Members
The following members are involved in the non-profit organisation HANDS on TECHNOLOGY
Since our founding in 2002 we work successfully in the STEM educational area and organise research and robotics competitions for children and young people. It is our mission to not only teach children and young people technical skills - we also enable them to use technology sensibly, think independently, communicate ideas and interact with good spirits. Our current Board consists of up to five members of the association and was elected in June 2024. The association as a total has 40 members.
You want to be a member of the association as well? We are looking forward to hearing from you!
Please contact us at info@hands-on-technology.org for information on it.
The English version of this site is currently in the works. Please refer to the German site for more information about the Board and members for now, thank you.
Board
Jakub Stribrny
Chairman of the Board
"I was 10 years old at my first FIRST LEGO League regional competition and then grew up with FIRST LEGO League. Long out of the age of participants, FIRST LEGO League is still part of my life and I can't imagine life without it. I've learned a lot for my life and had great experiences through the competition, and I wish as many as possible could experience the same."
Fabian Schmidtchen
Vice Chairman of the Board
"I first participated in the FIRST LEGO League in 2014. Even back then, I was impressed by how well different interests within the team complemented each other. We learned a lot from one another – often without even realizing it. Taking part not only strengthened my technical skills but also my social abilities. Friendships were formed that extended beyond my own team.
When I was no longer eligible to participate due to age, I still wanted to support the educational program. Since then, I have been involved in various roles. What brings me the most joy is seeing teams present their results after months of hard work – because the greatest gain lies in the social skills that have an impact far beyond the competition."
Irmgard Rothkirch / Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum
"Working for and with young people inspires my everyday work. At FIRST LEGO League, I'm always impressed by the competition participants' wealth of ideas in dealing with modern technologies. I wouldn't want to miss the motivated and cheerful competition atmosphere. As an employee of a museum that wants to bring the history of information and communication technology closer to young people in particular, I look forward to being able to support the work of HANDS on."
Thomas Madeya
"FIRST LEGO League has stayed with me since my first season as a coach in 2006. Because it's about much more than building and programming a robot. The kids solve tasks as a team that they couldn't do alone. And to do this, they have to learn to set goals for themselves, take responsibility and not give up even when they have setbacks.
FIRST LEGO League only works if there are competitions. That's why I've been involved with HANDS on TECHNOLOGY since 2013. The association and the community of volunteers ensure that over 1,000 teams can take part in competitions every year and thus playfully build up the skills they need for their digital future."
Members
Noah Dechant
"I was a passionate participant for many years as part of the team 'Mäc-LEGO RMS' and am now a volunteer. Without FIRST LEGO League, many things in my life would have turned out very differently, and I’m very grateful for that. I probably wouldn’t have gotten to know my teammates as well, never would have seen Australia, and likely wouldn’t be studying mathematics today."
Armin Gardeia
"Fifteen years ago, I discovered the FIRST LEGO League in Paderborn and immediately participated in the finals! Hooked by the event and the concept of FIRST LEGO League, I then pulled out all the stops to bring FIRST LEGO League to OTH Regensburg, which succeeded. For the past 14 years, I have been organizing the regional event, frequently the qualifiers, once the finals, and for the past few years, Explore as well. I have also been a board member of the association for several years."
Stefan Ginthum
"Germany lacks skilled workers in the technical and scientific fields, as well as engineers. University graduates in the so-called MINT subjects do not meet the needs of our economy. Germany's economy needs the next generation of STEM workers. There has been a lot of talk about this, but unfortunately the implementation of the measures is often lacking or they start too late.
With the FIRST LEGO League, HANDS on TECHNOLOGY offers the perfect MINT promotion program and inspires children and young people in a playful way. Children learn about technical processes, use digital technologies and learn to program machines, apply mathematical and scientific laws and acquire skills in the areas of communication, cooperation and independent problem-solving. These are skills that are very important in later professional life. This is how I imagine a contemporary educational program. And that's why I'm happy to be a member of HANDS on TECHNOLOGY."
