KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s premier robotics competition, the First Tech Challenge (FTC) Championship, has officially commenced its 2026 season with a significant launch event at the AC Marriott Hotel on Tuesday. Supported by a substantial $10 million investment from the NCB Foundation, this year’s event emphasizes innovation and recovery under the theme ‘Decoding the Future’.
The launch brought together organizers, educational partners, and student teams who demonstrated remarkable design creativity and technical ambition. NCB Foundation CEO Perrin Gayle expressed enthusiasm for the competition’s alignment with the foundation’s educational goals, noting: ‘This competition extends beyond robotics to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The diverse design approaches already visible indicate exceptional potential for this year’s challenges.’
Participants from grades 7–12 will design, build, and program robots to compete in alliance-based matches that test engineering proficiency and collaborative STEM capabilities. Notably, several teams from western Jamaica—including Manning’s High School, Munro College, St Elizabeth Technical High School, and Maggotty High School—will participate despite significant infrastructural challenges caused by Hurricane Melissa.
Gavin Samuels, Affiliate Partner Representative and National Championship Tournament Director, confirmed special support measures for affected schools: ‘We are implementing additional resources to ensure these resilient teams can compete effectively and showcase their determination.’
The two-day championship event is scheduled for February 19–20 at the Jamaica College Auditorium, marking the eighth consecutive year of NCB Foundation’s sponsorship of this STEM initiative.