The National Program for Coders with Emirates NBD and partners

2 Min | 28 March 2025

Dubai, UAE, 28 March 2025: The second edition of InnovAIte, UAE’s largest student-led National AI Hackathon, organised by Aryav Odhrani, Nirvaan Thawani, Dasuni Gunasekara and Alizeh Alihas successfully concluded its second edition with Team ‘Machine Mindset’ from GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis being declared the winner.

The event was held in collaboration with the National Program of Coders, and supported by sponsors such as Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye (MENAT) region, as well as EDGE Group, Hale Education Group and the University of Birmingham, Dubai.

The three-day event culminated with a grand finale on 16 March 2025 at the University of Birmingham and was attended by students, teachers, parents and partners. The event’s theme for this year, ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing’ aligned with the Nation's strategic vision to harness artificial intelligence for societal advancement.

The winning team, ‘Machine Mindset’, presented an AI-powered emotion detection system that analyses students’ emotions in real-time using DeepFace and face recognition. Runner-up teams at the event included ‘Data Minors’ and ‘ModernAItes’, both from GEMS Modern Academy. ‘STEMPALS’ from Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills were adjudged the Best Female-majority team, and ‘Desert Innovators’ from the American Academy for Girls were declared Best Emirati-majority team.

A resounding success, the event showcased the incredible talent and innovative spirit of 289 young AI enthusiasts across 34 Nationalities and 44 registered schools, with participants working tirelessly to develop creative solutions addressing critical aspects of mental and financial wellbeing.

Dr. Abdulrahman Al Mahmoud, Director at the Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications Office, said: “Strategic partnerships within the UAE's AI ecosystem reflect the UAE’s vision and commitment to leveraging AI for the benefit of humanity. These collaborations bring together diverse sectors to create innovative solutions that address global challenges. By uniting key players, the UAE is driving transformative change that empowers both industries and communities.”

Dr. Al Mahmoud further added: “Partnerships have the power to fuel impactful AI innovations, shaping a resilient, sustainable future for all. Through this unified approach, the UAE is paving the way for a future where AI drives progress and serves humanity at its core.”

Miguel Rio-Tinto, Group Chief Digital and Information Officer at Emirates NBD, said: "We are incredibly impressed by the ingenuity and dedication displayed by the students at InnovAIte 2025. The solutions they developed demonstrated the transformative potential of AI in addressing critical real-world and societal challenges, and the winning teams showcased exceptional talent in leveraging AI to create tangible, life-enhancing solutions.”

He added: “Emirates NBD is proud to have supported this initiative and to play a role in nurturing the next generation of AI leaders. The event served as a platform to connect and engage with top digital talent, presenting us early access to AI experts who have the potential to drive and contribute to the bank’s long-term success.”

Student presentations, workshops, and speaking sessions were held at the grand finale, where a panel of 25 esteemed judges, including experts from Emirates NBD, the University of Birmingham, EDGE Group, and Hale Education Group, as well as subject experts in various sectors evaluated the projects based on innovation, feasibility, impact and presentation.

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