The FIRST LEGO League (FLL) 2024-25 season, hosted by ATLAB, a subsidiary of the Centena Group, in collaboration with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and LEGO Education, has crowned the national winners in the UAE. The grand finale of the ‘CHALLENGE’ category took place on 9 February 2025, celebrating outstanding achievements in robotics and STEM by 42 participating teams.
Team ACE Clinches Top Honour
Team ACE from Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences secured the prestigious Champion’s Winner Award. First runner-up went to Team Pelagic Pioneers from Delhi Private School (DPS) – Sharjah, while Team Metal Mech from Gems International School – Al Khail took the second runner-up position.
Excellence in Robotics Performance and Innovation
In the Robot Performance category, Team Seatrotters from Gems Millennium School – Sharjah emerged victorious, followed by Team ACE as first runner-up and Team Marine X from the same school as second runner-up.
For Robot Design, Team Aqua Raptorz from DPS – Sharjah took the top spot, with Team Seatrotters securing first runner-up and Team Codebreakers 2.0 from Emerging Stars Institute placing second runner-up.
The Innovation Project award was claimed by Team Mawj Mystery Masters (M Cube) from DPS – Sharjah, with Team Hydratech from Mayoor Pvt School as first runner-up and Team NMS Hydrobots from Gems New Millennium School – Al Khail as second runner-up.
Recognising Core Values and Team Spirit
Team AIS_TechTitans from Abu Dhabi International Pvt School won the Core Values award, followed by Team Abyssal Explorers from Abu Dhabi Indian School as first runner-up and DIAEH Team 2 from Dubai International Academy – Emirates Hill as second runner-up.
A new addition this year, the Motivate Award, was presented to Team Reef Rangers from Diyar Private Academy Early Years and Girls’ Campus Dibba, Fujairah, for their enthusiasm, teamwork, and commitment to the league’s core values.
A Platform for Future STEM Leaders
“The competition provided us with a dynamic platform to exhibit our innovative concepts and gain valuable experience in problem-solving, teamwork, and STEM-related skills,” stated Charbel Najjar, coach of Team ACE. “We aim to carry this experience forward and continue to participate in similar competitions.”
Winning teams now advance to international competitions, including the World Festival in Houston, USA. Additional teams will compete in Greece, South Africa, Australia, and the USA, representing the UAE on a global stage.
Nilesh Korgaonkar, CEO of ATLAB, highlighted the competition’s impact: “The exceptional projects created by these innovators may not be directly implemented, but they could inspire real-world solutions or be adopted by organisations associated with FIRST. This event provides a valuable platform for students to showcase their creativity and contribute to solving real-world challenges.”
The competition was judged by esteemed professionals from leading institutions, universities, and schools across the UAE. Special guest Rasna Hussain, a CCDI Teacher and Trainer at the UAE’s Ministry of Education, further enriched the event with her expertise in robotics, STEM education, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning.
With initiatives like the FIRST LEGO League, the UAE continues to foster a knowledge-based economy, equipping young innovators with the skills needed to excel in STEM fields and drive future technological advancements.
