How Twin Brothers Sparked a Movement in STEM and Robotics Education

The story of FRC Team 10989: Blast Robotics and Keystone STEM Alliance Inc. begins with twin brothers — Virat and Vivaan Ponugoti, sophomores at Conestoga High School in Berwyn, PA.

In 2024, Virat earned a spot in his school’s VEX Robotics program, where he quickly excelled and helped lead his team to the VEX World Robotics Competition in Dallas, Texas. His twin brother, Vivaan, despite having strong skills in Arduino, Raspberry Pi, programming, game development, and hands-on engineering projects, was not admitted to the same program due to limited capacity and a selective screening process.

Vivaan had already showcased his creativity and technical talent at the Chester County Invention Convention, yet the missed opportunity was discouraging. Instead of stepping back, he chose to forge ahead.

Accompanied by his mother, Vivaan attended FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) events as a spectator. There, he discovered not only the thrill of robotics but also the inclusive and inspiring community that welcomed students of all backgrounds to learn, innovate, and lead. This experience sparked a vision: why not create that opportunity for more students right here in the Main Line, PA area?

Together, Virat and Vivaan co-founded FRC Team 10989: Blast Robotics, with a mission to make robotics education accessible to every student — without barriers. That vision soon expanded into the creation of Keystone STEM Alliance Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to building a vertically integrated STEM pipeline (FLL → FTC → FRC) to serve hundreds of students across the region.

What began as two brothers’ determination to turn disappointment into opportunity has grown into a movement — a community where students build robots, but also leadership, teamwork, resilience, and a spirit of service.

During their 2024 visit to India, Virat and Vivaan also met with students and teachers in rural schools. Inspired by the need for global access to STEM, they envisioned STEM2ignite, a program designed to bring mobile STEM labs to underserved communities and spark curiosity that could open doors to future careers. Today, they are actively working to make this vision a reality — reaching thousands of students an ocean away.

Today, Keystone STEM Alliance and Blast Robotics stand as proof that one idea — fueled by passion, creativity, and perseverance — can inspire the next generation of innovators and make a lasting impact both locally and globally.