Firewheel STEM Institute’s Annual Report Shows a Growing STEM Pipeline in Arizona

By Kyle Macdonald, COO of Silicon Oasis

Firewheel STEM Institute has released its 2025–26 Annual Report, offering a look at how the Chandler-based nonprofit is expanding STEM education, competitive robotics and hands-on engineering opportunities across Arizona.

The organization may have a new name, but its roots go back more than three decades.

Originally founded as the Si Se Puede Foundation in Chandler in 1993, the organization began by serving underserved families and youth through after-school programs, tutoring and community outreach. In 2025, it officially became Firewheel STEM Institute, reflecting what the organization has evolved into: a nonprofit focused on robotics, engineering, advanced manufacturing, technology education and workforce development.
Its mission is straightforward: bridge the STEM divide in underserved communities and help prepare students for the 21st-century workforce.

One of the biggest developments highlighted in this year's report is the launch of the STEAM Engine, Firewheel's fully self-contained mobile STEM center.

The mobile lab is equipped with computers, 3D printers, laser engravers, CNC equipment and other tools that allow Firewheel to bring hands-on technology education directly to communities instead of requiring students to come to its Chandler facility.

Since debuting in January, the STEAM Engine has conducted demonstrations and workshops at seven new locations and exposed more than 1,000 people to STEM educational opportunities. Stops included Lions Camp Tatiyee in Pinetop, Willis Junior High and the Chandler Innovation Fair.

The report estimates the program can reach roughly 2,000 people annually through community outreach.

Firewheel is also developing students through competitive robotics at several stages of their education.

Its junior-high Binary Bots program introduces students to engineering, programming and robot design. Its high-school Degrees of Freedom team gives students experience designing, manufacturing and programming a 120-pound competition robot while working with mentors from industry and higher education.
The results this year were notable.

Degrees of Freedom qualified for the FIRST Robotics Competition World Championships for the eighth consecutive year, while Binary Bots finished first in the high-school division and second overall at the 2026 National Underwater Robotics Challenge.

At the collegiate level, Firewheel supports Desert WAVE — Women in Autonomous Vehicle Engineering, an all-women autonomous underwater robotics team operated in partnership with Arizona State University.

Desert WAVE finished second in the world and first among U.S. teams at the 2025 RoboNation RoboSub competition. The program gives students hands-on experience in areas including autonomous systems, computer vision, AI, mechanical engineering and software development.

Across Firewheel's programs, the annual report shows an organization beginning to operate at meaningful scale.

During 2025–26, Firewheel reported 300 students across 30 FIRST LEGO League teams, 192 students participating in workshops, 50 students across 10 teams at NURC, and 125 individuals representing 50 robotics teams supported through its broader robotics community.

Behind those programs is a significant volunteer base. Firewheel reported 4,624 volunteer hours, representing an estimated $167,298 in donated time.

Firewheel is now looking at its next stage of growth.

The organization currently operates from a 5,200-square-foot STEM Center in Chandler, which provides manufacturing equipment, robotics practice fields, workshops and community programming.

With participation increasing, Firewheel says it is evaluating opportunities to expand its facilities and programs so it can serve more students, educators and families while increasing collaboration with schools and industry partners.

Financially, the organization reported another record year for gross revenue, supported primarily by corporate and foundation contributions. Expenses grew alongside revenue, leaving Firewheel approximately break-even for the year. The report notes that FY2025–26 financial figures remain preliminary until its Form 990 is finalized.
For Arizona's technology ecosystem, the story here is bigger than robotics competitions.

Arizona talks a lot about attracting technology companies and creating high-paying jobs. But that only works long term if we are also developing people here who can fill those jobs, start companies and build the next generation of technology.

Firewheel is working on that pipeline from the ground up.

And its 2025–26 Annual Report shows that pipeline getting bigger.