Renaissance Jax: Building a Future of Innovation in North Florida
Renaissance Jax is the North Florida Affiliate Partner for the world’s biggest youth robotics competition platform, FIRST Robotics.
Between 2013 and 2018, we’ve grown from 120 to over 4,000 students who design, build, and program robots for competition each year. With thousands of young people in Jacksonville equipped with technical and soft skills, our economic landscape will transform drastically.
Our founder, Mark McCombs, a FIRST Alumni, witnessed firsthand how robotics skills set his peers apart, many of whom went on to work for top firms like Apple, SpaceX, Google, and the Dept. of Defense. Imagine companies like these setting up shop in a region with a high density of tech talent and a low cost of living.
Renaissance Jax was founded on the belief that we could produce more talented young people per capita by building more FIRST Robotics teams than any other city. We aim to answer questions like, “What do you do with 1,000 of the most talented people on earth?”
In Duval County Public Schools alone, there are 130,000 students. If just 10% join a robotics team, that’s a huge number gaining skills in programming, automation, machine design, fundraising, business formation, and more. Multiply this across the 20-county region we manage for FIRST Robotics, and you can see a bright future led by alumni from our programs.
From training teachers, directly sponsoring teams, coordinating with corporate sponsors and private donors, partnering with school districts and universities, hosting over 60 events annually, to driving a growth strategy for teams, tournaments, and our volunteer network, Renaissance Jax is a hands-on approach to community building. In any 5 to 10-year span, our participants will step into influential roles, driving our future with skills that prepare them to lead.
Our recent growth is among the fastest nationally for FIRST Robotics. We helped pilot Camp Amazon, connecting FIRST with Amazon’s Fulfillment Centers, received the Arts Innovator award from the Cultural Council, and partnered with Duval County Public Schools to create one of the largest robotics programs in a public school district.
We envision a future where over 25,000 kids annually grow through FIRST, acquiring skills that will transform North Florida’s culture. Our story and vision have been shared by local media, including a TEDxJacksonville talk where our founder spoke on “Why Every Kid Should Build a Robot.”
You can find us online at www.renaissancejax.org — see you at competitions around the region each fall and spring!
