Robotique FIRST Québec

What Robotique FIRST Québec does

Robotique FIRST Québec is a registered Canadian charity (organisme de charité) and the exclusive provincial partner of the global FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) organization in Quebec. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Montréal at 1200, boul. Crémazie Est, Suite 101, the organization delivers a three-tiered progressive robotics education and competition program to approximately 10,000 youth aged 4 to 18 annually. Its program portfolio comprises the Ligue LEGO FIRST (Découvre for ages 4–6, Explore for ages 6–10, Rivalise for ages 9–14), the Défi Techno FIRST (ages 12–18, FTC-level competition), and the Compétition de robotique FIRST (ages 14–18, FRC-level "sport of engineering"). Programs are supported by an online Campus training platform for coaches, mentors, and team members.

The organization does not develop proprietary technology. It deploys standardized FIRST-approved robotics kits and platforms (LEGO Education DUPLO, SPIKE Essential, SPIKE Prime, LEGO MINDSTORMS) and supports programming in Java, LabVIEW, and C++. Annual robotics festivals (held at venues including Bombardier Aerospace Montréal and Place Bell Laval) serve as the primary competition, qualification, and community visibility mechanism, culminating in pathways to the global FIRST World Championship.

Revenue is generated entirely through non-commercial channels: corporate sponsorships at tiered levels (Major, Strategic, National, Official, Experiential, Support), individual and corporate charitable donations routed through CanadaHelps, and annual team registration fees. Individual youth participation is free. The organization is governed by a board of directors, supported by approximately 400 volunteers, and is institutionally backed by 25+ named corporate and public-sector partners (Bombardier, Azrieli Foundation, BMO, CAE, Pratt & Whitney Canada, FJAB, Power Corporation, Boeing, RBC, 3M, Government of Canada, Hydro-Québec, Secrétariat à la jeunesse Québec, and five Quebec universities).

Name

Robotique FIRST Québec

Legal name

Robotique FIRST Québec

Website

https://robotiquefirstquebec.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Robotique FIRST Québec is a registered charity and the exclusive FIRST program partner in Quebec, delivering progressive robotics education and competitions to approximately 10,000 youth aged 4–18 annually through three program tiers and annual festivals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth STEM Education Programs

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Robotics Learning Platforms (EDAFANAB), Robotics After-School & Enrichment Clubs (EDAMADAA)

Keywords

• Youth robotics education
• STEM competition programs
• LEGO robotics league
• Engineering mentorship programs
• Robotics festivals Quebec

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Robotique FIRST Québec is a registered charity (CanadaHelps) that raises funds from individuals and organizations. Donations support program delivery, team subsidies, and event organization.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial and in-kind support at multiple tiers (Major, Strategic, National, Official, Experiential, Support). Sponsors receive brand visibility at events, on website logos, and association with youth STEM education mission.
3. Program Registration Fees: Teams pay annual registration fees to FIRST and participate fees to Robotique FIRST Québec for tournament access. Individual participants register free of charge. Fees fund kit materials, event operations, and administrative costs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Robotique FIRST Québec organizes and delivers a three-tiered suite of FIRST robotics education and competition programs for Quebec youth aged 4 to 18 — Ligue LEGO FIRST (ages 4-14, with Découvre, Explore, and Rivalise divisions), Défi Techno FIRST (ages 12-18), and Compétition de robotique FIRST/FRC (ages 14-18) — supported by an online Campus training platform and an annual multi-day robotics festival series. Teams of students, coached by teachers and industry mentors, design, build, and program LEGO- and custom-built robots to compete in themed annual challenges, with winners advancing toward the global FIRST World Championship. The organization acts as the exclusive Quebec implementing partner of the global FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) framework founded by Dean Kamen.

Product overview

Robotique FIRST Québec offers a three-tiered progressive suite of youth robotics education and competition programs under the global FIRST framework, complemented by an annual multi-day robotics festival series. The core portfolio consists of the Ligue LEGO FIRST (with three age-adapted divisions: Découvre for ages 4–6, Explore for ages 6–10, and Rivalise for ages 9–14), the Défi Techno FIRST (ages 12–18), and the Compétition de robotique FIRST (FRC, ages 14–18). These programs are supported by the Campus online training platform and delivered through annual Robotics Festivals that serve as competition and championship events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ligue LEGO FIRST: Robotics program for children ages 4-14, including Découvre (4-6), Explore (6-10), and Rivalise (9-14) divisions
• Défi Techno FIRST
• Compétition de robotique FIRST
• Festival de robotique

