At The Cora Group, we believe in the power of innovation, collaboration, and community. That’s why we are proud to support the next generation of STEM leaders through the FIRST Robotics Competition—an international challenge that pushes students to design, build, and program robots while fostering teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
What is the FIRST Robotics Competition?
Every year, teams of high school students from around the world take on a thrilling challenge: building a robot from a standard kit of parts and competing in a head-to-head game. But the FIRST Robotics Competition is about more than just robots—it’s about building a brand, forming community partnerships, and promoting STEM education at the local level.
This year’s challenge, REEFSCAPE℠, calls upon teams to use their engineering skills to protect and enhance one of Earth’s most diverse ecosystems. Inspired by real-world ocean conservation efforts, teams will dive deep into tackling unique underwater challenges, making waves in their mission to create a better future.
How is The Cora Group Involved?
Located in the heart of University of Waterloo’s Research and Technology Park, The Cora Group is passionate about fostering innovation within our community.
At The Cora Building (375 Hagey Blvd, Waterloo, ON), we provided a dedicated space where regional teams could test their code, refine their driving skills, and practice in a competition-like environment—giving them a valuable edge before competing. Some of the incredible teams that have utilized this space include:
- The Rebels – 2702 (Kitchener – Waterloo Region)
- Team DAVE – 3683 (St. David Catholic Secondary School)
- Rockway Robotics – 8089 (Rockway Mennonite Collegiate)
- CyberCavs – 4678 (Woodland Christian High School)
- Sir Lancerbot – 4917 (Elmira)
- BeaverWorx – 2609 (Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School)
- ACE Robotics – 7022 (St. Benedict C.S.S)
The Waterloo FIRST Robotics Competition
From March 21-22, 2025, 30 Ontario teams and their 115-pound robots competed at the Waterloo FIRST Robotics Competition Qualifier at the University of Waterloo (UW). Many of these teams had honed their skills in the practice space at The Cora Building, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to see them in action!
As proud supporters of STEM initiatives, The Cora Group attended the VIP event on Friday, March 21, where we had the privilege of meeting local teams, watching high-energy matches, and learning about the incredible engineering feats these students achieved in just eight weeks. Witnessing the passion, teamwork, and ingenuity on display reinforced the importance of providing young minds with the space and resources to thrive.
Supporting the Future of STEM
“The outcome of The University of Waterloo FIRST Robotics Competition this past weekend clearly demonstrates the benefit of teams cooperating and working together. The 2702 Rebels, and all of the WWFIRST teams excelled at this competition because of the support of our valued sponsors like The Cora Group who generously hosted our 2025 Practice Field. The world record high-scores seen at the event wouldn’t have been possible without a space to practice and tune our robots”. – Terry Fisher, 2702 Rebels
At The Cora Group, we are committed to championing events and initiatives that inspire young people to become future science and technology leaders. By engaging students in mentor-based programs that nurture engineering, coding, and leadership skills, we help shape a generation that is ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.
“Having somewhere that Team 8089 could practice and collaborate with the other WWFIRST teams was key to our improvements this year! Without the wonderful space provided by The Cora Group, our team would not have been able to tune our robot, play test matches with the other teams, or modify autonomous routines which enabled us to improve our Ontario district standing from last year’s 77/137 to a projected 49/130. The field also gives us a perfect location to continue to improve our performance in time for the Provincial Championships! Thank you for your support of students in STEAM!” Heather, mentor FRC 8089 – Rockway Robotics
We are honoured to support FIRST Robotics and look forward to seeing how these brilliant young minds continue to push the boundaries of innovation.
Here’s to another incredible season of competition, creativity, and community!
Additional Quotes from FIRST Robotics Teams
“Immense thanks to The Cora Group for their sponsorship of our shared practice field! Their support not only allowed our students to develop our robot further but served as a central collaboration hub for multiple local teams and schools, helping us all to excel further as a group than we would have alone.” Antoine, Mentor FRC 2609 – BeaverWorx
“At the practice field, Team DAVE has had the chance to practice with and improve our robot weeks before our competitions. Thanks to The Cora Group’s support, Team DAVE has been able to win both of our competitions, ranking within the top 10 teams in the world, and inspiring students to pursue STEAM. ” Eden, Student FRC 3683 – Team DAVE
“On behalf of the eight FIRST Robotics teams in the Waterloo-Wellington area, we want to extend our deepest gratitude for [The Cora Groups] generous support. [Their] willingness to provide space for a full practice field has been an incredible gift to our teams this season. The opportunity to refine our designs, test our strategies, and collaborate in a dedicated space has been invaluable. Thanks to [their] generosity, two of the top three robots in the province have been able to hone their performance to a world-class level. [Their] contribution has played a direct role in the success of our teams and in inspiring the next generation of engineers and innovators. Thank you for believing in the potential of our students and for supporting STEM education in our community. [The Cora Group’s] generosity has made a lasting impact, and we are truly grateful.” Maurice, mentor FRC 4678 – CyberCavs
“The practice field was invaluable, providing our team with a dedicated space to work and program our robot on a proper field. It also enabled us to receive support and collaborate with other WWFRO teams, which was especially beneficial for us as a lower-resource team.” Abel, mentor FRC 7022 – ACE Robotics
