“To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders.”

— Dean Kamen, Founder of FIRST

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a non-profit organization founded by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire a passion for science and technology in young people. Kamen, the inventor of the first portable insulin pump, Segway, and owner of over 440 national and international patents began FIRST to inspire students to pursue science, engineering and technology careers.

Each year, FIRST hosts robotics competitions that encourage students, as young as five, to use science, engineering, and technology to build and program robots that can engage in competition against other robots from around the world. These students along with the help of mentors, gain mastery in science, mathematics, technology, engineering, and even business-related skills.