James Educational Institution Students Compete in Global Innovation Challenge 2025

GEMS Education announced the winners of its eighth Global Innovation Challenge 2025 and Plug and Play Tech Center program, celebrating a new generation of young innovators and changemakers. The competition saw record participation with over 10,000 students from GEMS schools worldwide, with 1,500 advancing to the finals.

The Global Innovation Challenge is a pioneering entrepreneurship initiative designed specifically for GEMS Education students. It connects young creators with innovation experts, venture capitalists, and global business accelerators. Students develop solutions for pressing global issues like clean energy, health, sustainability, education, and equality, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This year's competition expanded through a strategic partnership with Plug and Play Tech Center, one of the world's leading innovation platforms based in Silicon Valley. Through this collaboration, GEMS students accessed the same innovation ecosystem that supported global companies like PayPal, Dropbox, and N26. The program also included teachers, parents, and alumni.

Over five months, eight student teams and three GEMS graduates received specialized training and mentorship from industry experts. They developed prototypes for their projects and presented solutions to investors and partners from public and private sectors.

Winners will receive initial funding and opportunities for project incubation and marketing, creating a complete cycle from idea to scalable startup. GEMS Education had announced earlier this year an initial funding of 3.67 million dirhams ($1 million USD) to support emerging student projects.

Baz Nijjar, Vice President of Educational Technology and Digital Innovation at GEMS Education, said the challenge and partnership with Plug and Play has transformed how students experience entrepreneurship. "They're not just learning, but launching their projects, dealing with investors, and developing solutions that make a real impact," he explained.

Benjamin Cloos, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships and UAE Director at Plug and Play Tech Center, said they're proud to collaborate with GEMS to expand the global innovation ecosystem to include young entrepreneurs in the UAE. "The students have shown exceptional creativity and ambition that proves innovation isn't tied to age," he noted.

More than 100 experts participated in judging panels to evaluate projects in secondary and primary categories, selecting 41 gold teams for the next stage. Among these, 19 secondary teams received direct mentorship from international experts, while 22 primary teams participated in a special training camp with Plug and Play Tech Center.

The top three winners in both secondary and primary categories shared monetary prizes worth 52,500 dirhams, plus ongoing support for project development. Eleven teams from Plug and Play Tech Center were also recognized, with four receiving monetary prizes of 7,500 dirhams each. Some selected projects are currently being studied for potential investment opportunities.