Congratulations Robotics Collaborative rookie FTC team!
Our 7th-and-8th grade team 30603-TBD just competed in our rookie season for the 2025-2026 FIRST Tech Challenge Decode , a global robotics competition for 7th-12th graders —and crushed the rookie goal.
In August 2025, our nonprofit Robotics Collaborative received a $5,000 rookie team grant from Google and FIRST Oregon (ORTOP). We also secured practice space from the Portland State University Business Accelerator and a competition field setup from Rose City Robotics. Thank you sponsors for getting us to the starting line.
Our goal
Start the season, attend a qualifier, and score 1 point.
The build
After many starts and stops due to coming and going players, parents, and technical issues, our rookie FTC team produced our first working prototype in November 2025.
The event
At the Hillsboro High School Oregon Qualifying Tournament, our team checked in at 7:30 a.m. Sunday for interviews and inspections. Nerves were high and our drivers were up first at 12:00 noon.
We won our very first match. Confidence skyrocketed.
By the end of five qualification matches, FTC 30603 ranked #10 of 24.
Playoffs!
When alliance selection rolled around, we were picked in Round 5 by a fellow rookie middle school team from Bend, Oregon. In playoffs we won one and lost two.
Why this matters
The kids showed up hoping to score a single point.
They scored 50+, made the playoffs, and most important had fun. Our students are already talking about coming back next year.
Thank you
To the FIRST volunteers, referees, judges, event staff, mentors, sponsors, and families: we’re grateful. You made a big day possible for a brand-new team.
Quick Stats
Team: 30603-TBD (7th–8th grade)
Season: 2025–2026 FTC DECODE
Event: Hillsboro HS Oregon Qualifier
Qualifications Rank: #10 / 24
Playoffs: Selected in Round 5; 1–2 in eliminations
Duncan Miller
Operations / Business Development
Duncan is a software engineer and FIRST Robotics coach with over 20 years of experience as an education technology founder. He earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Babson College and works at Portland State University as a mentor for tech startups and a judge at innovation competitions. Duncan lives on an extinct cinder cone volcano with his wife and two children in Portland Oregon. He is passionate about artificial intelligence, robotics, climate solutions, open startups and social entrepreneurship.