Ministry Of Inspiration is the exclusive provider of NZAquaBots in New Zealand. MOI works with local coordinators to run local events delivering the programme developed by MOI in conjunction with RoboNation (Sea Perch).

Anyone or any school can purchase NZAquaBots and have fun with them! Competition procedures are to be followed if students wish to attend the Regional/National event and potentially feed to the International event run by Sea Perch in the USA. To compete, all you have to do is build your NZ Aquabot to the rules for the current year (see resources for rules), then participate in a qualifying regional (see further down for a list of regionals).  Teams who place 1st, 2nd or 3rd in their regional qualify for the National event.  Teams who place 1st in the High School Division and Intermediate Division are eligible for the International SeaPerch event run in the USA by RoboNation.

If you have questions, please contact us: admin@ministryofinspiration.org

The image below shows the typical contents of an NZ Aquabots kit. To purchase one or get replacement parts please visit our shop. Many of the parts are sourced locally and so may differ slightly from those shown here. You will also need to purchase a battery for the kit locally.  The kit is re-usable, as advanced students need to modify the structure of the AquaBot from year to year in order to compete.

If you are in one of our supported areas then you can chose which (or all) of the free support that is available for you.

1. Build days – we bring all the tools and equipment required to create or adapt your robot.  By the end of the day teams will have a fully functioning robot and will be ready for testing.  We can adapt these days to support new teams, existing teams and everything in between
2. Teaching and Learning Guide – our teaching and learning guide (accessible under resources) or as a printed copy has a host of pre-activities, extension activities and includes all the science and math knowledge you need to be able to support your NZAquabots team
3. Online Masterclasses – we provide free 2 hour masterclasses on how to create the paperwork required, including the Factsheet (1 page poster), Presentation (10min presentation on the team’s learning journey) and technical report.  These sessions are practical and cover design principles and elements as well as providing feedback on student work.
4. Pool practice sessions – where possible we arrange free practice pool sessions so those schools without a pool can participate on a level playing field.  Often other local schools host these, so we appreciate their support as well.
5. A co-ordinator on call – we’re always here via email or phone to help if it all goes pear shaped, so reach out if you are struggling or think your teams are.

• 1st Place (Qualifying for the International Competition): Dot Bot from St Mark’s School Te Kura o Hato Māka (Christchurch)
• 2nd Place: Yellow Box Fish from STEAMS School Nelson (Nelson) + Cthulhu from Allandale School (Whakatane)
• 3rd Place: Zebrabots from Renwick School (Marlborough)

Congratulations to all our participants and we hope to see you in 2025