Skip to content
Robotics — Web news discovery·· 3 days agoEditorial score35

Twin brothers launch Blast Robotics team to expand STEM access in Philadelphia region

Twin brothers build 'Blast Robotics' team for kids in Philly region

Summary

Vivaan and Virat Ponugoti founded Blast Robotics (Team 10989) in Berwyn, PA, to provide local robotics opportunities for youth. The FMA team currently includes roughly 40 members and recently competed in the Ramp Riot competition.

Source: Robotics — Web news discovery · Read original article ↗

Article text · Original source · English

Matteo Iadonisi Image

Tuesday, November 10, 2026 10:43PM

The Ponugoti twins put their brains together to help kids to blast off into the world of robotics in Berwyn, PA.

BERWYN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The Ponugoti twins put their brains together to help kids to blast off into the world of robotics.

Vivaan & Virat Ponugoti are juniors at Conestoga High School and live in Wayne, Pennsylvania. The pair always enjoyed science and technology, but didn't get interested in robotics until high school.

However, one brother did not make the team during their freshman year.

This was the spark that fueled their mission to provide more access to robotics opportunities for kids in the region.

They got their program off the ground through fundraising, social media outreach and word of mouth.

Blast Robotics, also known as Team 10989, launched last year and already has roughly 40 members on board.

Blast Robotics is a FMA (FIRST Mid Atlantic) team, part of Mid Atlantic Robotics. They recently competed in the 'Ramp Riot,' the 26th Annual Robotics Competition at Wissahickon High School.

The program is fueled by many community partners such as Eadeh Enterprises, who donated workshop space to the group.

"From summer camps, to raising monies to support the robotics mission and being an inclusive environment where everyone is learning, leading and thinking about the common goal is incredible," said Stacey H. Ballard, President & CEO of Eadeh Enterprises and member of the board.

Top Stories

Blast Robotics is officially chartered by Keystone STEM Alliance Inc., a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit whose mission is to promote education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

To learn more or get involved, visit their website.

RELATED: 'Crime Scene Expo' lets students imagine the future as a PA State Trooper

Pennsylvania State Troopers help students envision careers on the bomb squad, forensics unit, and more at the 'Crime Scene Expo.'

Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.

What the source reports

Publisher-reported claims, with original evidence. These results have not been independently verified by RoboSignal.

  • paper: not_reported
  • code: not_reported
  • weights: not_reported
  • dataset: not_reported
Source excerpts and review record

Automatically extracted; no manual editorial approval recorded.

technology, but didn't get interested in robotics until high school. However, one brother did not make the team during their freshman year. This was the spark that fueled their mission to provide more access to robotics opportunities for kids in the region. They got their program off the ground through fundraising, social media outreach and word of mouth. Blast Robotics , also known as Team 10989, launched last year

Open source S3

and already has roughly 40 members on board. Blast Robotics is a FMA ( FIRST Mid Atlantic) team, part of Mid Atlantic Robotics . They recently competed in the 'Ramp Riot,' the 26th Annual Robotics Competition at Wissahickon High School. The program is fueled by many community partners such as Eadeh Enterprises, who donated workshop space to the group. "From summer camps, to raising monies to support the robotics mis

Open source S4

sion and being an inclusive environment where everyone is learning, leading and thinking about the common goal is incredible," said Stacey H. Ballard, President & CEO of Eadeh Enterprises and member of the board. Top Stories Blast Robotics is officially chartered by Keystone STEM Alliance Inc., a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit whose mission is to promote education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (ST

Open source S5

EM). To learn more or get involved, visit their website. RELATED: 'Crime Scene Expo' lets students imagine the future as a PA State Trooper Pennsylvania State Troopers help students envision careers on the bomb squad, forensics unit, and more at the 'Crime Scene Expo.' Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Open source S6

Twin brothers build 'Blast Robotics' team for kids in Philly region

Open source S1

Philly Proud Tuesday, November 10, 2026 10:43PM The Ponugoti twins put their brains together to help kids to blast off into the world of robotics in Berwyn, PA. BERWYN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The Ponugoti twins put their brains together to help kids to blast off into the world of robotics. Vivaan & Virat Ponugoti are juniors at Conestoga High School and live in Wayne, Pennsylvania. The pair always enjoyed science and

Open source S2

Source:Robotics — Web news discovery · 6abc.com

Timezone · UTC

Article dates follow your selected timezone. Briefing editions use Hong Kong time (UTC+8).