Operates as the closest state-level peer for fundraising and event-infrastructure comparison.
- FIRST in Texas: Texas state-level FIRST affiliate that operates FLL/FTC/FRC programs, regional competitions, and team-grant initiatives at the same scale and structure as GeorgiaFIRST. Most directly comparable operating model: state affiliate with corporate sponsor base and DE-equivalent infrastructure.
- Science Olympiad: National nonprofit organizing K–12 STEM team competitions across 20+ science disciplines including robotics-focused events (Robot Tour, Gravity Vehicle). Competes directly with FIRST robotics for school teams, coaches, and tournament calendar slots.
- REC Foundation (Robotics Education & Competition Foundation): Operates the VEX Robotics Competition and VEX IQ platforms, the most direct competitive alternative to FIRST's FLL/FTC/FRC. Targets the same K–12 schools, students, mentors, and corporate STEM sponsors with a parallel competition pathway.
- FIRST in Michigan: Michigan FIRST state affiliate and one of the largest FIRST districts by team count and corporate sponsor support (GM, Ford, Chrysler). Operates the same FIRST portfolio with comparable DE-equivalent infrastructure and is a useful large-state benchmark.
- Destination Imagination: Global nonprofit running team-based K–12 STEM and creative problem-solving competitions, including engineering and instant-challenge categories that overlap with FIRST's robotics offerings. Competes for the same schools, students, and volunteer mentors in the youth STEM competition space.
Others
- LEGO Education: Provider of the LEGO-based hardware and curriculum that underpins the FIRST LEGO League program GeorgiaFIRST administers. Functions as a key supplier/enabler rather than a direct competitor, but is materially relevant to the FLL segment's product economics.
Broad incumbents
- FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology): Global parent organization of the FIRST robotics programs (FLL/FTC/FRC) that GeorgiaFIRST administers at the state level. GeorgiaFIRST is explicitly an affiliate of FIRST, making FIRST the closest umbrella peer — it sets program rules, grants, and brand standards GeorgiaFIRST operates under.
- 4-H (National 4-H Council): Largest U.S. youth-development nonprofit with STEM programming (robotics, coding, ag-tech) delivered through a nationwide Cooperative Extension network. A broader incumbent that overlaps with GeorgiaFIRST's mission to deliver STEM skills to K–12 youth.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics social profiles
Digital presenceGeorgiaFIRST Robotics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GeorgiaFIRST Robotics
What does GeorgiaFIRST Robotics do?
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that administers the statewide FIRST robotics program portfolio in Georgia. The organization operates three age-progressive competitive programs—FIRST LEGO League (ages 4-16), FIRST Tech Challenge (grades 7-12, Android/Java), and FIRST Robotics Competition (grades 9-12)—alongside four practice-field DE Centers, summer robotics camps, off-season competitions (GRITS, SCRIW), and grant programs that subsidize participation for under-resourced teams.
Is GeorgiaFIRST Robotics a public or private company?
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was GeorgiaFIRST Robotics founded?
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is GeorgiaFIRST Robotics based?
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics is headquartered in Cumming, United States, in the North America region.
How does GeorgiaFIRST Robotics make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Corporate Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are google Team Support Grants, event Registration Fees and individual Donations.
Who are GeorgiaFIRST Robotics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are FIRST California, FIRST Indiana Robotics, FIRST in Texas, Science Olympiad, REC Foundation (Robotics Education & Competition Foundation), FIRST in Michigan and Destination Imagination. LEGO Education is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and 4-H (National 4-H Council).
Does GeorgiaFIRST Robotics have an API?
No public API is recorded for GeorgiaFIRST Robotics.
What industry is GeorgiaFIRST Robotics in?
GeorgiaFIRST Robotics's product category is STEM Education Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMADAE, Competition Robotics Teams & Coaching (FLL/FTC/FRC, VEX), with a secondary code of EDAMADAF, Robotics & Engineering Summer Camps / Bootcamps. Its NAICS code is 61169 and its SIC code is 8200.