TTI Commits $100,000 Matching Fund for ECIA Foundation FIRST Robotics Campaign 
Generous donation ‘primes the pump’ for this year’s FIRST Robotics fund-raising effort.

Atlanta — ECIA Foundation launched the 2023 fund-raising campaign for FIRST Robotics a few weeks ago. Today, the Foundation is pleased to announce that to prime the pump, TTI companies have generously committed a matching fund from TTI for the first $100,000 of members’ FIRST gifts to the ECIA Foundation. Thanks to the TTI team! 

The mission of FIRST is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based competitions that build science, engineering, and technology skills, inspire innovation, and foster well-rounded life skills including self-confidence, communication, and leadership. According to Founder Dean Kamen, a culture is defined by the qualities it celebrates. If we want more scientists to solve the challenges we face, we must transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders. FIRST Robotics competitions are designed to do just that. 

“ECIA and many of our members have long supported this amazing organization and have seen the impact it has on young people who will be our industry’s future,” explained David Loftus, ECIA Foundation President. “With our 2023 campaign we are encouraging members to donate directly through the Foundation to increase awareness of electronic components industry careers among FIRST participants. Dean Kamen, the founder of FIRST, was again our keynote speaker at our annual October Executive Conference in Chicago. He shared some of the financial challenges from two years without competitions, but also inspired the audience with a strong positive vision of FIRST’s impact on motivating kids toward STEM education. Dean moved the crowd with his captivating stories of how these competitions are benefiting our industry, our country, and our planet.”

There are several ways to donate to FIRST, and many ECIA members are already ongoing donors financially via their donation of cash, components, online store vouchers, event and team sponsorships, and mentorships. This year ECIA is encouraging donations directly through the ECIA Foundation.

“This donation path provides ECIA with a stronger platform to provide more compelling information to >500,000 kids per year about their opportunities to join the workforces of our electronic components manufacturers, distributors, and rep firms,” David continued.  

“We ask that the industry strongly support this effort and commit your charitable contributions to the ECIA Foundation by March 15, 2023.  A select set of our largest donors by member type will be invited to attend the FIRST Worldwide Championships April 19-22 in Houston, TX as guests of Dean Kamen."

“To prime the pump, TTI companies has generously committed a matching fund from TTI for the first $100,000 of members’ FIRST gifts to the ECIA Foundation. We thank the TTI team! And of course, we welcome further matching donations from our members,” he concluded. 

Please see the following for more information and inspiration about FIRST:

• More information about FIRST
• About FIRST Robotics Competition (2021)
• I am FIRST: Inspiring Dreamer
• Excerpts from Dean Kamen’s Keynote at Executive Conference

To make a donation to FIRST through the ECIA Foundation, click here.