06 Oct Tullman Family Office Continues Support for STEM Education with $1 Million Donation to the 2025 FIRST Global Challenge in Panama
Manchester, New Hampshire – October 6, 2025 – FIRST Global, the international robotics nonprofit with a mission to inspire science and technology leadership in young people around the world through the sport of robotics, is proud to announce that the Tullman Family Office has renewed its sponsorship with a $1 million Gold-level donation to support the 2025 FIRST Global Challenge. This year’s event, themed “Eco Equilibrium”, will take place 29 October – 1 November in Panama City, Panama.
Dean Kamen, famed inventor and founder of FIRST Global, expressed his gratitude for the continued support. “At FIRST Global, we believe in the power of young people to use science and technology as tools to solve the world’s most urgent challenges. The continued investment from the Tullman Family Office represents not only financial support, but also a profound commitment to the belief that every student from every country deserves the opportunity to learn, innovate, and lead. Together, we are building a future in which every student has access to a quality STEM education and the drive to change the world.”
Each year, the FIRST Global Challenge unites high school-aged youth from over 190 countries for the world’s most international robotics competition. The 2025 Eco Equilibrium theme challenges teams to design and build robots that protect biodiversity, restore ecosystems, and highlight the interdependence of human and natural systems. Beyond the robotics matches, the event also includes the New Technology Experience (NTE), an innovation challenge where teams will showcase groundbreaking solutions that maximize biodiversity to ensure the survival and prosperity of life on Earth.
Cayley Tull, President of the Tullman Family Office, said, “The stakes are higher than the robots in the arena. The challenges facing our planet—climate change, biodiversity loss, economic inequity—will require the very qualities being forged here: determination, creativity, collaboration, and courage. The act of learning STEM in this context is not just about equations and engineering; it is an investment in future problem-solvers and leaders who can imagine a better world and then build it.”
The Tullman Family Office’s $1 million donation will empower students around the globe to participate in this unique event, with a special emphasis on creating opportunities for young women in STEM. By supporting these future leaders, the sponsorship helps ensure that the benefits of science, technology, and innovation reach every corner of the world.
About the Tullman Family Office
The Tullman Family Office (TFO) directs the Chicago-based Tullman family’s philanthropy, political advocacy, business investments focused on social impact, and community engagement initiatives. We partner with visionary leaders, grassroots organizations, and creative thinkers to move beyond incremental progress — reimagining resources, accelerating impact, and activating collective solutions that advance equity and opportunity for all. For more information about TFO’s philanthropic work, visit: https://www.tullmanfamilyoffice.org/
About FIRST Global
FIRST Global is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity established by the founder of FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), Dean Kamen. Our mission is to inspire leadership and innovation in youth from all nations by empowering them through education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — also known as STEM.
Press Contact:
Matt Stalford
press@first.global
+1 (484) 574-2660
