Viam Partners with NYC FIRST to Broaden Access to Robotics Education

Through an ongoing series of workshops, Viam will support NYC FIRST in bringing robotics education to 12,000+ NYC students

NEW YORK, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Viam, the software platform for robotics and automation, is expanding its partnership with NYC FIRST, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing STEM and robotics education to students across New York City. Together, Viam and NYC FIRST will help provide young people with direct opportunities to develop technical and durable skills, experiment with robotics, and explore real-world applications of physical AI at Viam's NYC robotics lab and at NYC FIRST's network of eight STEM Centers.

The partnership continued with an onsite hackathon workshop on Thursday, October 15, where  nearly 20 NYC FIRST educators gathered for a hands-on workshop aimed at bringing robotics education to more than 12,000 NYC students. Working collaboratively, educators experimented with robotic arms, using software to control physical movements and complete tasks such as manipulating and stacking objects. The event offered a practical demonstration of how Viam can be used to interact with hardware of all kinds, quickly bringing robotics concepts to life.

"Robotics is often seen as a field that requires highly-technical expertise just to get started and build," said Shannon Bradshaw, SVP of Product and Education at Viam. "Viam has changed that, and we want to make our platform accessible to as many students as possible, ensuring the next generation has all the resources they need to learn and succeed in robotics."

The partnership comes as robotics and physical AI continue to advance, creating opportunities for students from all backgrounds. Robotics historically required access to specialized hardware, advanced technical knowledge, and resources. Viam and NYC FIRST share a belief that robotics education should be approachable and rooted in hands-on experimentation.

"NYC FIRST has made hands-on STEM resources much more accessible to vastly more young New Yorkers through its STEM Center network, coupled with both school-day and after-school programs, workshops, open hours, internships, curriculum and professional development," said Michael Zigman, CEO of NYC FIRST. "Partnering with Viam brings an easily understandable and highly scalable robotics platform into the hands of our community of students and educators."

Since 2000, NYC FIRST  has worked to expand access to STEM education across New York City through robotics competitions, STEM Centers, mentorship, and educational programming. NYC FIRST serves students and communities across all five boroughs, creating opportunities for young people to build technical skills while developing confidence, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.

Viam remains focused on a software-first approach to robotics. In July, the company launched Viam Education, a developer-first education initiative designed to make robotics  more approachable for engineers and developers of all experience levels. Viam Education includes self-paced online courses, live events, hackathons, and opportunities to learn directly from the team's engineers. The program's introductory course, Viam 101, teaches foundational robotics concepts in just 90 minutes, guiding participants without requiring prior hardware experience.

About Viam
Viam is the harness for physical AI: agentic infrastructure to develop, deploy, and operate robotics applications safely. With Viam, developers can build robotics applications with any agent, any model, and any hardware, and take them from a single robot to fleets at scale. Viam works with teams across manufacturing, marine, climate, logistics, entertainment, and more. Founded in 2020 by MongoDB co-founder and former CTO Eliot Horowitz, Viam is headquartered in New York City, where it operates its robotics lab. viam.com

About NYC FIRST
For over 25 years, NYC FIRST has inspired and empowered tens of thousands of young New Yorkers as they become the next generation of problem solvers and critical thinkers, engaging in meaningful and joyful STEM learning, anchored in robotics, while preparing them for both academic pursuits and careers in STEM. NYC FIRST's STEM ecosystem includes eight STEM Centers, robotics leagues, district-wide programs, pathways support, curriculum and educator professional development, supporting over 12,000 students and educators annually who participate in its programs.

Media Contact
Christopher Farrell
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SOURCE Viam, Inc.