FIRST® and PTC® Expand Collaboration to Bring FIRST® Tech Challenge to India, China and Eastern Europe

MANCHESTER, N.H - FIRST ® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a not-for-profit organization that inspires young people’s interest and participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STE,) has announced that, in cooperation with PTC®, it has expanded the international rollout of the FIRST ® Tech Challenge (FTC®) program to India, China and Eastern Europe. PTC is also a top level Crown Supplier for FIRST and the FTC CAD and Collaboration Sponsor for the 2010-2011 season.

The dates for the 2011 competitions have been set for April 2 (Bucharest, Romania); April 23 (Shanghai, China); and August 15 (Mumbai/Delhi, India).

“PTC continues to be an important supporter of FIRST,” said FIRST president Jon Dudas. “Over the past four years, we continue to be impressed with their corporate and employee commitment to the FIRST vision and strategy over the past four years. PTC has leveraged its global ecosystem by co-sponsoring nearly 150 FIRST ® Robotics Competition (FRC®) and FTC teams with its customers and partners to extend the FIRST program into as many schools as possible. We thank PTC for this unwavering support and look forward to continuing our work with them.”

In preparation for this year’s FRC and FTC seasons, PTC completed over 40 hands-on workshops for students, teachers, Volunteers, and Mentors to learn 3D design and collaboration technology. More than 800 teams have signed up for free PTC software, including Creo™ Elements/Pro™, Mathcad®, and Windchill®. Students and teachers may download PTC software at www.ptc.com/go/softwareforfirst.

“PTC’s global footprint enables the company to bring a unique combination of blue-chip customers, academic partners and employee Volunteers to each of these locations to launch FTC events,” said FTC Director Ken Johnson. “PTC and its long-time customer NRB Bearings Ltd. were Founding Partners of the launch of FTC in Mumbai, India, last year. More than 3,000 students applied for 70 spots in that initial competition. It was an incredible success and we look forward to more successes like this for the upcoming FIRST season.”

PTC has also modeled the 2011 FTC and FRC Kit-of-Parts (KoP) in Creo Elements/Pro, which each team can use to speed the design of its robot. The KoP may be downloaded at www.ptc.com/go/firstkop.

“FIRST gives PTC the opportunity to create strategic shared value with our customers,” said James E. Heppelmann, president and CEO, PTC. “Most of our customers are concerned with workforce development and creating the engineer of the future. FIRST enables us to create excitement and interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) studies with the goal of nurturing and guiding students into these careers.”

FIRST and PTC invite interested parties who would like to participate in these international programs to contact Jordan Cox, PTC’s FIRST Program Manager, at jocox@ptc.com.