3D Robotics Duluth hosted a public open house on Friday, September 11, to celebrate its new 6,000-square-foot facility at the Duluth Technology Village, located at 11 E. Superior St., Suites 145 & 165. The community organization supports 25 teams spanning kindergarten through high school, expanding local K-12 STEM opportunities.
Expanding the Footprint of Regional STEM Education
The move to downtown Duluth marks an operational upgrade for 3D Robotics Duluth. The organization now operates out of a dedicated 6,000-square-foot space in the Duluth Technology Village, providing a centralized hub for its 25 student teams. These programs accommodate children ranging from kindergarten all the way through high school, forming a pipeline for technical education across the Twin Ports.
Regional economic development agency APEX played a role in facilitating the transition. At its July 2025 Investor-Member meeting, APEX showcased regional FIRST Robotics teams to emphasize the tangible impact of early engineering programming on the future workforce. Shortly after, APEX helped 3D Robotics Duluth move into the downtown location at 11 E. Superior St., Suites 145 & 165.
Friday’s open house, held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, gave the public a direct look at the facility. Visitors could test hands-on robot activities, interact with student builders, and watch competition robots operate in real time.
Fostering Engineering Curiosity Across the Twin Ports
“Watching our students develop into resourceful, capable individuals who understand the importance of teamwork and respect for others is one of my favorite parts of coaching,” said Amanda Bruno, Program Manager for 3D Robotics Duluth, highlighting the core ethos driving the organization’s expansion.
The sentiment is echoed by participants experiencing the curriculum firsthand. “One of the best parts of robotics is watching younger students find a spark of curiosity and wonder after being introduced to all that engineering can do,” said Cora Bruno, a FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) student at 3D Robotics Duluth. “This space provides more opportunities to connect students to STEM and that’s so exciting.”
Building a Sustainable Pipeline for the Tech Workforce
The new downtown facility ensures that these 25 teams have the square footage required to build, test, and iterate on competition hardware without spatial bottlenecks.
