In May 2026, Acronis and NetFusion, together with nonprofit partner ChildHope Network, opened a STEAM robotics lab at ChildHope School in Los Cuadros de Purral, San José, Costa Rica. The lab gives more than 230 students from underserved communities access to robotics kits, computers, tablets, and a dedicated robotics teacher.
Four months later, those students competed in a robotics tournament for the first time – and one team nearly reached the podium.
Six teams from ChildHope School – two preschool, two lower elementary, and two upper elementary – took part in a regional competition that brought together 212 students from 53 institutions. With many schools entering multiple teams, more than 200 teams competed across the three categories. For every ChildHope student, it was their first robotics competition.
The results:
- Preschool: 9th and 19th place out of 53 teams
- Upper elementary: 4th and 14th place out of 82 teams
- Lower elementary: 10th and 23rd place out of 67 teams
The upper elementary team’s 4th-place finish – out of 82 teams – came within reach of the top three, placing them in the top 5% of their category. A striking result for students who, before this year, had never had access to robotics education at all.
Beyond the standings, the competition gave students something the lab was built for: a chance to apply new skills under pressure, work as a team, and see themselves as capable of competing with anyone.
The robotics lab was created through the Acronis Cyber Foundation #TeamUp Program, which brings together Acronis and its global partner ecosystem to fund education and community development projects worldwide. Since 2018, the program has supported the construction of more than 40 schools and computer classrooms and reached more than 65,000 people through educational and humanitarian initiatives.
Read more about the lab’s opening in our May announcement.
Want to see the lab and the students in action? Watch the school’s video about the robotics program here.
Inspired by what these students achieved? Through the #TeamUp Program, your company can partner with Acronis to create the same kind of impact in a community of your choice. Learn more about joining #TeamUp.