Five young Virgin Islanders are putting the British Virgin Islands’ growing robotics and technology programme on the international stage as Team BVI competes in the 2026 FIRST Global Challenge in Incheon, South Korea.

The team — Christopher Robinson, Nicholas Joseph, Stephon Jainauth, Caleb Stoutt and Ricardo Seebaran — is competing from October 7 to 10 alongside students from more than 190 national teams.

This year’s competition, themed “Igniting Innovation,” challenges students to design, build and programme robots around a simulated wildfire scenario. Team BVI’s robot, named Hephaestus, is designed to collect and move orange balls representing wildfires during the competition.

The BVI team arrives in South Korea following a major improvement in its international robotics performance. After placing 143rd in 2023 and 111th in 2024, the territory climbed to 42nd globally in the 2025 competition, marking its strongest result to date.

The latest participation highlights the expanding role of robotics, coding, STEM education and digital innovation in preparing young Virgin Islanders for technology-focused careers. It also gives students practical experience working on engineering solutions while collaborating with peers from around the world.

For the BVI, Team BVI’s latest international challenge represents more than a robotics competition — it is a showcase of the territory’s emerging technology talent and the growing opportunities for young innovators.