Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Saudi robotics teams inspire crowds at FIRST Championship in US

Young Saudi students marked another global achievement at one of the world’s most prestigious robotics competitions held in Houston, US.
The 2023 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship was hosted at the George R. Brown Convention Center in the Texas city from April 19-22.

Some 974 student robotics teams from 59 countries around the world competed and exhibited across FIRST programs, including the LEGO League, Tech Challenge and Robotics Competition.

Teams earned honors for design excellence, competitive play, research, business plans, creativity and teamwork.

This year, Saudi Arabia was represented by four teams.

The first, QPS_Saudi, from Jeddah, competed in the FTC Challenge category. The second team, the Riyadh-based Emerald League, competed in the FLL Challenge category.

The third team, Saudi Maker-Jr, overseen by the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, competed in the FLL Explorer category. The last team, the Vision Innovators, from Riyadh and Tabuk, also competed in the FTC Challenge category.

Saudi Arabia recorded its best ever results at the event this year, competing for the first time in the FTC Challenge and demonstrating a high level of skill and creativity.

The Saudi Makers team won the coding award for the FLL Explorer category and ranked for the first time in the FTC category, marking a significant achievement for the team and the Kingdom.

Dr. Aiman Al-Barakati, CEO of the Saudi Federation for Robotics and RC Sports, told Arab News that the Saudi participation in the FIRST Championship represented the Kingdom’s commitment to nurturing young talent in the fields of science and technology.

“Through events like this, Saudi Arabia hopes to inspire a new generation of young leaders who will shape the future of the country’s technological advancement.

He said: “We are proud of our national teams’ performance in this year’s FIRST Championship. Their success is a testament to their dedication and hard work in developing their technical and analytical skills.”

The Saudi participation was in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program, he added.

By investing in STEM education and promoting a culture of innovation, Saudi Arabia seeks to develop a skilled workforce capable of leading the country’s technological transformation and economic growth.

Al-Barakati added: “The success of Saudi Arabia’s national teams in the FIRST Championship demonstrates the country’s potential to be a global leader in robotics and technology.

“The participation of Saudi youth in such events also serves as a platform for networking and exchanging ideas with students and professionals from around the world, contributing to the country’s vision of becoming a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.”

FIRST is a nonprofit organization that inspires young people to become leaders in science and technology.

The competition, which includes various categories for different age groups, challenges teams to build robots capable of performing specialized tasks.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×