Robotics
Hephaestus Robotics:
2026 MATE ROV World Champions
In June 2026, the X Academy’s Hephaestus Robotics earned FIRST place in the Ranger Class at the MATE ROV World Championship in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Hephaestus competed against 47 high school teams from 13 countries within the Ranger Class, while the overall championship brought together 86 student teams from 16 countries across multiple competition divisions.
The victory marked the program's first world title after a remarkable four-year climb that included a 5th-place finish in 2023 and back-to-back 3rd-place finishes in 2024 and 2025.
The team is a partnership between X Academy and the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and brings together high-school students from across Santa Cruz County to design, build, test, and operate commercial-class underwater robots inspired by real-world ocean engineering challenges.
Students function as a startup engineering company, taking responsibility not only for robot design and mission performance, but also for technical documentation, budgeting, marketing, fundraising, engineering presentations, and community engagement. Perhaps most importantly, they develop life skills of leadership, teamwork, and collaboration to be problem-solvers.
Since 2021, X Academy's robotics programs have engaged more than 200 students from 15 high schools, providing no-cost access to rigorous, hands-on STEM experiences supported by volunteer mentors and community partners.
Hephaestus' World Championship victory demonstrates what is possible when students are given ambitious goals, caring mentorship, authentic challenges, and the opportunity to learn through iteration and perseverance.
Read more on our blog.
InnovateHers
To encourage greater female participation in STEM, X Academy helped launch InnovateHers, a program empowering young women to thrive and pursue their engineering passions.
Welcome to our all-girls robotics team! We are a group of passionate, determined students who believe in the power of creativity, teamwork, and innovation. Robotics is more than just a competition for us—it’s an opportunity to combine our love for problem-solving, engineering, and design while forming lifelong friendships.
What makes our team unique is the environment we’ve built together. Being part of an all-girls team means creating a space where everyone’s voice matters, ideas are celebrated, and encouragement flows freely. It’s about breaking barriers in a field where women are often underrepresented, showing that we belong, and inspiring the next generation of girls to dream big in STEM.
Each of us brings a unique perspective to the table, and together, we create solutions that are greater than the sum of our parts. Whether it’s brainstorming innovative designs, tackling tricky coding problems, or putting the finishing touches on our robot, we take pride in every step of the journey. Seeing our hard work come to life is a feeling like no other—it’s the thrill of watching a robot perform a task we once only imagined.
Beyond the technical skills, this team is about building confidence, supporting one another, and proving that with collaboration and passion, we can achieve amazing things. Robotics is more than just a challenge; it’s a platform to show the world that creativity knows no gender, and neither does success.
We’re excited to share our story, our journey, and our accomplishments with the world. Together, we’re building more than just robots—we’re building a future where every girl knows she has a place in STEM.
Sponsorship & Donation
X Academy is supporting InnovateHers with infrastructure, building space and guidance. But they can’t do it all. That’s where you come in. You can help by donating a gift certificate or experience, so we can make this dream a reality. We need to raise funding for the following:
Purchasing robots, playing fields, and covering competition fees.
Expanding this program to add other middle school and high school girl teams in 2025.
You can help by donating directly by Paypal.
Or if you have your company program, you can also donate via Benevity. and donating to X Academy or InnovateHers.
If you are business owner or a corporation, you can also sponsor InnovateHers. Please contact Shaye.cuervo@xacademy.org
InnovateHers Team
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Amber – VP of Hardware Engineering and Engineer
I'm excited to be on this robotics team because I love the process of creating and improving a design, as well as the practical problem-solving we are able to do leading up to having a cohesive design that can perform well. Being on an all girls team is very important to me because it creates a very encouraging environment where everyone’s ideas can be valued. This team can help us all build confidence while doing something we are passionate about while forming connections.
Pacific Collegiate School, Santa Cruz, CA | Grade: 10
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Arna – VP of Product and Marketing and Engineer
What excites me about robotics is the opportunity to combine creativity, problem-solving, and technology to build something amazing. I love learning new skills, working with my teammates, and seeing our hard work come to life. It's thrilling to watch something we designed and built accomplish tasks we imagined. Being on an all-girls team is incredibly special because it creates a space where we can support and uplift each other. It’s empowering to break barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field and show that we belong here. This team is about collaboration, confidence, and inspiring other girls to pursue STEM.
Los Altos High School, Los Altos, CA | Grade: 9
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Elle – VP of Software Engineering and Engineer
What excites me about robotics is the mix of creativity, teamwork, and technology. I get to design, build, program, and hang out with friends. Seeing something our team built come to life and complete tasks is so exciting. Being on this all-girls team means a lot to me—it’s easier to speak up, have fun, and feel supported. This team is extra special because it represents empowerment, collaboration, and breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field. It’s an opportunity to build confidence while motivating and inspiring others.
Santa Cruz High School, Santa Cruz, CA | Grade: 9
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Isla – VP of Engineering and Game Strategy & Engineer
What excites me most about robotics is the hands-on engineering process, where we can bring our ideas to life and continuously improve our designs, seeing the direct impact of our efforts in the final result. Collaboration plays a huge role in what makes robotics so engaging, as it encourages the exchange of ideas and teamwork to create the best possible version of our project. Being part of an all-girls robotics team is especially impactful, as it fosters a supportive community I can relate to while also empowering other girls to pursue robotics and break down barriers in this field.
Santa Cruz High School, Santa Cruz, CA | Grade: 9
