The Green Machine

Team 1816 has built a program that combines competitive robotics with a genuine focus on sustainability and community impact. Based in Edina, Minnesota — one of the Twin Cities' most well-resourced suburbs — the Green Machine leverages strong community support and a deep local engineering talent pool to field competitive robots while also running outreach programs that introduce robotics to underserved communities.

The team's dual mission — compete and serve — embodies what FIRST was designed to be. While many top teams focus almost exclusively on competition results, the Green Machine has made community outreach a core part of their identity. They run robotics workshops for elementary and middle school students, partner with Title I schools to introduce STEM programming, and advocate for equitable access to engineering education. Their belief is that a great robotics program should make the whole community better, not just the students on the team.

On the competition side, the Green Machine has earned multiple regional wins and Championship qualifications through smart engineering and disciplined execution. Their robots reflect a team that values reliability and functionality — machines that do what they are designed to do, every match, without drama. In the high-variance world of FRC competition, this consistency is a significant competitive advantage.

The team's sustainability initiatives extend to their robot design process itself. They consider material waste, energy efficiency, and reusability in their engineering decisions — an unusual approach in FRC, where most teams prioritize performance above all else. This sustainability mindset prepares students for engineering careers in an era where environmental considerations are increasingly central to every engineering discipline.