A New Path.

Towards our own Itháki.

A journey full of obstacles, challenges and victories.

About the Competition

STEM Racing former F1 in Schools is an international STEM challenge supported and recognised by Formula 1. Teams of students use CAD software to design and CNC machine to manufacture their miniature compressed air powered cars. In terms of business and branding, teams must raise funds through sponsorships and manage their budget in order for their vision to come to life. This thrilling yet educational challenge has an aim to inspire students participating to engage with the world of motorsport and foster engineering, entrepreneurship, problem-solving and teamwork skills.

About Odyssey

Born from our first STEM Racing team ‘Horizon’, Odyssey is the next stage of our journey journey defined by obstacles, challenges and victories. Our teams’ roots come from Greek mythology, where Odyssey is a long and transformative voyage filled with trials that test resilience, intelligence and determination which ultimately shaped the hero, Odysseus. Just like Odysseus grew stronger from his journey before finally reaching Ithaki, our team is driven by the belief that growth and real victory come from embracing every challenge along the way. Through this year’s STEM Racing competition, we continue on A New Path – a path that demands innovation, teamwork and ambition. With each obstacle we overcome, enhancing our skills and team unity pushing Towards our own Itháki, where achievement is not solely defined by destination but by the journey that leads us there.




Electric
Blue
Azure
White
Black
Gold



OUR CONCEPT

Itháki.

In Homer’s Odyssey, Itháki is the homeland of Odysseus. Itháki is his ultimate destination, the place that gives purpose to his long and demanding journey. It is the goal that drives him to persevere, to push forward despite the hardship, sacrifice and uncertainty.
But for us, Itháki is not necessarily a literal homeland, but it is our ultimate destination. It represents the highest point we aim to reach and it is the vision that connects our team. Our Itháki, our central goal is becoming the 2026 Cyprus National Champions and advancing to the World Finals. This version of Odysseus Itháki shapes the team, fuels our passion and gives purpose to every challenge we face along the way. Itháki is our symbol of victory.





RACE DAY

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Our Team

Konstantinos Rossos

Team Leader

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Marilena Kakoulli

Enterprise Manager

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Michael Calligeris

Manufacturing Engineering

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Demetris Georgiou

Resource Manager

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Avgilina Kyriakidou

Graphic Designer

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Konstantinos Rossos

Role: Team Leader

Responsibilities

    • Lead the team and coordinate communication across all members.
    • Oversee the full engineering direction and technical decision-making.
    • Manage the CAD design process and ensure accuracy and rule compliance.
    • Plan the engineering workflow, timelines, and major project milestones.
    • Review prototypes, testing data, and performance results.
    • Identify design issues and coordinate improvements or redesigns.
    • Allocate engineering tasks and track progress to keep the team on schedule.
    • Work with manufacturers and ensure high-quality production of parts.
    • Ensure all engineering documentation is complete for the portfolio.
    • Approve the final car design before manufacturing.
    • Ensure the car meets all technical regulations and competition standards.
    • Support the engineering sections of the verbal presentation and explain design choices.

Why to join the competition again?

I wanted to join the competition again because, last time showed me how much it can push you and change you. I learned a lot, not just about the car, but about managing people, fixing problems under pressure, and keeping a team together. This year I want to do everything I didn’t get right before and actually improve it. With Odyssey, I feel like we have a fresh start, a clearer idea of what we want, the skills that this competition looks for, and a team that’s ready to work. Joining again isn’t just about doing F1 in Schools one more time; it’s about proving that we can grow, we can level up, and we can actually reach a standard we didn’t hit before. This is my chance to become a better leader, and to help my team realise what they can really do.


← Back to Team

Marilena Kakoulli

Role: Enterprise Manager

Responsibilities

    • Lead the development and execution of the team’s enterprise and business strategy.
    • Manage the team’s budget, expenses, and financial planning.
    • Identify, approach, and communicate with potential sponsors and partners.
    • Prepare sponsorship proposals and maintain professional relationships with sponsors.
    • Oversee fundraising activities and ensure financial targets are met.
    • Manage project timelines to ensure all enterprise deliverables meet competition deadlines.
    • Coordinate enterprise team operations to ensure effective organisation and workflow
    • Develop marketing strategies for team products and promotions.
    • Track income, expenditure, and financial performance accurately with reasource manager.
    • Ensure optimal compliance with competition rules, regulations and preferences related to enterprise and finance.
    • Support team members by aligning business decisions with technical and marketing goals.
    • Represent the team professionally in meetings, presentations, and judging sessions.

