This is an investigation to identify the necessary steps that need to be taken in the development of the Robotics Innovations Competition and Conference. These steps are those that will ensure that the RICC achieves its stated goal of building a strong community in the field of robotics, featuring a lasting connection between academia and industry. Ensuring this will be accomplished by identifying and anticipating the needs of the parties involved in the RICC- university professors, members of industry, and student participants. This project aims to identify those needs through interview and survey techniques, and then design ways to meet the needs of these groups. It is believed that doing so is necessary to fostering the community that the RICC aims to build
