ATLAB Announces Winners of ‘FIRST® LEGO® League,’ Celebrating UAE's Young Robotics Innovators

The FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) 2024-25 season, hosted by ATLAB, a subsidiary of Centena Group, in partnership with FIRST® and LEGO® Education, concluded its grand finale on February 9, 2025. The event celebrated the remarkable achievements of young innovators from across the UAE, as 42 teams competed in the ‘CHALLENGE’ category, showcasing their creativity, problem-solving skills, and teamwork in robotics and STEM fields.

The prestigious Champion’s Winner Award was presented to Team ‘ACE’ from Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, who will now represent the UAE at the World Festival in Houston, Texas. Team ‘PELAGIC PIONEERS’ from DPS (Delhi Private School) – Sharjah secured the first runner-up position, while Team ‘METAL MECH’ from Gems International School – Al Khail took home the second runner-up award.

In the Robot Performance category, Team ‘SEATROTTERS’ from Gems Millennium School – Sharjah emerged as the winners, with Team ‘ACE’ as first runner-up and Team ‘MARINE X’ from Gems Millennium School – Sharjah as second runner-up. The Robot Design award went to Team ‘AQUA RAPTORZ’ from DPS – Sharjah, while the Innovation Project award was presented to Team ‘MAWJ MYSTERY MASTERS (M CUBE)’ from DPS – Sharjah. The Core Values award was claimed by Team ‘AIS_TECHTITANS’ from Abu Dhabi International Private School.

Additionally, the newly introduced Motivate Award was given to Team ‘REEF RANGERS’ from Diyar Private Academy Early Years and Girl’s Campus Dibba, Fujairah for demonstrating outstanding team spirit, enthusiasm, and commitment to the core values of the FIRST® LEGO® League.

Charbel Najjar, coach of Team ‘ACE,’ expressed pride in his team's accomplishment, stating, “The competition provided us with a dynamic platform to showcase our innovative ideas and gain valuable experience in problem-solving, teamwork, and STEM skills. We look forward to continuing our participation in similar competitions.”

The teams in the CHALLENGE category were evaluated based on their robot design, performance, innovation projects, and core values. As the Champion’s Winner, Team ACE will now compete internationally at the World Festival in Houston, Texas. Additionally, other selected teams will represent the UAE in international competitions, including teams traveling to Greece, South Africa, Australia, and the USA.

Nilesh Korgaonkar, CEO of ATLAB, expressed his pride in the participants, saying, “While the projects created by these young innovators may not be directly implemented immediately, they may inspire real-world solutions and be adopted by organizations globally. This competition provides students with an invaluable platform to showcase their creativity and gain experience while contributing to solving real-world problems. We are incredibly proud of all the teams and the opportunities they have seized.”

The competition’s judging panel consisted of esteemed professionals from various backgrounds in STEM education and robotics, including special guest Rasna Hussain, a CCDI Teacher and Trainer from the UAE’s Ministry of Education, who has expertise in robotics, AI, and machine learning.

In alignment with the UAE’s vision to promote a knowledge-based economy and empower future generations, ATLAB’s FIRST® LEGO® League continues to play a key role in nurturing young innovators and supporting the nation’s aspirations in STEM fields.