ftc-team-blast-09.11.25

Hi ,

Here's some updates and news from FIRST^®Tech Challenge.

In this week's blast:

🤖 DECODE™ presented by RTX Kickoff

⚛️ Qualcomm

💼 FIRST^® Certified Professional Development

💻 A New Login Experience Coming September 15

💲 2025-2026 FIRST Tech Challenge Hardship Grant 

DECODE™ presented by RTX Kickoff
We kicked off our DECODE™ presented by RTX season last weekend and it was a blast! If you missed the broadcast you can watch it on YouTube here! Join in on the game details by watching the DECODE game animation and reading the Competition Manual on our Game Resources site

Team updates will come out on Thursdays, make sure you're signed up to get them delivered to your team's inbox here!

Don't miss out on our #FIRSTAGE and #DECODE season content here!

If you are interested in sharing the FIRST^® Tech Challenge season kickoff with your local news outlets you can find our press release here!

Qualcomm
The FIRST^® AGE™ season will mark 20 years of FIRST and Qualcomm working together to inspire you as young innovators. We are so proud to continue that partnership as you set out to make history. Just like iterations of your robots, at Qualcomm, every innovation, invention, and new technology – from 5G to AI, tells a story, guiding us to greater ingenuity.

FIRST^® Certified Professional Development
Last chance for training scheduled this calendar year. Unearth your potential! Sign up for our upcoming remote professional development sessions for FIRST Tech Challenge. Engage in collaborative, hands-on activities focused on student components of the FIRST program and discover new skills. In-Person will resume in Spring 2026. Decode our website for more details and register via Eventbrite. Questions? Contact FIRSTProfessionalServices@firstinspires.org.

A New Login Experience Coming September 15
Following unforeseen technical difficulties, we needed to reschedule the launch of the updated FIRST Dashboard login experience. We will relaunch the new login experience Monday, September 15. From the new login page, follow the steps to reset your password.

FIRST login page example featuring an area to enter the email address associated with a FIRST account and supporting text regarding resetting a password or creating a new FIRST account.

Please be aware that due to high traffic, your password reset email may take longer than usual to arrive. Do not attempt to reset your password again before receiving the reset email, as each new request will invalidate the previous request.

2025-2026 FIRST Tech Challenge Hardship Grant 

Are you looking for extra funding support this year? The FIRST Tech Challenge Hardship Grant is back with some changes to its award process!  

This year all FIRST Tech Challenge Hardship Grant will be awarded through your Program Delivery Partner’s nominations!  

Please review the grants page to learn more about the eligibility requirements for this grant and the next steps. If your team meets all of the eligibility requirements for this grant, you can use the Find Local Support page to contact your region’s Program Delivery Partner in order to be considered for this grant. 

Please keep in mind that this grant is only available for teams in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.