STEMpedia, an innovative tech-education ecosystem that helps students master the art of coding, has successfully conducted the fifth edition of its global ground-breaking innovation fest, Codeavour 5.0 International, at the Dubai American Academy on May 4th and 5th. Codeavour is an international Artificial Intelligence (AI), coding, and robotics competition hosted annually to encourage kids to bring out their inner programmers and make innovative projects using PictoBlox, a visual programming software to learn coding and AI. It provides a platform for students to learn and effectively utilize the latest technologies like AI, Machine Learning (ML), Augmented Reality – Virtual Reality (AR–VR), and Robotics. Codeavour 5.0 saw participants applying Pictoblox to develop innovative solutions that aligned with sustainability.

The competition was jointly hosted by STEMpedia and ART PARK@IISc India's first AI & Robotics Technology Park, established by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru and supported by AI Foundry. The competition also received support from organizations like Startup India, Startup Nexus of the American Embassy, and CIIE.CO at IIM Ahmedabad, Industries Commissionerate of the Government of Gujarat, techXchange - India UK, PCB Power Market, INDIAai (a joint initiative of MeitY, NeGD, and NASSCOM to prepare the nation for an AI future), and STEM.org (US) to name a few.

Codeavour 5.0 International is the biggest innovation fest, empowering young talents to develop innovative projects with hands-on learning using PictoBlox. The competition also saw support from organizations like Motwani Jadeja Foundation, Inventant Education, AWS (Amazon Web Services), NITI Aayog, Agastya Foundation, SRF Foundation, and STEM.org.

On the competition’s success in empowering the youth, Dhrupal Shah, Director and CEO of STEMpedia, said, “Five years ago, we initiated Codeavour intending to empower young innovators and equip them with the necessary skills for the future workforce. Our commitment to enriching these young minds has been unwavering. This year, we are thrilled to announce that the top 20 winners will be awarded a trip to Mexico to participate in the FAB24 Event, accompanied by their mentors. As we continue our journey, our goal remains to offer even greater value to these bright young individuals, transforming them into the innovators and leaders of tomorrow.”

STEMpedia’s annual initiative to discover future talents occurs at a time when the global AI market is expected to grow exponentially from US$103 billion (Dh378.3 billion) in 2023 to US$1.03 trillion (Dh3.78 trillion) by 2030, according to global information services firm GlobalData, which will result in a massive demand for programmers and AI researchers. Moreover, robotics is implemented to improve the efficiency of major industries like healthcare and automation. As per the Ministry of Economy of the UAE, the global robotics market size is anticipated to reach US$189.36 billion (Dh695.48 billion) by 2027, tripling from US$62.75 billion (Dh230.47 billion) in 2019.

Hosting the contest in the UAE is an indication of the country’s efforts to become a hub for the next generation of coders and developers in the region. It has launched the National Program for Coders in collaboration with global tech companies including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon to train 100,000 coders and establish 1000 digital companies, aiming to foster the development of its digital economy.  The programme has witnessed a tremendous outcome so far. The number of AI professionals quadrupled to 120,000 from 2021 to 2023, according to a media statement by the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, Omar Sultan Al Olama. The UAE’s transition towards a digital economy will boost the AI industry’s revenue to US$5.25 million (Dh19.28 million) in 2024 and further to US$5.19 million (Dh19.06 million) by 2028, according to Statista.com.

Codeavour 5.0 welcomed 1200+ attendees including students, parents, mentors, principals, and visitors from more than 18 countries across the globe, all converging to celebrate the spirit of youth-led innovation aimed at addressing environmental challenges. The contestants deployed Pictoblox to develop innovative projects. They took the stage to present their ground-breaking projects in Track 1 - Innovation and Entrepreneurship, each aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Meanwhile, participants in Track 2 - AI-Robo City Challenge engaged in intense competition, demonstrating their problem-solving skills and creative thinking in pursuit of solutions for a sustainable future. The students won prizes worth US$45,000. Top 20 students from the senior category aged 15+ also won the opportunity to attend FAB 24 Event in Mexico, which will give them a fruitful chance to meet and learn from industry experts and network with like-minded people.

The winners from both tracks were felicitated with the prizes at Dubai American Academy, the international venue partner of the event.