Kenya qualifies two teams for UN robotics finals in Geneva

Kenya will, for the first time, be represented in both the junior and senior categories of the United Nations-backed AI for Good Robotics Youth Challenge Global Grand Finale after a Nairobi-based technology school secured a historic double victory at the national championships.

Bolder Learner Tech School (BLTS) won both age categories during the national competition held at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) in Karen, Nairobi, on May 9, 2026.

The achievement earned the school's junior team, CYB3R h@CK3RS, and the senior team, FGC, invitations to represent Kenya at the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge Global Grand Finale scheduled for July 7 to 10 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The competition is organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a specialised agency of the United Nations, and is regarded as one of the world's leading robotics championships for students aged between 10 and 18 years.

More than 56 teams from across Kenya took part in the national event, which focused on the theme of food security through the design and programming of autonomous farming robots.

In a statement, the school's management described the achievement as a milestone not only for the institution but also for the country.

CYB3R h@CK3RS, Junior Team/ HANDOUT

"This is not just a school victory. It is a Kenyan story. Our students came from diverse backgrounds in a classroom in Nairobi, trained every Sunday through an entire season, and beat teams from across the country at a United Nations competition," the statement said.

"Now they go to represent Kenya in Geneva. We are enormously proud, and we are determined to make Kenya proud on the world stage."

The junior team developed an autonomous farming robot known as Agrobot X using the VEX IQ platform and Python programming language.

According to the school, the robot was designed to simulate various stages of farming, including seed planting, irrigation, harvesting and crop sorting.

The team consists of five students drawn from different schools, including homeschool programmes, Olerai School in Rongai, Hillcrest School, Braeburn School and Makena School.

The senior category winners comprise students from BLTS and St. Luke's School, Kimilili, who were jointly declared national champions and will compete as one Kenyan team in Geneva.

FGC, Senior National Champions/HANDOUT

The AI for Good Robotics Youth Challenge was launched in 2024 to encourage young people to develop technology solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The 2025-2026 edition focused on food security, one of the major global challenges identified by the United Nations.

Kenya first participated in the challenge in 2025.

During that inaugural edition, BLTS finished third nationally, and only one Kenyan team qualified to travel to Geneva.

This year's competition marked a significant improvement, with Kenya qualifying teams in both age categories for the first time.

The global finals in Geneva will bring together national champions from more than 40 countries and over 7,500 participants from around the world.

A 16-member Kenyan delegation comprising students, mentors and chaperones is expected to travel to Switzerland for the event.

"Our students are not just learning how to code, they are learning how to compete, how to lead and how to represent their country," the school said.

"Geneva is the next step."