Nashua Robotics Team Tesseract team captain Jason Bottino (left) and lead mentor Srini Pulugurtha display trophies recently acquired in competition that earned an upcoming trip to the world championship hosted in April in Houston by FIRST Robotics, a global nonprofit launched in 1989 and underlined as “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” an enterprise focused on encouraging in the young a love of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

NASHUA – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math skills have fortified nine local students manning Team Tesseract — FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Team #21689 — to represent New Hampshire at the pending FIRST Robotics World Championships, a clash of 256 international robotics teams convening April 16-19 in Houston.

“FIRST Robotics (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a worldwide educational organization, lets us blend the thrill of competitive sports with the rigors of STEM education,” said team captain Jason Bottino. “Our FTC team designs, builds and programs our robots to take on some heavy competition.”

Srini Pulugurtha, lead mentor for Team Tesseract, commended the freshmen and sophomores for their extensive robotics expertise. The team is ranked 32 out of 8,000 teams globally for scoring ability in the 2024-25 FIRST Tech Challenge season, he noted.

A spot at the world championship within the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston was secured in February when the state championship participants witnessed Team Tesseract and alliance partner VERTEX of Exeter win top honors. Team Tesseract and VERTEX will be the sole envoy representing FTC from the Granite State.

“The members are constantly enhancing the hardware and software of their robots and implementing 3-D printing for making custom parts,” Pulugurtha added. “They set the three highest scoring matches in all of New England at the NH Championship and also were awarded one of the coveted Inspire Awards this season.”

A close look at the intricately designed, computer programmed and constructed robot capable of pushing, lifting, maneuvering through obstacles and propelling objects toward a target, next clashing with teams from around the world in Houston in April, is this creation from Nashua Robotics Team Tesseract, officially designated as FIRST Challenge Team # 21689 Team Tesseract. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

Bottino admits pride in sharing that the Inspire Award reflects success not only in building a competitive robot but in service to others. Recognized by judges are 953 documented hours of outreach, 710 new people recruited to STEM programs and reaching 202,000 people.

Bottino recently led the team in contacting Gov. Kelly Ayotte to acquaint her with the wealth of robotic opportunities that often open doors to lucrative employment. She has proclaimed April 2025 as FIRST Robotics Awareness Month in New Hampshire.

“We are committed to help spread awareness and encourage more students, educators and families to get involved with STEM and robotics,” Bottino concluded.

Donations to GoFundMe (https://gofund.me/80622067) are helping to raise $10,000 needed to cover team costs for the week of competition in Houston.

General information on Team Tesseract can be obtained by email at ftc.tesseract@gmail.com.

Gathering to refine some programing of a high tech, remotely operated robot soon to be transported in April with the team to Houston for the world championship of FIRST Robotics are Nashua Robotics Team Tesseract members, standing from left, Jason Bottino, team captain, Academy for Science & Design; Jinen Gandhi, Academy for Science and Design; Aadhavan Veerendra,  Academy for Science and Design; Yuvanguru Balagurumoorthy, Nashua High South; Pace Khadaroo, Academy for Science and Design; Divyesh Gaddam, Nashua High South and Srini Pulugurtha, lead mentor, assembling here with fellow teammates, foreground from left, Anirudh Pulugurtha, ABRHS; and Samarth Sharma, Nashua High South student. Busy elsewhere is the team’s ninth member, Ameya Kharade, Nashua High South student. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

Nashua Robotics Team Tesseract members, foreground from left, Pace Khadaroo, Academy for Science and Design student; Jason Bottino, Academy for Science and Design; Samarth Sharma, Nashua High South; Ameya Kharade, Nashua High South; and standing from left, Yuvanguru Balagurumoorthy, Nashua High South; Jinen Gandhi, Academy for Science and Design; Aadhavan Veerendra, Academy for Science and Design; Anirudh Pulugurtha, ABRHS; and Divyesh Gaddam, Nashua High South celebrate honors won at the New Hampshire State Championships of FIRST Tech Challenge, a February event where high scores in grueling matches against 28 other teams culled for them a victory and earned the team a spot, along with VERTEX of Exeter, to the FIRST Championship in Houston, the World Series of Robotics that will feature 256 robotics teams from around the world. Courtesy photo