The mentor’s blueprint: engineering the next wave of innovators
From tinkering with Lego to mentoring a world-champion robotics team – this week we discover how passion outweighs prestige and how the next generation learns to build the future.
Vlad Palcu, 19.04.2026, 14:00
YoungAchievers#2 features computer science student and mentor Octavian Dragoș Botoșan as he discusses his journey from a curious five-year-old to a world-class robotics leader.
Octavian reflects on his team’s historic victory as the first non-American winners of the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship, attributing their success to a relentless work ethic that compensated for a lack of corporate funding.
Beyond the trophies, the conversation offers a candid look at the necessity of hands-on education, the importance of corporate mentorship in Europe, and how Octavian helps his students navigate high-pressure environments without burning out.
Delta Force Robotics – further information
The origin story
Established in 2018 at the National Informatics High School in Arad, Delta Force Robotics began as a vision shared by a group of friends and colleagues. What started as a local initiative quickly evolved into Romania’s premier robotics powerhouse, bridging the gap between theoretical informatics and high-level applied engineering.
The foundation: FIRST Tech Challenge
The journey began with the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC). In those early years, the team focused on the Romanian National Championship, building the foundational expertise and technical “brain trust” that would eventually allow us to dominate the global circuit.
The golden milestone: 2022 world champions
In 2022, a landmark year for its founding members, Delta Force achieved the ultimate goal in the FIRST ecosystem. The team was crowned Winner of the FIRST Championship World Finals. This victory put Romanian robotics on the global map, proving that local talent can outperform the most well-funded international programs.
Representing Romania: FIRST Global Singapore
Selected by Nație prin Educație, Delta Force was chosen to represent Romania as Team Romania at the 2023 “Olympics of Robotics” in Singapore. Competing against nearly every nation in the world, Delta Force demonstrated both technical and organizational excellence, earning the Bronze Medal for Innovation in Engineering and the Silver Medal for Sustainability and Fundraising.
The next frontier: FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)
In 2023, DFR took a historic step by founding the first-ever Romanian team in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). Established in 1992, FRC is the most prestigious tier of robotics, supported globally by entities like NASA, the US Department of Defense, and major tech giants. Delta Force now stands as the vanguard of this elite program in Romania.
Current momentum and global qualifications
The momentum continues to build on the international stage. This year, the FRC team has qualified for the World Robotics Championship, while the FTC team has secured a spot at the Mexico Premier Event – a top-tier competition reserved for the elite-performing teams globally.
The vision
Delta Force Robotics isn’t just building robots, it is building the infrastructure for Romania’s next wave of innovators. As World Champions and pioneers of the FRC program, Delta Force Robotics remains committed to engineering excellence, sustainability and representing the Romanian spirit of innovation worldwide.
Follow the journey
https://www.instagram.com/delta_force_robotics/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/delta-force-robotics/
https://www.youtube.com/@deltaforcerobotics
