About Us

SeaMATE is an online store that offers beginning and intermediate underwater robotics kits, building guides and instructional materials aligned with standards, and other products that support the teaching, designing, and building of ROVs. Working at the SeaMATE store, student interns learn many aspects of running a business, from inventory to production, accounting, and product promotion, as they prepare for their future careers.

The SeaMATE Store was created in 2012 by the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center, a Center of Excellence established in 1997 via a grant to Monterey Peninsula College from the National Science Foundation. SeaMATE was inspired by teachers, designed to provide access to resources, remove barriers to participation, and empower all learners.
Incorporated in the state of California as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 2016, MATE Inspiration for Innovation (MATE II) was founded to support and sustain ongoing education activities initiated at the MATE Center, including the SeaMATE Store and MATE ROV Competition.

On July 1, 2023, MATE initiated the next phase of its journey with its integration into the Marine Technology Society (MTS). The principals of MATE, along with the SeaMATE Store, the MATE ROV Competition and related workshops and resources that support student learning, are now an integral part of the lineup of MTS staff and program offerings.