MassRobotics Jumpstart Fellowship celebrates five years of robotics STEM accomplishments

MassRobotics, a Boston-based nonprofit robotics innovation hub, announced the celebration of five years of its Jumpstart Fellowship program.

MassRobotics said the Jumpstart Fellowship has empowered nearly 100 high school girls across Massachusetts since its founding in 2021, with 88% of graduates pursuing STEM fields and many already contributing to the state's innovation economy through internships and university research.

MassRobotics shared results from the first five years of the program in its recently published Jumpstart Fellowship 5-year report. 

Additionally, MassRobotics announced that applications are now open for Jumpstart Fellowship Cohort 6. 

Jumpstart Fellowship Program details

The MassRobotics Jumpstart Fellowship Program was created in 2021 to provide opportunities for diverse Massachusetts high school girls to learn about STEM careers in robotics and prepare for future pathways in STEM.

The program provides students with a solid foundation in technical skills, as well as mentors and a professional network that offer support and foster confidence, along with direct engagement with industry professionals.

Jumpstart programming is held on Saturdays from January through May and includes a full week of sessions and field trips to robotics companies during the Mass. February public school vacation week (February 16-20, 2026). Following this, students gain real-world experience through paid internships at a robotics or technology company.

MassRobotics said a key part of the Jumpstart program is making sure the young women feel confident and empowered to enter the STEM field. Students learn directly from mentors about various robotics career paths and how to leverage their studies into a career in robotics through lab and company visits.

All female high school juniors and seniors with a passion for robotics and technology are encouraged to apply, with Boston students given priority.

Interested candidates can meet Jumpstart Alum and mentors on site at the upcoming annual Robot Block Party where they can ask questions and learn more directly from them and the Jumpstart Program Manager.

Jumpstart Program graduates shared their experiences about the program:

• "I found my passion in engineering and coding, and my future has never felt clearer." Helena, 2021
• "Entering the professional world is not easy, but this program has worked with us to make this path a lot easier." Tairine, 2022
• "Jumpstart was a perfect opportunity to be able to interact with other girls who had a similar interest in STEM and the robotics field and pretty much anything to do with engineering." Abigail, 2023
• "The program not only helped me envision myself as an engineer for the first time, but also helped me find my spark (pun intended) in electrical engineering. I would not be the student and person I am today without the support of the MassRobotics Jumpstart program," Catherine, 2024
• "Being in such a welcoming space with dedicated and passionate fellows and mentors, I feel like I've grown so much as a student and as a person," Aliana, 2025