Products and services

• Ligue LEGO FIRST (Découvre, Explore, Rivalise) A multi-division LEGO robotics program for children aged 4-14, comprising Découvre (ages 4-6, non-competitive introduction with LEGO DUPLO), Explore (ages 6-10, building and coding LEGO SPIKE Essential robots), and Rivalise (ages 9-14, competitive robotics with LEGO SPIKE Prime/MINDSTORMS and a research project). Teams present at local events and tournaments aligned with an annual thematic challenge.
• Défi Techno FIRST (FTC) A mid-level robotics competition for Quebec youth aged 12-18, also known as the FIRST Tech Challenge in the global FIRST framework. Teams of up to 15 members design, build, and program more advanced autonomous robots (in Java) on a 12'x12' competitive game field, with reusable robotics kits, fundraising, and community outreach requirements, building leadership, project management, communication, and entrepreneurship skills.
• Compétition de robotique FIRST (FRC) The highest-level FIRST robotics competition, described as the 'sport of engineering,' for Quebec students aged 14-18. Teams design and build large industrial-scale robots within strict time and resource constraints, compete in alliance format with three teams each on complex themed game fields, and pursue qualification to the FIRST World Championship.
• Campus Training Platform An online training and resource platform for coaches, mentors, and team members, providing team management guides, technical resources, engineering journals, robot game rules, and judging interview preparation materials.
• Festivals de robotique (Robotics Festivals) Annual multi-day public robotics festivals organized since 2012 that bring together teams across all three program streams (Ligue LEGO FIRST, Défi Techno FIRST, and FRC) for competitive tournaments, exhibitions, and championship events, culminating in qualification pathways to the global FIRST World Championship. The 2026 FLL/FTC festival at Place Bell, Laval is expected to gather more than 80 teams and nearly 1,000 youth.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 10,000 Quebec youth inspired annually across all programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• BombardierflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBombardier is the Major Partner (Partenaire Majeur) of Robotique FIRST Québec. The company sponsors major events and programs, with its logo appearing as the title sponsor of the FRC festival (e.g., 'présentateur-bombardier'). Bombardier hosts events at Bombardier Aerospace facilities in Montréal and likely provides engineering mentors from its workforce.
• Azrieli FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAzrieli Foundation holds the Exclusif (Exclusive) partnership tier and is a National partner. The foundation supports STEM education and youth development programs, contributing to the organization's funding and mission alignment.
• Fusion JeunessecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFusion Jeunesse is listed as the Experiential Partner (Partenaire Expérientiel). It is a Quebec-based organization that works with schools and communities to deliver youth STEM programs. Fusion Jeunesse provides operational support, training resources, and co-develops curriculum materials for the Quebec context.
• BMO (Bank of Montreal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBMO is a Strategic Partner and serves as the presenting sponsor of the FLL festival (e.g., 'BMO présentateur'). BMO likely contributes financial support, employee volunteers, and internal promotion as part of its diversity, equity, and inclusion and youth education initiatives.
• CAEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAE is a Strategic Partner. As a global leader in aviation training and simulation, CAE provides technical mentorship from its engineering workforce and supports program delivery with its expertise in simulation and systems.
• FJAB (Fondation Bombardier)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Fondation Bombardier (FJAB) is a Strategic Partner, providing grant funding and in-kind support for team registrations, equipment, and event logistics, complementing Bombardier's major sponsorship.
• Power Corporation of Canada (PCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPower Corporation of Canada (Power Corporation Communauté) is a Strategic Partner, contributing to the organization's charitable funding pool and aligning with its community investment priorities in youth education.
• Pratt & Whitney CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPratt & Whitney Canada (RTX) is a Strategic Partner and the presenting sponsor of the FTC Défi DÉCODER challenge. The company provides engineering mentorship, financial support, and brand association at FTC-level events.
• Banque Nationale du Canada (BNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBNC is an Official Partner providing financial support, employee volunteer engagement, and community outreach as part of its corporate social responsibility program.
• Gouvernement du Canada (Innovation, Science and Economic Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Government of Canada is a Public Partner providing public funding and institutional legitimacy, supporting the organization's alignment with national STEM education priorities.
• Hydro-QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHydro-Québec is a Public Partner supporting the organization as part of Quebec's energy utility's community investment in education and youth development.
• Secrétariat à la jeunesse QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Secrétariat à la jeunesse Québec is a Public Partner, aligning government youth development policy with the organization's STEM education mission.
• Creativ NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreativ Nation is the Exclusive Producer (Producteur exclusif) for event production and creative services, handling the design and execution of festival events, branding, and promotional materials.