Monique Gitschel
"I want to support the valuable work of HANDS on TECHNOLOGY e.V. and inspire children and young people to get excited about the program."
Katrin Habelmann
"Seeing that there is an association in my home region that brings technology and science closer to children and young people with passion immediately excited me. As a woman who has been working in the technical field for over 13 years now, I know how important it is to lose your awe of technology from an early age and how much fun you can have doing it. My great motivation is to support people, especially children and young people, to develop themselves and to get to know the widest possible range of professional perspectives. Therefore, I am happy to accompany the association HANDS on TECHNOLOGY in its implementation."
Kristina Hagen
"STEM education is more important today than ever before. There is a shortage of thousands of young professionals in the scientific and technical fields, and many students do not have the opportunity for low-threshold exposure to robotics, technology and programming. Yet there are high-quality, exciting and sustainable STEM education programs like FIRST LEGO League. Children and young people are challenged to think creatively through play and teamwork, and their STEM skills are fostered in a variety of ways. That's great!
Since 2021, I have been working full-time for the Leipzig office of HANDS on TECHNOLOGY e.V. As a member of the association, I would also like to work to improve STEM education in German schools and help more children and young people benefit from FIRST LEGO League. I would like to contribute my previous professional experience in the education sector and help develop new perspectives for the association and increase awareness of the STEM offerings."
Kevin-Lee Hörnberger
"I am a mathematics teacher among other things and currently working as the project lead of the South Westphalia Regional Project DigiMath4Edu, focusing on the integration of digital media into mathematics education. Since 2007, I’ve been involved with the FIRST LEGO League as a coach, judge, referee, and regional partner. This long-standing connection drives me often successfully to inspire others with the diversity and richness of the FIRST LEGO League.
I’ve made it my mission to link this well-established program with the curricula of mainstream schools and to provide fellow teachers with practical teaching materials. The combination of fun, hands-on research, and the valuable skills participants develop makes it easy for me to overlook the effort that goes into supporting such a competition. My wish is that as many students as possible get to have these amazing experiences through our work."
Florian Hoos
"The FIRST LEGO League has been a fixed part of my life since 2017 and has significantly shaped it. As a member of the team 'Robotus Maurus,' I learned what it means to collaborate as a team and achieve great things together. Initially, I remained loyal to the Robot Game, but through the research project, I eventually found my way into electrical engineering, leading to my current apprenticeship as an electronics technician for automation technology. The FIRST LEGO League has given me direction, stability, and perspective – therefore, I feel responsible for offering current students the same opportunities. I am convinced that early exposure to STEM within the FIRST LEGO League is incredibly important for development, as well as discovering one's own interests and strengths. As a co-coach of 'Mäc-LEGO RMS,' in addition to gaining many impressions from the competition from the coach's perspective, I also had the unique opportunity to accompany a competition team to the World Final of the APOC in Sydney. Since 2024/25, I have been supporting the FIRST LEGO League as a volunteer and aim to expand my commitment even further through my membership in the organization."
Ute Ihme
"When I started working at the Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, I dedicated myself to promoting young people in the field of technology and science. The LEGO Mindstorms sets are perfect for this. It quickly became clear that challenges were needed to keep young people interested in the subject in the long term.
In 2007, I took part in a competition for the first time with a team. Since 2008, a regional competition has been held at our university in Mannheim. Since then, FIRST LEGO League has captivated me and my family, so we not only organize our competition, but also regularly participate in other competitions as judges and jury members. But RoboCup Junior is also a valuable competition that I have also been actively involved in for over 10 years. I have been hosting a qualifying tournament at the university for 5 years. I am happy to be able to contribute my experience to the association."
Jens Jankowsky
"The FIRST LEGO League has been part of my life since 2008 and still shapes a significant portion of my free time today. Initially, I was a regional partner in eastern Germany, developing the competitions in Schwedt and Eisenhüttenstadt. When my son was 10 years old, I established a robotics club at his elementary school and have since supported at least one FIRST LEGO League team annually. The core values of the FIRST LEGO League have always been a great guideline in the club, and I observe the children growing and developing their own enthusiasm through it. Naturally, building robots, solving challenges, and tackling the annually changing research tasks bring us joy and fun time and again. Thus, I remain convinced of the FIRST LEGO League concept and willingly invest my time volunteering. I have met many wonderful people before and during the competitions, and for that, I am grateful to everyone."
