RoboCup Junior New Zealand is a robotics competition for school children. It empowers young minds to innovate, collaborate, and engineer the future, as they code, design, and compete with robots. Its point of difference from many other competitions is that the robotic platform is not specified. A team may use LEGO, Vex, MBot, Mindkits, Arduino, Picaxe, Fischer Technic, TBot, basic stamp, Edison etc. The only specification is that each robot used is programmed, not remote controlled.

Robocup Junior New Zealand aims to encourage school students to take an active interest in science, technology and the performing arts. It aims to develop practical and intellectual problem-solving skills and teamwork in the context of a competition where fair play and participation are more important than winning. It also aims to make students aware of potential employment opportunities in high tech industries which are crucial to the ongoing development of the New Zealand economy.

From 2024 RoboCup Junior NZ will be aligning itself much more closely with RoboCup Junior Australia rules. This makes it easier for NZ to source and use the current range of equipment that is on sale, and for NZ teams to later progress to international competitions.  Read more here.