It has been proven that young kids have the power to
Solve the Most Pressing World Problems
and they must get a global platform to showcase their innovation,
leading to commercialization.
young minds can
Solve the Most Pressing World Problems
and they must get a global platform to showcase their innovation.
UAE’s Top Young Innovators is a nationwide hunt to find the best and brightest young minds. In this competition, children from across the country will present their unique ideas and innovations to solve present-day challenges facing humanity.
At Top Young Innovators, we understand that not every young innovator begins with a big idea. What matters is curiosity, creativity, and the right mentorship. To support every child’s journey, participants will also have access to attend an optional 14-hour FREE Innovation Camp, sponsored by our partner, the DiscoverSTEM Foundation. Through expert mentoring, students will explore problems worth solving and shape their ideas into impactful innovations—whether starting fresh or building on something they’ve already imagined.
Our ultimate goal is to develop a culture of creative thinking, innovation and problem-solving among young minds. The winners of the “UAE’s Top Young Innovators” competition will advance directly as a global finalist in the “America’s Top Young Innovators”, taking their ideas from the classroom to the world stage.
Winner of the UAE’s Top Young Innovators 2025 will advance directly as a Global finalist in America’s Top Young Innovators 2026.
Awards for the Winners
Win the Prestigious Title of
"UAE's Top Young Innovator"
Advance Directly as a Global Finalist in the "America's Top Young Innovators"
Cash Prize of USD 3,000 for the winner of "UAE's Top Young Innovators"
Filing of a US Patent for your innovation
(worth USD 40,000)
Cash prize of USD 1000 for the winner of each category
Awards for the Schools
Top Young Innovators is a pioneering initiative that recognizes and rewards schools that foster a culture of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship among their students. In today’s rapidly changing world, innovation is key to success, and we believe that it’s essential to encourage and develop this mindset from a young age.
Our awards aim to celebrate schools that prioritize innovation and provide students with opportunities to explore, experiment, and create. By acknowledging and showcasing outstanding innovative projects, we hope to inspire a new generation of innovators, thinkers, and leaders who will shape the future of the UAE and beyond.
Innovation Excellence Award
Awarded to the school of the winner of UAE’s Top Young Innovator, recognizing their commitment to innovation excellence.
Innovation Spirit Award
Honors the school with the highest number of participation entries, acknowledging their dedication and passion for cultivating a culture of innovation.
Leading School for Girl Innovators
Honors schools that empower and support female innovators and have the highest number of female entries in the competition.
AI/ML Trailblazer Award
Awarded to the school with the highest number of innovative entries focused on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
Sustainability Champion Award
Awarded to the school with the highest number of innovative entries focused on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).
Click here to know more about UNSDG.
Rules & FAQs
Important Rules
- Participants aged 10-22 years residing in the UAE can participate.
- Entry is FREE for all.
- Participants must submit an original innovation idea.
- We strongly recommend you file a provisional or non-provisional patent application before submitting your entry to protect your innovations. If you need support in filing a patent application, please contact us.
- The competition reserves the right to approve or disapprove any participating entries.
- Each entry is judged by an elite panel of judges. The decision taken by the judges will be final.
FAQs
Participation is team-based, requiring a team of minimum 3 & maximum 5 members.
Yes. Any young innovator aged 10 – 22 years including homeschool may participate.
Entering the competition is completely free, and there are no hidden fees for this competition.
No. All written material, slide decks, and the narration or subtitles in your video must be in English.
No. Judges’ evaluations are kept internal, and their decisions are final and binding; only the short-listed finalists and winners are publicly announced.
You can save the submission in draft mode for editing before the submission deadline. Once submitted you cannot edit the entry.
Judging Criteria
Judges will rate the submitted ideas out of 100 marks based on the following criteria.
Unique Idea
(Ingenuity &
Innovative Thinking)
50 marks
Scientific & Technical Knowledge
behind Idea
30 marks
Quality of Entry and Video Presentation
20 marks
