The MATE ROV Competition uses remotely operated vehicles (a.k.a. underwater robots) to inspire and challenge students to learn and creatively apply science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to solve real-world problems and strengthen their critical thinking, collaboration, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

The MATE ROV Competition challenges students from across the U.S. and around the world to engineer ROVs to complete a set of mission tasks based on real-world, workplace scenarios. The competition emphasizes and inspires a mindset of entrepreneurship and innovation by requiring students to transform their teams into “start-up” companies that respond to an RFP. In addition to their robots, the student teams also prepare technical reports, create a marketing (poster) display, and deliver engineering presentations.

The MATE ROV Competition is only possible because of the hard work by the MATE Inspiration for Innovation Board of Directors, which is a non-profit educational organization tax exempt under Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3). MATE II assumed management of the MATE competition, the SeaMATE online store, and other related activities on January 1, 2021.

Below are just a few of the people who help make this competition possible. You can learn more about our global network of regional coordinators here. Not shown are the hundreds of others that dedicate their time and expertise to help us make a world class competition happen.