What is the Ultimate Robot Championship?
The Ultimate Robot Championship (URC) is a hands-on robotics competition system designed to help students experience engineering through fast design cycles.
Students build robots, test their designs, compete in short matches, and improve their machines between rounds.
This structure allows students to quickly learn how mechanical design, strategy, and iteration affect performance.
URC competitions are designed to remove common barriers to robotics participation so younger students can experience the excitement of engineering and competition.
URC RoboSumo at Illinois 4-H
CFI Robotics & Illinois 4-H
RoboSumo is part of the Illinois 4-H Robotics Challenge.
Students compete head-to-head with driver-controlled robots inside a sumo ring. Matches are short and strategic, and teams refine their designs between rounds.
CFI Robotics helps prepare students for this statewide competition through URC classes and robotics programs.
Get the Official URC Competition Kit
STEMRise Modular
URC competitions use the Gladiator robotics platform, developed by STEMRise Modular. The system is designed specifically for robotics competitions, providing a durable drive base, standardized electronics, and a structure that allows students to experiment with different robot designs.
The platform makes it easy for students to focus on engineering decisions, strategy, and performance improvements, rather than spending weeks building basic robot hardware.
Schools, clubs, and families can purchase the official URC kit directly through STEMRise Modular.
If you are ordering a kit to participate in a URC class, competition, or event, you can contact us to request a URC participant discount code before placing your order.
The Story Behind URC
Design by students, for students.
The Ultimate Robot Championship grew out of a student’s experience in competitive robotics.
Luke He, a student competitor and two-time National Champion in the United States Engineering League (USEL) SumoBot competition, loved the strategy and excitement of robot battles. At the same time, he noticed that many robotics platforms were expensive, difficult to assemble, and often designed mainly for older students.
With guidance from mentors at CFI Robotics NFP, Luke began developing a modular robotics platform that would be easier for younger students to build and improve.
His early designs were first introduced through CFI programs at Council Oak Montessori School, Daystar Academy, St. Walter–St. Benedict School, and Chicago Waldorf School.
As the system evolved, newer versions expanded to additional programs including Morgan Park Academy and the Palos Public School District, giving more students the opportunity to build, compete, and learn engineering through robotics.