The national robotics team, Autovortex, has been selected to represent Romania at the world's most prestigious robotics competition, the VEX Robotics World Championship 2025. However, the participation of these young roboticists, who have collectively amassed the most accolades in their field, was in jeopardy due to a financial constraints. On the final day of registration, the necessary financial resources to cover the entry fee were not available.
The Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania has provided financial backing for the participation of two teams of young robotics experts, led by Professor Ionuț Panea. Over the past five years, AutoVortex has consistently achieved first place or gold in major international competitions. In 2025, the team commenced the year with a strong start, securing first place and the Excellence Award in Kuwait, and achieving first place in Turkey. In 2024, the team secured first place in Morocco, and in 2023, they achieved three gold medals in Switzerland, Belgium, and India. Noteworthy achievements in 2022 include the Gold Trophy at the competition in Utah, USA, and first place in Libya.
At this year's VEX Robotics World Championship, which is to be held from 6-15 May in Dallas, USA, AutoVortex will compete for the first time with two teams: one comprised of high school students and the other of college students. This development follows a series of notable achievements earlier in the year, including first place at the International Robotics Championship in Istanbul and a double success in Kuwait, where the team was awarded first place and the Excellence Award.
The VEX Robotics World Championship has been officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest robotics competition on the planet. Annually, thousands of schoolchildren and students from over 50 countries convene in Dallas to evaluate robots that they have independently constructed and programmed. The event is organised with the support of renowned partners such as NASA, the US Army and Texas Instruments, and the competition emphasises innovation, strategy and teamwork, in the spirit of applied science.
AutoVortex's participation in the VEX Robotics World Championship 2025 represents a significant opportunity to showcase the remarkable capabilities of young Romanians on the global robotics stage. Among the 15 team members who will be attending the event in Dallas are Briana Musat, Ștefan Sîrbescu, and Antonia Popescu Burchi, who were finalists in the "100 Youngsters for Romania's Development" campaign. The young people are currently undergoing rigorous training in preparation for the opportunity to represent Romania at the highest level in robotics.
The AutoVortex National Robotics Team has accumulated over 13 years of successful participation in International and World Robotics Championships worldwide. A notable milestone was achieved in 2021 when the team secured first place at the International Championships in Chicago, USA, marking a historic achievement as the first team to win on American shores at this level of competition in the world, a record that has not been matched in over 33 years. The team's consistent performance was further demonstrated in 2020, where they secured first place at the prestigious FIRST Russia Robotics Championship in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia.
In addition to its participation in the VEX circuit, AutoVortex has distinguished itself in the context of FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) competitions, representing another significant international programme for students with a passion for robotics. Between 2012 and 2017, the team represented Romania at six consecutive editions of the FTC World Championship (USA), reaching the World Finals on two occasions and achieving second place in the world in 2012 and 2013, and third place in 2015. In more recent times, at the 2023 FTC World Championship in Houston, USA, Autovortex advanced to the Edison Division Final and was awarded the Control Award, a distinction bestowed upon individuals or entities demonstrating unparalleled prowess in the domains of programming and technological innovation.
AutoVortex is an integral component of the "100 Youngsters for Romania's Development" campaign, a pioneering initiative spearheaded by the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Advancement of Romania. The objective of this campaign is to identify and provide support to talented individuals in various disciplines, thereby facilitating their growth and advancement.
