Robotics for all.
Up the Ratios is a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that gets robotics parts, lessons and mentorship to students who can't afford them. As short and simple as that.
Where resources are scarce, innovation and determination thrive.
We work to improve equity in robotics by giving students who need it a way to compete and learn. Every student deserves the chance to explore STEM, and no dream is too big for a robot built from discarded parts.
Most of the work is done by students: coaches who compete on VEX and FRC teams, writers, and volunteers who sort and ship donated parts to teams inside and outside the U.S.
See what we've done so farWhat we offer
Almost everything costs nothing. That's the point.
Robotics parts for your build, from donated and grant-funded stock.
Step-by-step curriculum, a support team and recruiting templates for an intro to robotics club.
Coaching in programming, computer hardware and gaming, taught by students who compete.
Live sessions on strategy, CAD, notebooks and inspections, with recordings and slides afterwards.
Strategy coaching, design review, programming optimization and competition day prep.
Changing the face of STEM, one student at a time
- $50,000+
- in robotics parts donated
- 1,500+
- hours of free STEM instruction
- 10
- countries across 3 continents
- $5,000+
- in free resources, webinars and workshops
Watch a past webinar
Nothing is scheduled right now. Every session is recorded, with the slides, so you can catch up.
Game Element Interaction - How to Analyze and Manipulate This Year’s Game Elements
Focusing on the physics of the new game elements: gripping, launching, stacking, or dragging techniques.
Robot Meta Forecast: What Types of Designs Will Dominate This Season?
Predicting possible dominant archetypes based on field elements and scoring zones.
Breaking Down This Year’s VEX Game: Strategy, Scoring, and What Wins
Analyzing the 2025–2026 game piece by piece: win conditions, scoring efficiency, and meta-shaping strategies.
Robotics is not just for the privileged few with the newest kits and sleek labs. It's a language of the future that every student deserves to speak. When we make robotics accessible, we don't just teach code or circuitry. We hand someone the blueprint to solve problems, build communities, and rewire their future. True innovation doesn't come from a place of abundance, but from a place where someone was told ‘you can't’, and they learned to solder a new reality anyway.
From discarded parts to groundbreaking creations
Old VEX, LEGO, Arduino or Raspberry Pi parts sitting in a closet can put a team on the field. Send them to us, give money for what can't be donated, or give your time.
- Donate partsWe accept used, extra and unwanted parts of any kind.
- Donate moneyFunds laptops, parts and keeping our programs running.
- VolunteerCoach, write for the blog or build free resources.
From the blog
Commentary on robotics and engineering from competitors, coaches and students.
Making Robotics Accessible—Without Making a Robot Myself
Before joining Up the Ratios, I didn’t have a long history with robotics competitions like VEX or FRC. I wasn’t part of a build team in high school, and I didn’t grow up creating robots. So when I stepped into the role of Media Director at a robotics nonprofit, I wasn’t sure how exactly I would fit in. What I quickly learned is that this organization thrives because it brings together people from a variety of skill sets, and that includes storytellers like me. Up the Ratios isn't just about engineering; it's about making robotics accessible, inclusive, and visible to students and communities that might otherwise never see themselves in STEM. That’s where I realized I could make an impact.
The Use of Robotics in the Future: Transforming the Way We Live and Work
Robotics is no longer the stuff of science fiction. From factory floors and hospital operating rooms to our homes and even outer space, robots have already begun to reshape the world we live in.
FTC vs. VEX vs. FRC: The Ultimate Robotics Showdown
If there’s one thing robotics enthusiasts love more than building robots, it’s debating which competition reigns supreme.