Plan your child's STEM pathway, competition by competition
Robotics, math, science, computing, research. Discover the right program at every age — and the natural next step after it.
Six tracks. Every K-12 STEM competition worth knowing.
Click any track to see the programs that fit your child's age, interests, and ambition.
Robotics & Engineering
Design, build, and program robots for league play, ocean engineering, drones, and aerospace challenges.
Math
Olympiads, problem-solving leagues, and team tournaments from elementary through high school.
Science Olympiads
Subject-specific competitions in biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, earth science, and neuroscience.
Computing & Cybersecurity
Competitive programming, capture-the-flag security challenges, and app development contests.
Research & Project-Based
Original research, science fairs, innovation challenges, and entrepreneurship competitions.
Multidisciplinary STEM
Cross-disciplinary competitions, quiz bowls, and team engineering challenges.
Verified winners, real contest cutoffs, live team rosters
We sync directly from official sources (Blue Alliance, Statbotics, USACO, Congressional App Challenge) so every list is current — not last decade's screenshots.
From "where do we start?" to "we know the path."
Most directories list programs. We help you choose the right one and prepare for it.
Discover
Filter by grade, format, cost, and category. Every program has plain-English answers to the questions parents actually ask.
Compare
See feeders and next-level competitions side by side. Know whether FLL leads to FTC or VEX before you commit a season.
Prepare
Curated prep resources and mentorship pathways through our Research Ignited programs. From first robotics club to national finals.
Marquee competitions worth your attention
The most established, high-impact programs across every track.
FIRST Robotics Competition
High-school robotics with industrial-grade kits and a new game every January.
FIRST Tech Challenge
Mid-sized robotics for grades 7-12 using metal kits and Java/Blocks programming.
FIRST LEGO League Challenge
Entry-level robotics for grades 4-8 using LEGO SPIKE Prime kits.
VEX Robotics Competition
World's largest robotics competition with VEX V5 hardware.
SeaPerch Underwater Robotics
Build an underwater ROV from PVC and motors — entry-level ocean engineering.
American Rocketry Challenge
The world's largest student rocket contest. Team event for grades 7–12 — design, build and launch a rocket that hits a specific altitude and flight time.
From elementary curiosity to national finals.
Most parents don't realize the top robotics programs feed into each other. Here's one of the clearest progressions in K-12 STEM.
FLL Challenge
Entry-level robotics for grades 4-8 using LEGO SPIKE Prime kits.
FTC
Mid-sized robotics for grades 7-12 using metal kits and Java/Blocks programming.
FRC
High-school robotics with industrial-grade kits and a new game every January.
CompeteSTEM maps these progressions for math, computing, science, and research too. See all pathways →
We spent two weekends bouncing between FIRST websites trying to figure out whether to start our 6th grader in FLL or FTC. CompeteSTEM answered it in 30 seconds — and then showed me three other competitions I'd never heard of that fit even better.