March 3-9, 2025
Nathan Benderson Park | Sarasota, Florida, USA
RoboBoat 2025 was held in-person at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida, USA, with 27 teams representing 9 countries — Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Türkiye and the United States and Puerto Rico. A record 17 (yes, that’s 1 – 7) teams qualified! But as Technical Director Bill Porter emphasized, this competition is not just about winning — it’s also about learning. Kudos to ALL teams with special mention of, and encouragement to, teams that came to the competition, gave it their all, but didn’t qualify.
At the Sunday evening awards ceremony & reception, the teams celebrated their hard work and accomplishments with new friends and expressed determination to meet again at RoboBoat 2026.
Congratulations to all RoboBoat 2025 teams! We look forward to seeing you in 2026!
Autonomy Challenge Awards
1st Place ($4,500): INSTITUT TEKNOLOGI SEPULUH NOPEMBER (Barunastra ITS RoboBoat Team)
2nd Place ($2,500): UNIVERSITAS SEBELAS MARET (Bengawan UV Team)
3rd Place ($1,500): UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (UM::Autonomy)
4th Place ($1,500): AGH UNIVERSITY OF KRAKOW (AGH Solar Boat Team)
5th Place ($1,000): CORNELL UNIVERSITY (AutoBoat)
6th Place ($1,000): FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY (Owltonomous)
7th Place ($500): TURKISH NAVAL ACADEMY (Özden)
Design Documentation
1st Place Overall ($1,500): MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (MIT Arcturus)
2nd Place Overall TIE ($500): INSTITUT TEKNOLOGI SEPULUH NOPEMBER (Barunastra ITS RoboBoat Team)
2nd Place Overall TIE ($500): UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (UM::Autonomy)
TOP Technical Design Report ($500): GDAŃSK UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE CLUB SimLE (SimLE SeaSentinel)
TOP Design Strategy Presentation ($500): GDAŃSK UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE CLUB SimLE (SimLE SeaSentinel)
TOP System Assessment ($500): GDAŃSK UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE CLUB SimLE (SimLE SeaSentinel)
TOP Website ($500): UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO MAYAGÜEZ (UPRM RoboBoat Team)
TOP Team Introduction Video ($500): GDAŃSK UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE CLUB SimLE (SimLE SeaSentinel)
Special Awards
Engagement Recognition Award (Banner): LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY (Team Amore)
Persistence Exemplified (Water Bottles): KYUSHU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (OUXT-Polaris)
Collaborative Excellence Award ($200): UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA & HAGERTY HIGH SCHOOL (The Water Dogs)
Collaborative Excellence Award ($100 & 2x T200 Thrusters): MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND (Iceberg ASV)
STEM Impact ($300 & 2x T200 Thrusters): MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (MIT Arcturus)
Rising Innovators ($300 & 2x T200 Thrusters): HUMBER POLYTECHNIC (Humber ASV)
Data & Discovery ($400): JAMES MARTIN HIGH SCHOOL (MHS Seals)
Systems Engineering ($600): ADVANCING SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY & ART (Team Inspiration)
Systems Engineering ($600): NAVIER USN (Navier USN)
RoboBoat 2025 Detailed Scoresheet: Click here to view
RoboBoat 2025 Awards Ceremony: Click here to view