Optimum & FIRST Robotics Partnership Supports STEM

We’re committed to inspiring the next generation of innovators through our partnership with FIRST Robotics. Optimum hopes to cultivate STEM skills and encourage an interest in technology fields by supporting local teams, regional events, and more.

Celebrating the Sixth Annual Optimum Innovator Award Winners

As a proud partner of FIRST^®, Optimum continues to support and inspire the next generation of innovators through the company’s annual award grants. The Optimum Innovator Awards are our way of recognizing FIRST^® Robotics Competition (FRC) teams’ achievements and efforts in areas such as community engagement, technology, inspiration, diversity, and sustainability.

2025 Optimum Innovator Award Winners

Optimum Innovator Award  winners will receive grants of $2,000; runners-up will receive $1,500;
and honorable mentions will receive $500.

Award	Winner	Runner Up
Inclusion	Delta Overload Robotics (Indianola, MS)	Rebel Robotics (Great Neck, NY)
Excellence in Technology	Horsepower (Kingwood, TX)	Ossining O-Bots (Ossining, NY)
Community Impact	POBots (Plainview, NY)	Bionic Bulldogs (Kingman, AZ)
Inspiration	The Soaring Colts (Dix Hills, NY)	Regal Eagles (Bethpage, NY)
Sustainability	Putnam Area Robotics Team (Winfield, WV)	Bionic Panthers (Liberty Hll, TX)

Honorable Mentions

The Brooklyn Blacksmiths
(Brooklyn, NY)

8 Bit RAMs
(Clarkstown, NY)

Hauppauge Robotics Eagles
(Hauppauge, NY)

Westerner Robotics
(Lubbock, TX)

Knightronz
(Nanuet, NY)

The Mechanical Bulls
(Smithtown, NY)

MEGALODONS
(Brooklyn, NY)

Tech Devils
(Denville, NJ)

Hicksville J-birds
(Hicksville, NY)

Longwood RoboLions
(Middle Island, NY)

Cybercats
(Old Westbury, NY)

SMART
(Sylva, NC)

FeMaidens
(Bronx, NY)

Warhawks
(Edison, NJ)

SWLA Tech Pirates
(Lake Charles, LA)

Bomb Squad
(Mountain Home, AR)

Full Metal Jackets
(Rockwall, TX)

uNReal
(Thiells, NY)

Supporting FIRST's "Get Anywhere" campaign

By showing students and adult caretakers the incredible breadth of STEM careers available, this powerful campaign creates greater potential for future innovation in our communities.

Learn more

Supporting FIRST^® Robotics Competition

Optimum is proud to sponsor 75 high school FCR teams and six regional competitions across our service area, including Hudson Valley, Long Island, North Carolina, New Yor City, Mid-Atlantic and Texas, for the 2025 season.