Reiko Käske
Creativity, technical understanding and the courage to come up with your own solutions - these qualities are becoming increasingly important. HANDS on TECHNOLOGY offers children and young people an ideal incentive to strengthen these talents individually with ideas that are fun and provide the right "aha" effect. The final events at which I have already been a guest have left a lasting impression on me. The participants' enjoyment of the challenge, the work in the teams, the joint solving of tricky tasks, the seemingly effortless handling of digital technology. This is intelligent and contemporary education, and that's why I'm very happy to support the association's work.
www.finewords.de
Philipp Krauss
"My first contact with HANDS on TECHNOLOGY and FIRST LEGO League was work-related, but the virus infected me. Time and again, the young participants at the competition impress me with their own enthusiasm, for the competition, for research (simply questioning things, developing new ideas) and - of course - for technology. I'm delighted to be able to accompany HANDS on in this."
Marius Kümmel
"The FIRST LEGO League has been part of my life since 2019, and nowhere else have I had the chance to gain so many valuable experiences all of which I’m deeply grateful for. Through the competition, I’ve been able to meet some of my best friends, learn how to research, develop, and present ideas, grow from mistakes, and celebrate successes.
These experiences have helped me face challenges and grow both personally and professionally. That’s exactly the kind of opportunity I want to make possible for other children and young people. That’s why I want to remain committed to the competition not only as a volunteer, but also as a member of the organization.
I'm ready to contribute my ideas even more actively, take on responsibility within the internal organization, and help improve the competition further. The strength of the FIRST LEGO League lies in its vibrant community and I want to do my part to ensure that this community continues to thrive."
Yasemin Daglioglu-Schnell/ LEGO A/S
"We need to show kids that creating and building a video game or robot can be more fun than playing with it. The FIRST LEGO League robotics competition is great for that."
www.lego.com
Hendrik Madeya
"The FIRST LEGO League has inspired me since my first participation as a team member. Since 2006, I've seen anew every year how many children and young people master the FIRST LEGO League challenges. But it's about much more than just building a LEGO robot. The kids get the chance to learn the skills they will need in their future careers in an almost playful environment. Since I myself have benefited from the experiences in the FIRST LEGO League, it is my motivation to be able to offer children and young people the same opportunity. That is why I am involved in the Nano Giants Academy & HANDS on TECHNOLOGY as an organizer, juror and referee."
Daniel Marburger
Daniel Marburger is not only a regional organizer in Aachen, but also a team coach in the FIRST LEGO League. He has already been organizing regional competitions since 2017, and qualifying competitions and the 2018 finals have also already taken place in Aachen.
Marco Groß / mellowmessage GmbH
"The principle of the digital world as we know it is still very young and constantly being improved. And as new and changeable as this world still is, it already governs large parts of our lives and shows us what potential it has. As a company and association member, the next generation is very close to our hearts. We support HANDS on TECHNOLOGY so that kids can get to grips with the digital world of tomorrow today."
Leon Miksch
Michael Mertens / Netcity GbR
"Education and youth development are important topics. It's reassuring to see that not all children and adolescents spend their time exclusively on Netflix, YouTube, and gaming consoles, but rather, some also enjoy ambitious research and development as well as collaborative teamwork. To enable interested teams in my region to participate in this, I became a Regional Partner of the FIRST LEGO League myself in 2018.
Planning and hosting events has been enjoyable for me since my youth, and I can contribute my experience well to a regional competition. To also contribute to shaping and further developing the educational program on a regional level, I am involved in the association. Together with the other association members and the countless volunteers, we can show the youth of today many perspectives but also have a lot of fun ourselves."
Prof. Dr. Udo Ossendoth
"Bringing young people and technology together is something I simply enjoy. FIRST LEGO League is a great opportunity to do that. And that's why I'm taking part!"
