NDB’s robotics team, otherwise known as the TigerBots, is beginning their eleventh season of competition after a successful 2023-2024 season, ending in the semifinals of the Peninsula League.

Last year combined challenges, including creating a robot with a dynamic arm that could launch paper airplanes. The new season is underway with kickoff having taken place on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, launching a game called FIRST Into The Deep.

This season brings new leadership for the team, with juniors Maggie Blanchard and Anna Fox in the roles of co-captains. Blanchard is leading the construction of this season’s robot, aiding a group of NDB students in engineering the robot’s functions during gameplay. Fox is leading the marketing and fundraising for the team through grants and sponsorships, as well as planning outreach events such as TigerBots’ annual Scouts in STEM program.

“I’m hoping that we attract new people to our team so we can pass [on] our knowledge and make TigerBots a stronger program,” said Blanchard.

In addition to having engineers, robotics groups rely on business teams to build relationships with large corporations in hopes of partnership. These companies include major brands, such as Subaru and PG&E. Many teams, like the TigerBots, are self-funded, meaning that their function is not dependent on financial resources from their respective schools and programs.

The upcoming season brings new challenges and opportunities for students to explore their interests in science, math, engineering, computer science, public relations and marketing.