There are two main ways to become involved as a sponsor: You may sponsor a team, or sponsor an entire event.
Team Sponsorship
Sponsoring a FIRST Robotics Competition team is an extremely rewarding experience for both the sponsor and the team. As well as helping pay the team's entry fee and other expenses (robot parts, travel etc.), many sponsors have their employees act as mentors. Mentors work closely with the students to help design and build the robot, or help students with related projects such as animation or documentation. By doing so, mentors are exposed to leading edge technology, and foster a passion for engineering that benefits the employer, students, and mentors themselves.
Teams in FIRST Lego League or the FIRST Tech Challenge do not generally have corporate sponsors, as the registration fees are much lower. The registration fee for the FIRST Robotics Competition is $6000 USD, which includes a "kit of parts" and entry into one regional event (such as the Greater Toronto Regional or the Waterloo Regional). In addition, teams need to pay for other robot parts and travel costs. A minimal team budget is approximately $10000 CAD. Teams that attend multiple events or spend more money on their robot or equipment would have budgets in the $15000-$20000 CAD range. Some teams find one primary sponsor to cover most or all of their budget; others have a wide range of smaller sponsors. For more information, or for help finding a school in your area to sponsor, please contact us.