Andrea Stelzl / Ostbayeriche Technische Hochschule Regensburg
www.oth-regensburg.de and oth.regensburg.de/junge-hochschule
Lisa Pilz
"When I was 12 years old, two friends asked me if I wanted to take part in the FIRST LEGO League. I didn't know about the competition - give it a try, it actually sounds quite cool. Two successful seasons later, I had not only become part of a great team but also knew that I really wanted to stay part of the FLL family. In the meantime I am refereeing and judging as many events as possible and have made friends all over Germany along the way. The competitions offer space for participants and volunteers to discover each other, to develop and to have fun together. We form a community in which everyone belongs and can participate. And I look forward to meeting all the people with whom I can experience this community in the future!"
Kristian Platta
"For more than 15 years now, the FIRST LEGO League has been a constant part of my life, first as a participant, then as a coach and judge. I still fondly look back on the many great moments and experiences from the various competitions, with the small robot solving tasks at the center of the action.
As a research engineer at a technical university in the field of energy, I deal with the challenges of the 21st century on a daily basis. Teamwork, an innovative mindset, and a strong affinity for technology are essential building blocks of any successful development. The FIRST LEGO League helps foster these competencies in children and young people from an early age. I’m excited to support HANDS on TECHNOLOGY as a dynamic and inspiring partner in this mission."
Dr. Siegfried Pongratz
"The enthusiasm of the children and young people has infected me and every year I am happy to be a judge in the finals. In addition, I have a personal affinity for LEGO; because even as a child, I myself experienced creative design possibilities with these bricks and continued to cultivate these wonderful possibilities of play with my son. The idea of FIRST LEGO League, to introduce young people to modern technologies and to arouse their interest in them, is also my personal concern, where I am happy to make a personal contribution."
Elsie Queiser
"The association HANDS on TECHNOLOGY e.V. not only stands for the educational program FIRST Lego League. It stands for cohesion, creativity, teamwork and shared memories.
I am proud not only to be on site at the Leipzig office and thus very close to the action, but also to be part of the association, without which the program would not exist. Through the association, I have been able to see in a very short time how the education program brings together a wide variety of people who pursue common goals and are able to implement them successfully. The way problems are questioned and solutions are found by the children and young people, I still find spectacular, am very proud to be a part of all this. The development of the STEM subject is impressive and even extends into adulthood when they partially join the association."
Juliane Riedel
"FIRST LEGO League is fun for 'little and big'. While the children and young people are allowed to take part in the project, the 'big ones' have at least as much fun promoting the next generation as the 'little ones' have taking part. A lot of passion and the claim to support children in a playful way unites all project participants and creates a community that speaks from the heart. I'm happy to play along!"
Robot-CH
The Swiss association Robot-CH was founded in 2002 with the aim to bring robotics closer to the general public and to promote it in all areas of society: Education, Science, Economy. In this context, Robot-CH sees FIRST LEGO League as an excellent initiative tailored to the needs of children and young people. Robot-CH supports the initiative and has participated in its development on a national and interational level since 2006.
www.robot-ch.org
Levin Schmidt
"Like many others, I started as a participant in the FIRST LEGO League. After six exciting seasons and a lot of further development, we were rewarded with participation in the International Open in 2019. There I was able to meet many more great people from all over the world. The next year, I started a new phase in the community: I am now a judge, referee and volunteer at many competitions, enabling participants to have just as enriching experiences. I enjoy the atmosphere, the different approaches and ideas, the different people and the fun we all have together here in DACH and internationally as a community."
Clemens Schmitt
"I want to help plan events and pass on the 'FIRST LEGO League spirit' to future generations. STEM is an environment where I feel comfortable and have been able to make many valuable contacts. Through my active participation, I hope to gain deeper insights behind the scenes – both organizationally and personally."