• 3M CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner3M is a Pan-Canadian Partner providing financial support, employee volunteers as mentors, and aligning with its commitment to STEM education and innovation.
• Boeing CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoeing is a National Partner contributing funding, engineering mentorship, and association with global aerospace industry standards to the benefit of participants exploring engineering careers.
• RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRBC is a National Partner providing financial support, financial literacy resources, and employee volunteers supporting the entrepreneurial components of team programs.
• FIRST Robotics CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFIRST Robotics Canada is the national governing body for FIRST programs in Canada, providing program standards, competition frameworks, materials, and cross-country event coordination that Robotique FIRST Québec adapts for Quebec.
• BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBRP is a Support Partner providing financial contributions and potential engineering mentorship from its recreational vehicle and powersports engineering teams.
• GE AerospaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGE Aerospace (GE Bromont) is a Support Partner contributing engineering expertise and potentially hosting facility tours or mentoring sessions for participants.
• Fonds de Recherche du Québec (FRQ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFRQ (Fonds de Recherche du Québec) is a Support Partner connecting the organization with Quebec's research ecosystem and potentially supporting science communication and outreach activities.
• DXC TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDXC Technology is a Support Partner providing IT mentorship, technology resources, and potential software development expertise for teams.
• Concordia UniversityminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConcordia University is a University Partner providing engineering faculty and student mentors, hosting event components, and promoting engineering programs to prospective students through FIRST outreach.
• École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerETS is a University Partner contributing engineering faculty mentors, student volunteers, and hosting event activities at its campus while promoting engineering education pathways.
• Polytechnique MontréalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPolytechnique Montréal is a University Partner providing engineering mentors, hosting festival exhibits, and promoting the full range of its engineering bachelor's programs to FIRST alumni through dedicated outreach pages on the Robotique FIRST Québec site.
• Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUQTR is a University Partner contributing engineering faculty and student mentors, and promoting its engineering programs (electrical, mechanical, computer, industrial) to FIRST alumni.
• Université de SherbrookeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUniversité de Sherbrooke is a University Partner hosting festival events at its campus (including Longueuil location), contributing engineering faculty mentors, and promoting its engineering programs including the only Bachelor's in Robotics Engineering in Canada.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• FIRST Robotics Canada: The national governing body for FIRST programs in Canada and RFQ's direct counterpart. Sets program standards, coordinates cross-province events, and provides the framework within which RFQ operates in Quebec — a true peer at the national level.
• Let's Talk Science: National Canadian charitable organization delivering STEM learning to youth through educator support, outreach, and programs. Comparable as a mission-aligned, sponsor-funded STEM education non-profit operating across Canada with school-district integration.
• Fusion Jeunesse: Quebec-based non-profit delivering youth engagement programs in schools, and an active Experiential Partner of RFQ. Operates in the same school-district channel with a similar community-led, mentor-driven model in Quebec.
• Canada Learning Code: Canadian non-profit delivering coding and digital-skills education to youth and adults through workshops, camps, and educator programs. Overlaps with RFQ on the coding/digital-skills curriculum axis and competes for the same school channel and corporate STEM sponsorships.
• Actua: Canada's largest STEM outreach non-profit, engaging 350,000+ youth annually across all provinces. Directly comparable as a Canadian youth-STEM education non-profit with corporate and government sponsorship, although Actua covers a broader STEM remit beyond robotics.

Others

• LEGO Education: Supplier and ecosystem partner — RFQ programs are built on LEGO Education platforms (DUPLO, SPIKE Essential, SPIKE Prime, MINDSTORMS). LEGO Education also sells direct-to-school STEM solutions that can substitute for FIRST participation, making it both a supplier and an indirect competitor.

Regional players

• Science Fair Foundation of Canada: National Canadian non-profit running science fair and STEM competition programs for youth. Operates in adjacent STEM competition territory and shares a school-distribution model, although its focus is broader science fair projects rather than robotics.

Broad incumbents

• Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (VEX): Operates the VEX competition ecosystem (VEX IQ, VEX V5), a direct alternative to FIRST's FLL/FTC/FRC stack. Schools that adopt VEX are typically not running FIRST programs, making this the most direct competition for the same school channel and student pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/first_qc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@robotiqueFIRSTquebec
• Facebookfacebook.com/FIRSTQc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/robotique-first-quebec
• Instagraminstagram.com/first_qc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Robotique FIRST Québec