Dubai robotics team achieves international recognition at elite US competitions

Dubai robotics team achieves international recognition at elite US competitions

A Dubai-based robotics team has earned international recognition after securing a podium finish at a premier United States competition and gaining selection to one of the world's most exclusive robotics events, strengthening the UAE's position in global STEM education.

Team UFORCE, representing Unique World Robotics (UWR), finished third in the Inspire Award category at the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Michiana Premier Event held from June 18–21, 2026, at the Century Center in South Bend, Indiana. The team competed against 96 leading robotics teams from around the world.

The Inspire Award represents the highest judged honour in FIRST Tech Challenge, given more advancement points than all other awards in the competition's points-based system. The award recognises excellence across engineering, robot design, programming, innovation, teamwork and community impact, reflecting the programme's focus on rewarding well-rounded teams for achievements across multiple aspects of competition.

The 16-member team includes students from multiple Dubai and Sharjah schools: Aarnav Bhargava and Aarnav Mehta from GEMS Modern Academy, Dhruv Suresh from Emirates International School Jumeirah, Zayan Abdullah Zamir from Sharjah English School, Aarush Pancholi from GEMS Modern Academy, Daivik Anand Datwani and Kritin Sathya from Dubai College, Nikhilesh Kakkar from Dubai International Academy Al Barsha, Sri Gupta from North London Collegiate School Dubai, Shaurya Choudhary from Jumeirah College, Shaurya Sinha from GEMS Wellington International School, Sreya Binoy Nair and Mohnish Sai from GEMS Modern Academy, Moonkang Cho from GEMS International School Al Khail, Aryan Mahadev Chamoli from Ambassador School Mankhool, and Leisha Daswani from Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills.

Elite invitational competition

Team UFORCE also competed at the Multinational Tech Invitational (MTI), held from June 26–28, 2026, at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory's Kossiakoff Center in Laurel, Maryland. The facility is a U.S. Navy-sponsored research center employing more than 8,800 people and conducting research to address national security and scientific challenges.

MTI is regarded as one of the most prestigious invitation-only FTC competitions globally. The 2026 edition marked the event's 10th anniversary, having been renamed from the Maryland Tech Invitational to reflect its international participation. The invitation list was increased by four teams to 44 total due to the strongest applicant pool since the event's inception, selecting from more than 11,000 active FIRST Tech Challenge teams worldwide.

The competition featured 43 teams from 21 U.S. states, Romania, and the UAE competing over two days. Nearly half of the season's top 50 matches were played at MTI across ten different alliances. Beyond competition, the event included a STEM Exposition and Intern Networking Program connecting students with industry professionals.

Team UFORCE's achievements come as STEM education in Dubai has seen rapid growth due to increasing demand for future-ready skills such as coding, robotics, artificial intelligence, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The UAE government has prioritised STEM as part of its innovation and digital transformation initiatives.

Educational impact and opportunities

FIRST Tech Challenge is among the world's leading youth robotics programmes, supported by major technology and engineering organisations including Google, Amazon and NASA. A multi-year longitudinal study conducted with Brandeis University found that 81 per cent of FIRST alumni declared a STEM major by their fourth year of college, with 59 per cent majoring in engineering or computer science.

Programme participants have access to over $80 million in scholarships from approximately 200 scholarship providers, including four-year colleges, universities, community colleges, technical schools, corporations, and associations. The programme also provides students with pathways to globally renowned universities including MIT and Yale.

The broader FIRST Tech Challenge ecosystem includes a global championship that brings together over 330 teams from around the world, with the 2026 championship held from April 29 to May 2 in Houston, Texas.

This achievement reflects the dedication, innovation and perseverance of our students, mentors and the wider UWR community. Representing the UAE on a global robotics platform and earning recognition among some of the world's best teams is a proud moment for all of us.

Bansan Thomas George, Founder of Unique World Robotics and the firstrobotics.ae community, emphasised the significance of the achievement.

Mohammed Mukhtar, Founder and Head Coach of Team UFORCE, said the organisation's mission is to empower students to solve real-world challenges through robotics, engineering and innovation. Team Captain Aarnav Bhargava described competing alongside some of the world's best robotics teams as an incredible learning experience that strengthens technical skills, teamwork and confidence.

The achievement highlights the growing impact of firstrobotics.ae, a UAE volunteer-driven robotics community bringing together students, parents, educators, industry leaders and government stakeholders to nurture the next generation of innovators in robotics, artificial intelligence and STEM. The broader FIRST robotics ecosystem in the UAE includes programmes such as FIRST LEGO League, which held its 2025-26 season finals on February 7-8, 2026, bringing together young innovators from across the country.