GEMS Education yesterday announced the winners of the 2025 Global Innovation Challenge (GIC) and Plug and Play Tech Center Incubator, celebrating a new generation of young changemakers. The eighth edition of the competition witnessed record uptake, with entries from more than 10,000 students and more than 1,500 students shortlisted to compete across two showcase events.
Designed exclusively for students across the GEMS network, GIC is a pioneering entrepreneurship initiative that connects young innovators with global mentors, venture capitalists, and startup accelerators. The competition invites students to create solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, addressing pressing global issues across areas such as clean energy, health, sustainability, education, and equality.
This year’s GIC was expanded through a strategic partnership with Plug and Play Tech Center, one of the world’s most influential innovation platforms, headquartered in Silicon Valley. Through this landmark collaboration, GEMS students have benefitted from the same innovation pipeline as global startups such as PayPal, Dropbox, and N26. The alliance has also opened opportunities for entries from teachers, parents, and alumni.
Over a five-month accelerator programme, eight GIC teams and three GEMS alumni were mentored by industry experts, developed prototypes, and pitched their solutions to investors and corporate partners.
Winning teams gain access to seed funding, incubation, and commercialization opportunities, creating a full pipeline from initial ideas to scalable startups. Earlier this year, GEMS Education announced AED 3.67 million (USD 1 million) seed funding for student startup projects.
Baz Nijjar, Vice President – Education Technology and Digital Innovation at GEMS Education, said: “The Global Innovation Challenge and our partnership with Plug and Play Tech Center have transformed how students experience entrepreneurship. Our young innovators are not just learning about business – they’re launching ventures, engaging investors, and developing solutions that can make a real difference. This initiative embodies GEMS’ mission to empower every learner to become a creator, problem-solver, and leader for the future.”
Benjamin Kloss, VP Corporate Partnerships and UAE Director at Plug and Play Tech Center, said: “We are proud to partner with GEMS to bring our global innovation ecosystem to young entrepreneurs in the UAE. The creativity and drive we’ve witnessed from these students have been exceptional – they’re proving that innovation has no age limit. Together, we’re building a bridge between education and the startup world, nurturing the next generation of changemakers.”
More than 100 judges evaluated entries across junior and senior categories, selecting 41 ‘Gold Teams’ that proceeded to the next round. Of these, 19 senior teams received one-on-one mentoring from global experts, while 22 junior teams attended a Plug and Play bootcamp.
The top three winners in the senior and junior categories shared a prize pool of AED 52,500 and will receive ongoing mentorship support to develop their projects further. The awards also celebrated 11 Plug and Play incubator teams, with four category winners taking home AED 7,500 each. Selected teams are being considered for potential investment opportunities.
GIC Senior Category Winners:
First Place: StridSense, GEMS Metropole School – Motor City (AED 15,000)
StridSense is a smart insole and companion app for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) detection that provides remote monitoring and gait analysis, addressing the lack of affordable monitoring and early detection for KOA.
Second Place: AudiMold, GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis (AED 10,000)
AudiMold is a customisable, high-quality hearing aid using 3D printing and bulk components for under USD 2 (AED 7.35), addressing the lack of affordable hearing aids. Open-source documentation allows upgrades.
Third Place: EcoSign, GEMS Modern Academy (AED 5,000)
EcoSign is an AI-powered sign language translation platform that uses dynamic gesture analysis, distinguishing it from static or hardware-based solutions.
GIC Junior Category Winners:
First Place: SeeMate, GEMS Millennium School – Sharjah (AED 10,000)
SeeMate is an AI-powered app with an accessible interface and smart device integration that supports visually impaired users through real-time object recognition, text-to-speech reading, and navigation assistance, promoting independence and inclusivity.
Second Place: Smart Safety, GEMS Dubai American Academy (AED 5,000)
Smart Safety is an affordable and customizable smart helmet that protects workers by tracking environmental and health data, like temperature, humidity, and heart rate, sending Bluetooth alerts and using RGB lights to show safety levels.
