About STEMRise Modular
Engineering Platforms for the Next Generation of Robotics Education
STEMRise Modular was founded with a simple idea: robotics education should be structured, scalable, and built for long-term learning.
Our Story
STEMRise Modular began with a student’s experience in competitive robotics.
Luke He, a student robotics competitor and two-time National RoboSumo Champion, loved the excitement of the arena. But he also saw a problem: many robotics systems were expensive, difficult to assemble, and designed mainly for older students. For younger learners curious about building and engineering, the tools themselves often became the barrier.
With guidance from mentors at CFI Robotics NFP, he began designing a modular robotics platform that is easier to build, accessible for schools, and flexible enough to grow with students as their skills evolve.
Designed by students, for students — that idea became STEMRise Modular.
Build. Learn. Evolve.
Born from Competition
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Built on real robotics competition experience.
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Bridging classroom learning and competitive performance.
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Designed for students to build, test, and improve.
Vision
A future where hands-on engineering education is structured, progressive, and sustainable, supported by a modular ecosystem that grows with students from classroom exploration to competitive performance.
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Mission
Build. Learn. Evolve.
To design modular engineering systems that enable students and schools to build, test, refine, and advance through hands-on engineering and competition.
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A Platform Approach to Robotics Education
Unlike single-use robot kits, the Gladiator platform is designed as a modular engineering system that enables:
- Continuous engineering skill progression
- Scalable implementation across classrooms and schools
- Alignment with structured robotics competitions
- Long-term platform stability for educational programs
This approach allows schools and student teams to build robotics programs that grow over time rather than restarting at every level.
Supporting Schools and Robotics Programs
Today, the Gladiator platform supports diverse educational environments including:
- After-school robotics programs
- STEM laboratories and makerspaces
- Engineering electives
- Competition robotics teams
The platform is also used in robotics competitions including events within the Illinois 4-H Robotics Competition ecosystem, providing students with real opportunities to apply their engineering skills in structured competition environments.