Team Kenya scoops silver at the global robotics arena

A group of the Kenyan students who participated in the 2025 FIRST Global Robotics Olympiad challenge in Panama City. [Courtesy X]

Team Kenya has made history at the 2025 FIRST Global Robotics Olympiad, finishing in second place overall in a fiercely contested international competition that brought together over 190 countries in Panama City.

The annual event, held this year at the Panama Convention Center from October 29 to November 1, 2025, celebrates the brightest young minds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

For Kenya, this marks its best-ever performance in the global robotics arena creating a remarkable leap that places the country firmly among the world’s leading innovators.

Each year, FIRST Global challenges one team from every nation to design and program robots that tackle pressing global issues, from renewable energy and clean water to sustainable agriculture.

The competition not only tests technical skill but also champions collaboration, creativity, and compassion across cultures.

Team Kenya’s robot wowed judges with its efficiency, innovation, and teamwork, propelling the students through the playoffs and onto the winners’ podium, which was an extraordinary achievement after nine years of consistent participation.

The team’s mentor Kevin Gitau said the moment belongs to every young Kenyan who dreams of building solutions through technology.

“They have shown the world that African innovation can compete and win on the global stage,” he said.

According to Gitau, beyond the accolades, the Kenyan students gained invaluable life skills in problem-solving, teamwork, curiosity, and global networking that will fuel their future as scientists, engineers, and change makers.

The four-day competition themed Eco Equilibrium, with a focus on biodiversity, brought together the next generation of STEM leaders from 191 nations for the most international robotics challenge in the world.

Sponsored by Lam Research, this year’s global challenge tasked participants with navigating their robots through a rich, simulated world to carefully restore habitats, maintain ecological balance, and protect vulnerable species, emphasizing the delicate systems that support our planet and the critical role innovation plays in their survival.

In addition, teams also took part in the Eco Equilibrium – New Technology Experience (NTE), developing projects that use emerging technologies to protect biodiversity and promote sustainable solutions within their own communities.

Panama’s Minister of Tourism, Gloria de León, said, “Having brilliant young minds from more than 190 countries gathered in Panama is a true source of pride. This event goes beyond competition, leaving a legacy that inspires new generations to pursue science and robotics.”

She said Panama stands before the world as a vibrant nation where nature, culture, and technology coexist in harmony, positioning it as a global hub for knowledge, sustainability, and international events.

Her sentiments were echoed by Marvin Castillo, the founder and President of FUNDESTEAM, who said witnessing thousands of young people passionately collaborating on the ‘Eco Equilibrium’ challenge was an inspiration, solidifying Panama as a hub for STEAM education and planting a seed of change and cooperation for the future.

Over 20 awards were presented to teams based on their robot performances, their efforts to promote STEM education, foster international collaboration, and exemplify FIRST Global’s core values.