2008 Platinum Sponsors - Computacenter and VMWare

Computacenter is a leading European independent provider of IT infrastructure services. We help our customers maximise the value of IT by advising on IT strategy, deploying and integrating appropriate technologies, and managing elements of their infrastructures on their behalf. At every stage we help them minimise the cost and maximise the business value of their IT expenditure . Click here to find out more

VMware is the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the data center. Customers of all sizes rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2007 revenues of $1.33 billion, more than 100,000 customers and nearly 14,000 partners, VMware is one of the fastest-growing public software companies.   Click here to find out more

Team Storm had a number of aims for our 2008 Season for which we knew we would need the support of some heavyweight sponsors.  These give Team Storm the largest sponsorship package ever for a Robotic Combat team, globally.  This funding will allow us to :

• Operate internationally attending both RoboGames and Battlebots in San Francisco in 2008
• Further upgrade and refine Storm II's reliability
• Promote robotics and roboteering globally
• Begin planning work on other robotic projects

Other Sponsors

	BT provided sponsorship for Team Storm during 2004/5 and were instrumental in providing the funding that Team Storm needed to upgrade Storm II for Series VII of Robot Wars at which we ultimately won the Robot Wars World Championship
	SIP have provided Team Storm with the welding and metalwork equipment that they needed to work on Storm II.  Floor standing pillar drills, welders, sanders, compressors all help the team do what we do best - build robots !
	No workshop would be complete without tools, and Teng Tools have provided Team Storm with 3 rolling tool cabinets as well as a tool chest all equipped with every tool you can imagine we'd ever need to build and maintain our robots.
	The Lynch Motor Company supply Team Storm with the LEM130 drive motors that Storm II uses to deliver all that power.  Costing around £700 each they are expensive pieces of equipment and LMC regularly service the motors in Storm II to ensure they're always in top form.  They also ensure that we have spares should we have a failure
	Multi Contact based in Milton Keynes supply all the high current cabling that goes into Storm II.  Storm's speed controllers are capable of drawing almost 700 amps and the thick flexible cables that Multi Contact offer (Silistrom range) were exactly what we needed
	The Evening Star newspaper based in Ipswich, Suffolk are the reason that Team Storm exists today.  They provided us with the original funding that we needed to build Storm back in 2000/2001 and without their involvement and support Team Storm would not exist today
	Atom Hydraulics based in Braintree supplied Team Storm withe the expertise and components that we needed to build Storm our original heavyweight robot with it's hydraulic crushing and lifting arm.
Castlebroom Engineering	Our friendly local engineering company based in Ipswich.  Team Storm has formed a strong alliance with Castlebroom who are experts in working on Storm II whether it's for emergency repairs or upgrade work.

A special thanks also goes to

• Andrew Marchant and Bryan Moss from Team Tornado for all their untiring help and assistance. 

• Dave Gamble from Team Tornado for building Storm II's speed controllers, still the only controller out there which can reliably handle our LEM130's at 36v

• John Reid - Without John from Team Hurtz' involvement the weapons system on Storm II wouldn't have taken shape in anything like the professional manner it did.  Without John we wouldn't have developed our CAD skills needed to realise the ideas that were in our heads into reality - and we thank you !

• George Francis builder of Chaos 2 for his help and assistance with the electronics in Storm II

• Andrew Rayner - Our past team mate.  He moved on to pastures fresh now with a wife and children to look after.  Andy's help was crucial in laying the foundations of Team Storm and we appreciate all the support and help that he put in

Team Storm and Sponsorship - How to get it !

Sponsors have always been important to Team Storm in the way we work, you wouldn't consider trying to replace your boiler yourself, and we wouldn't try building robot parts that we simply don't have the skills to do.  In life you tend to have one of two things, Time or Money - you rarely have both.  Team Storm has been lucky in attracting the sponsorship funding that it needs to be able to outsource much of it's engineering and machining to our sponsors.  Parts are designed by Team Storm in CAD and then were we are unable (or simply don't have time) to manufacture this work is carried out by our sponsors. 

If you're interested in getting sponsorship for your team you can read the Guide to Sponsorship written by Ed Hoppitt of team Storm, he's had the most success in the world of roboteering at getting sponsorship for his team and you could do far worse than listen to his thoughts and guidance on how best to go about getting some for yourself.  Get the document here

Of course this page wouldn't be complete without a plug, if you'd like to get involved with Team Storm as a sponsor, please get in touch !

© TeamStorm 2008 - Storm™  is a registered trademark of Team Storm