Why to join the competition again?

I decided to rejoin the competition this year because my experience as Enterprise Manager, where our team placed 3rd, left a lasting impression and longing for the competition that went beyond results. The 2025 Finals showed me how rewarding and exciting this competition can be and it proved that it welcomes students that want to advance in a career even away from engineering. Placing on the podium made the potential of our team crystal clear. Rejoining gives me the opportunity to apply all those lessons gained from Horizon with greater confidence to work towards our collective goal of Itháki.


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Michael Calligeris

Role: Manufacturing Engineer

Responsibilities

    • Led the manufacturing process of the car, ensuring precision, repeatability, and compliance with F1 in Schools regulations.
    • Translated CAD designs into manufacturable components, considering tooling, tolerances, and material limitations.
    • Operated and supervised CNC machining / 3D printing processes to produce high-quality parts.
    • Conducted iterative design improvements based on testing feedback and performance data.
    • Assisted in refining aerodynamic and structural features to improve efficiency and reliability.
    • Optimised assembly methods to reduce weight, friction, and manufacturing errors.
    • Ensured consistent quality control during production and final assembly.
    • Collaborated closely with the design team to balance performance, manufacturability, and rules compliance.
    • Documented manufacturing workflows and design changes for the engineering portfolio.
    • Supported troubleshooting during testing and competition runs.

Why to join the competition?

I wanted to join the competition again because, last time showed me how much it can push you and change you. I learned a lot, not just about the car, but about managing people, fixing problems under pressure, and keeping a team together. This year I want to do everything I didn’t get right before and actually improve it. With Odyssey, I feel like we have a fresh start, a clearer idea of what we want, the skills that this competition looks for, and a team that’s ready to work. Joining again isn’t just about doing F1 in Schools one more time; it’s about proving that we can grow, we can level up, and we can actually reach a standard we didn’t hit before. This is my chance to become a better leader, and to help my team realise what they can really do.


← Back to Team

Demetris Georgiou

Role: Resource Manager

Responsibilities

    • Managed all team resources, including materials, components, tools, and consumables.
    • Planned and monitored the team budget, ensuring efficient allocation of funds.
    • Sourced materials and components, evaluating cost, performance, and sustainability.
    • Coordinated procurement timelines to meet manufacturing and competition deadlines.
    • Maintained an organised inventory system to avoid shortages or waste.
    • Oversaw sponsor contributions and ensured proper use of sponsored materials.
    • Implemented sustainable practices, minimising waste and promoting material reuse where possible.
    • Supported the engineer and manufacturing team by ensuring availability of required resources.
    • Recorded expenditures and resource usage for the enterprise and engineering portfolios.
    • Assisted in logistics planning for transport, competition setup, and pit display materials.

Why to join the competition?

I wanted to join the competition again because, last time showed me how much it can push you and change you. I learned a lot, not just about the car, but about managing people, fixing problems under pressure, and keeping a team together. This year I want to do everything I didn’t get right before and actually improve it. With Odyssey, I feel like we have a fresh start, a clearer idea of what we want, the skills that this competition looks for, and a team that’s ready to work. Joining again isn’t just about doing F1 in Schools one more time; it’s about proving that we can grow, we can level up, and we can actually reach a standard we didn’t hit before. This is my chance to become a better leader, and to help my team realise what they can really do.


← Back to Team

Avgilina Kyriakidou

Role: Graphic Designer

Responsibilities

    • Design and develop the team’s visual identity, including logos, colours, and typography.
    • Create branding materials that reflect the team’s values, innovation, and professionalism.
    • Design car livery graphics in alignment with team branding guidelines.
    • Produce high-quality graphics for portfolios, presentations, and pit display.
    • Design promotional materials such as posters, banners, and digital content.
    • Ensure consistency of branding across all platforms and materials.
    • Collaborate with team members to visually communicate technical and marketing ideas.
    • Develop graphics for social media and online presence.
    • Edit and enhance images, renders, and visual assets for professional presentation
    • Manage and organise all design files and brand assets efficiently.
    • Meet competition deadlines while maintaining high design standards
    • Continuously refine designs based on feedback from the team and mentors

Why to join the competition?