Klaus Schröcker
»For me, FIRST LEGO League is an ingenious educational concept for systematically introducing young people to team-oriented research and development. Where else do teachers get professionally developed and, above all, new, unfamiliar research and robotics tasks for a challenging team project every year and don't even have to evaluate their students' performance themselves at the end? Many teachers develop into field-tested coaches through their FIRST LEGO League participation, with positive effects on their "normal" teaching work as well. The students train valuable skills for the challenges of the digital 21st century.«
www.htl-bregenz.ac.at
Dr. Michael Sieb
»I also caught the FIRST LEGO League virus at the OEC in Mannheim 2012. It is impressive what creative and technical potential is in the young people and only needs a push to come out. The fact that there is a new scientific background topic to explore every year at the FLL besides Robotgame and Robotdesign and also the social team structure is evaluated makes the competition so attractive for young women and men. TiRoLab inspires people aged 5 to 105 to actively engage with technology and shows them how they can use it to turn their own creative ideas into reality. HANDS on TECHNOLOGY is a great and important partner in this.«
www.TiRoLab.at
Technische Jugendfreizeit- und Bildungsgesellschaft (tjfbg) gGmbH
»Die tjfbg trägt dazu bei, den Schwerpunkt Technik der außerschulischen Kinder- und Jugendbildung in seinen Angeboten zu verstetigen, und versucht gleichzeitig Technikkultur zu schaffen: Erfahrungen machen – Wissen erwerben – Technik anwenden.«
www.tjfbg.de
Lucas Thiem
»Seit meiner frühen Jugend begleitet mich die FIRST Lego League und mit ihr der Verein HANDS on TECHNOLOGY. Die Vorbereitung auf die Wettbewerbe und die Wettbewerbe selbst haben damals die persönliche Entwicklung vieler Freunde und mir im besonderen Maße vorangetrieben. Wir haben gelernt, was es bewirken kann, wenn man gemeinsam für ein Ziel arbeitet; was es heißt, für seine Arbeitsergebnisse einzustehen, und dass sich Niederlagen und Siege gleichermaßen lohnen können. Mit Blick auf die Schulzeit sind wir uns sicher, dass unser Leben ohne Legoroboter nun gänzlich anders aussehen würde: Uns wurden neue Perspektiven aufgezeigt. Jetzt, da ich nicht mehr coachend in der FIRST LEGO League tätig bin, engagiere ich mich als Juror – um meinen Beitrag für eine inspiriertere, weltoffenere Zukunft der Jüngeren zu leisten.«
Susanne Voigt
»Junge Menschen für Technik und Wissenschaft zu begeistern und ihnen die Möglichkeit zu geben, Teamwork und Projektarbeit zu erleben, ist toll! Die leuchtenden Augen beim Wettbewerb, die Begeisterung mit der die Kids, die Betreuer, aber auch Familie und Freunde dabei sind, bescheren mir immer wieder ein Gänsehautgefühl. Ich bin stolz, seit 2005 hauptberuflich für den Verein HANDS on TECHNOLOGY arbeiten zu können und unterstütze den Verein darüber hinaus auch sehr gerne als Mitglied.«
Tim Waibel
»Die FIRST LEGO League ist seit 2009 ein großes Hobby von mir. Schon als Teammitglied durfte ich damals viele tolle Erfahrungen machen und hatte auch nach sieben Teilnahmen noch so viel Spaß, dass die Altersgrenze kein Hindernis darstellen konnte, mit FLL aufzuhören. Seitdem betreue ich Robotik-AGs und auch FLL-Teams und unterstütze Wettbewerbe in den verschiedensten Positionen. Es ist toll, immer wieder zu sehen, wie Kinder über Wochen, Monate und Jahre hinweg Dinge lernen und sich Fähigkeiten aneignen, die sie nicht nur in der FLL, sondern auch in ihrem späteren Berufsleben weiterbringen werden. Dabei zeigt sich auch ganz schnell, was für eine große Rolle Teamwork dabei spielt – man hat gemeinsam nicht nur mehr Erfolg, sondern es macht auch einfach mehr Spaß zusammen – sowohl als Team, als auch „auf der anderen Seite“ der Wettbewerbe.«