A team of eight young innovators of Indian heritage helped the UAE win its first-ever FIRST Global Challenge, showcasing a sustainable biopreservation solution to protect endangered species.
In a landmark achievement, a group of Indian-origin students representing the UAE clinched the gold medal at the 2025 FIRST Global Challenge, often dubbed the “Olympics of Robotics.” This marks the first time in 36 years that the UAE has secured the top spot in this prestigious global robotics competition.
Young Innovators on the Global Stage
- The 2025 FIRST Global Challenge was held in Panama City from October 28 to November 1, attracting youth teams from nearly 193 countries.
- The UAE team comprised eight high school students, all of Indian descent: Riya Mehra, Aarya Parekh, Aarush Pancholi, Aditya Anand, Krithin Satya, Simran Mehra, Sreya Binoy Nair, and Aryan Goyal.
- They spent more than 300 hours preparing, under the guidance of Unique World Robotics, which supported them through design, strategy, and technical training.
Winning Innovation: “STASH”
- The team’s award-winning project is called STASH, an eco-friendly biopreservation system designed to protect endangered species — notably the Ghaf tree — without needing freezing or electricity.
- STASH uses sodium alginate hydrogels to encapsulate living plant cells in small, portable beads, keeping them viable for 3–5 days.
- The system integrates AI-based cell viability analysis and a 3D-printed field kit, making it practical for remote or resource-poor regions.
- A panel of experts — including MIT professors and scientists from Lam Research — praised the innovation for its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and global environmental impact.
Pride, Teamwork, and Vision
- Team captain Aarush Pancholi said the victory was the result of “countless hours of collaboration, experimentation, and teamwork,” and highlighted that their goal was not just to win but to build something meaningful for biodiversity.
- Coach Muhammed Mukhtar lauded their “extraordinary dedication and ingenuity,” emphasizing that this win proves UAE students can compete at the highest level globally.
- Bansan Thomas George, national organiser of the FIRST Global Challenge in UAE, credited this triumph to the country’s growing commitment to STEM education and youth-led innovation.
What This Means
- For the UAE: The win is a major milestone in its STEM and youth innovation ambitions, signaling that its education ecosystem can produce world-class talent.
- For biodiversity: STASH could become a scalable, low-cost method for preserving endangered plant species, especially in regions lacking cold-storage infrastructure.
- For youth globally: This success story could inspire more young people from diverse backgrounds to engage in STEM challenges that address real-world environmental issues.