I have always had a strong interest in Formula 1, and before joining the competition, I followed the development of the former team, Horizon. Although I was not a member of that team, I admired their creativity and how they achieved third place, which inspired me to become involved now. I have a strong passion for art and graphic design, which is why I wanted to take on the role of a graphic designer within the newly formed and rebranded Team Odyssey for the F1 in Schools competition. This opportunity allows me to show my creative skills while helping contribute to the success of our team. My goal is to use my creativity and passion towards Formula 1 to develop a strong and professional visual identity for Odyssey. Furthermore, I aim to ensure that our branding is memorable and reflects our journey, innovation, and teamwork so that by building on the success of Horizon, I can help Odyssey progress to first place.


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Our Evolution

Having participated in the Cyprus National Finals of 2025 under the team Horizon we wanted to re-enter the competition but under a new refined team that would lead us to victory.


We wanted to change our team identity dramatically and hence started researching for something highly contrasting to the aggressive brand of Horizon. The flashing red gave our journey a spark of passion, urgency and desire for glory. Something fundamentally different to what our blue signifies; tranquility, confidence and security that will help us to sail calmly along the challenges to reach our end goal.


We wanted a name that reminded us of our Greek roots and the mythical stories we grew up with. On that basis we came across the story of Odysseus trying to reach Itháki despite the obstacles along the way, a story that acts as motivation to people that have set goals and are constantly fighting to achieve them. Which made Odyssey the perfect name for us.


We wanted a concept that moved away from the never ending pursuit of learning and success that Horizon portraited and instead focused on persevering from challenges, with us finally stopping trying to reach the Horizon line, something that is impossible and instead focus on achieving our number one goal, becoming National Champions and advancing to the World Finals.


Therefore, Horizon; Where speed has no limits transformed into Odyssey; A New Path. Towards our own Itháki.

Collaborations

Financial Sponsors

Financial sponsors are organizations or individuals who support our team through monetary contributions. This funding is essential for covering the high expenses of the competition, such as materials, manufacturing, and competition fees.

Avis Budget


The Avis brand has earned numerous international distinctions for customer service, innovation, and customer loyalty, including recognition as the World’s Leading Car Rental Company at the World Travel Awards and repeated top rankings in customer loyalty studies. These achievements reflect a long-standing commitment to excellence, reliability, and customer satisfaction. Guided by the philosophy “We Try Harder,” Avis Budget Cyprus continually strives to deliver exceptional service while investing in innovation, people, and the future of mobility. Its support of STEAM Racing reflects this commitment, helping to inspire and develop the next generation of engineers, innovators, and industry leaders. Avis Budget Cyprus, operated by GDK Rent a Car Ltd, is a leading provider of mobility solutions in Cyprus, serving customers since 1988. As the national master franchisee of Avis and Budget, the company operates an extensive network of rental locations across the island, including major transportation hubs such as Larnaca International Airport and Paphos International Airport. In addition to vehicle rentals, the company provides leasing and mobility services, working closely with leading automotive manufacturers to deliver high-quality transportation solutions. Through its association with the globally recognized Avis and Budget brands, the company is part of a network spanning approximately 180 countries and thousands of locations worldwide.

"Avis Budget Group is proud to support the STEAM Racing team as part of our commitment to fostering innovation, education, and the development of future talent. We were particularly impressed by the team’s professional in-person presentation, which showcased not only their technical knowledge and creativity but also their inspiring goals and ambition to excel in the competition. Through this partnership, we are helping to provide students with valuable opportunities to apply science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics in a competitive and collaborative environment. We believe programs such as STEAM Racing cultivate the critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership skills needed by the next generation of innovators, and we are delighted to support the team on their journey toward achieving their aspirations both on and off the track."

-Avis Budget Team


Contact us


Sustainalility

Sustainability is a fundamental aspect of the competition, encouraging teams to think beyond performance and consider the environmental impact of their work. It plays a key role in shaping responsible engineering practices, which are essential in modern design and manufacturing.


Within our project, sustainability influences how we approach material usage, design efficiency, and production methods. By minimizing waste, optimizing resources, and making conscious decisions throughout our process, we aim to reduce our environmental footprint. This focus not only aligns with competition values but also prepares us to think as future engineers who prioritize both innovation and responsibility.