Support Team 1493

How you can help

Why Support Us

Sponsoring Team 1493 is a direct investment in STEM and in our community: in a diverse group of high school students learning design, engineering, software, fabrication, teamwork, and leadership.

Our students compete against teams with far larger budgets. They bring the talent and determination, and your support helps make sure resources aren’t what holds them back.

From the very beginning, Team 1493 has made sure every student can take part. Cost has never been a barrier to joining the team, and your sponsorship keeps that promise going.

Community support has been part of Team 1493 from the start. We were founded in 2003 with help from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, National Grid, and local families, and we’re looking for additional partners to carry that tradition forward.

Our results show what these students can do. In our very first year, Team 1493 won the Rookie All-Star Award at the 2004 UTC New England Regional and competed at the FIRST World Championship in Atlanta. We’ve returned to Worlds in 2018 and 2022, and we qualified again in 2025, but the qualification came in the final week of the season, too late to secure the funding to attend. Reliable sponsorship helps make sure that doesn’t happen again.

Our Track Record

FIRST World Championship qualifier, Houston

2025

FIRST World Championship qualifier, Houston

2022

FIRST World Championship qualifier, Detroit

2018

FIRST World Championship qualifier, Atlanta

2004

Rookie All-Star Award winner, UTC New England Regional

2004

This Season

Team 1493 plans to compete in two regional events, with the goal of reaching the national level. Friends of Team 1493, a group of parents supporting the team, is raising $50,000 to make it happen.

Donate Online

Sponsorship Levels

Your name and logo travel with Team 1493, on our website, team banner, apparel, and robot, and out into the community throughout the season.

Friend

Name on the website

Up to $249

Bronze

Logo and name on the website

$250 +

Silver

Includes Bronze benefits, plus logo on team banner

$500 +

Gold

Includes Silver benefits, plus logo on team shirt

$1,000 +

Platinum

Includes Gold benefits, plus social media spotlight and thank-you post

$2,500 +

Leading

Includes Platinum benefits, plus logo on the robot

$5,000 +