Joint Third Place: NΞXUS (Soleil Bleu), The Millennium School – Dubai (AED 2,500) and AvengHers, GEMS Modern Academy (AED 2,500)
NΞXUS (Soleil Bleu) is sustainable, reef-safe clothing made from recycled and bamboo fibres that block 95% of UV rays, connected to an app for sun alerts and including biodegradable sunscreen pods – all for USD 50 (AED 183.63).
AvengHers combats microplastic pollution by collecting waste from water-land areas and converting it into 3D printer filament used to create artificial coral for reef restoration. The process reduces pollution, supports marine biodiversity, and promotes sustainable waste management.
Special Award – Youngest Entrepreneur: No Poverty, GEMS New Millennium School – Al Khail (AED 2,500)
No Poverty is an algae-based system that captures CO₂ from vehicles and converts it into oxygen, reducing emissions while driving, with the resulting biomass and kitchen waste compostable to create nutrient-rich fertiliser, supporting sustainable farming.
Plug and Play Tech Center Incubator Winners:
Engagement Award (The Conversation Catalyst): ReSoilution, GEMS World Academy – Dubai (AED 7,500)
ReSoilution is an AI-powered monitoring/restoration system that tackles global soil degradation, threatening food security by using drone scans and a probe for real-time, location-specific soil data, offering a more scalable and affordable solution than lab tests.
Performance Award (The Execution Excellence): Eco Bloom, GEMS New Millennium School – Al Khail (AED 7,500)
Eco Bloom addresses environmental pollution and health hazards from disposable pads by building affordable, biodegradable pads using coconut-based materials and corn starch film, offering a unique, sustainable composition compared to competitors.
Impact Award (The World Changers): PlastiCure, GEMS Founders School – Al Mizhar (AED 7,500)
PlastiCure aims to solve plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems via HydroScout, an autonomous underwater vehicle with AI detection that deploys genetically engineered plastic-degrading bacteria, offering a biological solution distinct from mechanical methods.
Resilience & Coachability Award (The Pivot Pro): ThermoVita, GEMS Our Own Indian School (AED 7,500)
ThermoVita addresses health risks among workers and athletes in extreme heat via ThermoGuard, a wristband that monitors health metrics, detects early heatstroke signs, sends real-time alerts, and includes GPS tracking.
Mariam Helmi, a student at GEMS Metropole School – Motor City and one of the minds behind Stride Sense, which won first place in the GIC senior category, said: “The programme has helped me consider our project in a real-world context and understand the necessary steps needed to launch a successful startup. I have valued the opportunity to talk to experienced industry mentors in different fields, as well as ask direct questions and get specific feedback relevant to our project from such inspiring people.”
Anaum Anwar, who studies at GEMS Our Own Indian School and is part of ThermoVita, which picked up a Plug and Play Award, said:“It has been an incredible experience for Thermovita and for me personally. The mentorship sessions gave us valuable insights into market strategy, product development, and pitching, while the constant feedback challenged us to think bigger and improve every step of the way. Overall, the programme has helped us evolve with clarity, confidence, and a stronger roadmap for the future.”
Yesterday’s award ceremony drew senior GEMS executives including GEMS Chairman and Founder Sunny Varkey, Group Chief Executive Officer Dino Varkey, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Jay Varkey, and Group Chief Education Officer Lisa Crausby OBE.
GIC is part of GEMS’ efforts to develop the region’s most comprehensive school-based innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in line with the UAE’s national vision to build a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy led by young talent.
The competition supports the Dubai Future Solutions initiative that seeks to position Dubai as a global innovation hub. It also aligns with the National Agenda for Entrepreneurship and SMEs that aims to establish the UAE as an entrepreneurial nation, the home of 10 unicorns, and one of the top three countries in the Global Entrepreneurship Index by 2031.
