Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN) and the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Engineering today announced the formation of a partnership to prepare young engineers for careers in electrified mobility technologies. Comprising a novel pitch competition as part of UGA’s Capstone Design program and an academic scholarship, Rivian will initially support the partnership with a contribution of $150,000 over three years, split evenly between the two initiatives.

Beginning in Fall Semester 2026, the pitch competition will give qualifying Capstone Design teams the opportunity to present their projects to a panel of Rivian judges, after which the top three teams will receive additional funding to continue their projects. In Spring Semester 2027, the top three teams will give final presentations to the judges, with the winning team receiving special recognition from UGA Engineering and Rivian. Rivian will serve as an Elite sponsor of the overall Capstone Program for an initial three years.

In addition, Rivian will pledge $75,000 to a scholarship endowment with additional matching from the UGA Foundation. College of Engineering students will be selected on the basis of merit, with funds providing direct tuition support to talented young engineers as they finish their academic work and prepare to enter the workforce.

“We are delighted to join UGA in announcing this novel partnership designed to help prepare talented young engineers for the careers of tomorrow,” said Rivian Chief Operating Officer Javier Varela. “We believe this partnership represents the beginning of a long relationship that encourages young Georgia-educated leaders to build the products and technologies of the future right here in the Peach State.”

“Experiential learning is a cornerstone of student education at UGA, and this partnership with Rivian opens new doors for our students to learn by doing, innovating, and solving real-world problems,” said UGA College of Engineering Dean Alessandro Orso, Ph.D. “We are incredibly excited to collaborate on an initiative that empowers Georgia’s future engineers with the skills, creativity, and hands-on experience they need to shape the technologies, and the world, of tomorrow.”

Rivian intends to build its next manufacturing home in Stanton Springs North near Social Circle, Georgia, with plans to create 7,500 jobs by 2030 in addition to 2,000 construction jobs. With a suite of high performance, all-electric vehicles designed, engineered, and assembled in the United States, Rivian seeks to bolster American dominance in automotive and advanced technologies, helping to maintain the country’s global leadership and economic competitiveness.

In mid-2025, Rivian announced the establishment of its East Coast Headquarters in Midtown Atlanta with plans to employ up to 500 individuals at the Beltline location. Rivian continues to invest deeply in the Georgia community, establishing strong relationships with the state’s key institutions, community organizations, businesses and people.