FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is the small-scale robotics platform that provides a lower-budget competition for high schools. It gives students a kit of parts and programming resources to bring together a group of 10 students, as well as teaching mentors and engineers to compete in a sports-like robotics competition on a larger scale than FLL while keeping costs lower than that of the FRC program.

The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is a mid-level robotics competition for high-school students. It offers the traditional challenge of a FIRST Robotics Competition but with a more accessible and affordable robotics kit.  The ultimate goal of FTC is to reach more young people with a lower-cost, more accessible opportunity to discover the excitement and rewards of science, technology, and engineering. In 2005, FIRST and RadioShack teamed up to present the FIRST Vex Challenge (FVC) demonstration at the FIRST Championship in Atlanta, GA.  The purpose of the FTC demonstration tournament was to stimulate and explore interest in FIRST Vex competitions. The event was an overwhelming success.  FIRST began a full pilot of the program during the 2005-2006 FIRST season.  After two years as a pilot program, the FIRST Board of Directors approved FTC as an official FIRST program, changing the name to FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) in 2007. During the first official season, FTC grew to 799 teams and 31 official events, reaching  about 8,000 students across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.  In 2008 a new kit of parts was developed and showcased at the FTC World Championship in Atlanta.  The new kit is more powerful and has more options.  It also allows for a smoother transition from FLL into FTC by using the same NXT controller FLL teams have been using for a number of seasons. The 2009 game, HotShot!, includes a mix of the familiar game format and some new elements intended to showcase the capabilities of the new kit.

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In 2008 Team 229 embarked on journey that began with a vision to expand beyond its role in the FRC to working with the First Tech Challenge. Envisioned by one of our Team Advsiors Dr. James Carroll and a few students, the goal was to found FIRST Tech Challenge Teams throughout the North Country Elementary Schools and provide these teams with the guidance and mentorship needed to succeed. To provide a capstone to this vision Team 229 would host an official FIRST FTC tournament where the local teams and teams from other states and countries could compete. Now in 2010 Team 229 has made that vision come true for the past 2 years with found and mentoring of 17 FTC teams. With team members traveling to the 17 local elementary schools and working from a remote facility equipped with a Smart Board, Cameras and the latest computers and software, these local FTC teams receive the best mentoring possible. This year the Northern New York Tournament at Clarkson, completely run by members of 229,  was host to over 20 FTC teams and their parents.