The results of the national stage were announced as part of the large-scale technology festival Alem Tech Fest 2026, which brought together participants from across the country. Kazakhstan will be represented on the global stage by school and university students from Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, as well as the Karaganda, Akmola, Mangystau, Atyrau, Aktobe, Turkistan, Pavlodar, West Kazakhstan, and Ulytau regions. The wide geographic representation confirms that the development of IT competencies and engineering fields has become a nationwide priority.
In 2026, Kazakhstani teams will compete across several continents. Sixteen teams will travel to the FIRST Championship World Finals in Houston (USA), which will take place from April 29 to May 2 and will bring together more than 50,000 participants from around the world. Another 36 teams will represent the country at international FIRST events in Canada, Mexico, Greece, the United Kingdom, South Korea, China, and Bulgaria.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the USTEM Foundation, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Republican Scientific and Practical Center “Daryn”), the international innovation cluster Astana Hub, and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Smart Sarbaz).
The championship demonstrates the level of engineering training among young people and their ability to work with modern technological solutions. Participants go through the full journey from idea to working prototype, mastering programming, automation, and complex systems design — skills that define the development of the technology industry today.
“The development of engineering and digital competencies among young people is a key factor in the country’s technological future. Today, skills in STEM, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies are shaping the new economy. Kazakhstan has many talented and ambitious young people. Our task is to create opportunities for their growth, support their participation in international competitions, and help unlock their potential. We are building an ecosystem in which young people gain access to modern technologies and global platforms,” emphasized Deputy Prime Minister — Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Zhaslan Madiyev.
For young participants, reaching the global stage has become an important step toward their professional dreams. Amir Semetay, a member of the Nomadic Dragons team, shared his impressions:
“I love working in robotics. Every time my robot takes its first step or starts moving, I feel like a real inventor. I dream of one day enrolling at MIT, so I train a lot. At Alem Tech Fest, we met participants from all across Kazakhstan and other countries. Our team, Nomadic Dragons, took second place in the championship. Now we are heading to the WPI Open 2026 in Massachusetts. I am very happy to represent my country.”
The Central Asia FIRST Championship demonstrates how actively interest in technology, robotics, and programming is growing in the country. The large-scale achievements of Kazakhstani participants are a step toward shaping a new generation of engineers and developers who are already confidently entering the global technology arena.
For reference:
The FIRST Championship is the largest annual international robotics festival and serves as the final stage of the competitive season for teams from around the world. Organized by the nonprofit organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), the championship includes competitions in several categories (FLL, FTC, FRC) for children and youth aged 4 to 18. Participants design, build, and program robots to solve unique challenges, developing skills in engineering design, teamwork, and leadership.
The results of the national stage were announced as part of the large-scale technology festival Alem Tech Fest 2026, which brought together participants from across the country. Kazakhstan will be represented on the global stage by school and university students from Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, as well as the Karaganda, Akmola, Mangystau, Atyrau, Aktobe, Turkistan, Pavlodar, West Kazakhstan, and Ulytau regions. The wide geographic representation confirms that the development of IT competencies and engineering fields has become a nationwide priority.
In 2026, Kazakhstani teams will compete across several continents. Sixteen teams will travel to the FIRST Championship World Finals in Houston (USA), which will take place from April 29 to May 2 and will bring together more than 50,000 participants from around the world. Another 36 teams will represent the country at international FIRST events in Canada, Mexico, Greece, the United Kingdom, South Korea, China, and Bulgaria.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the USTEM Foundation, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Republican Scientific and Practical Center “Daryn”), the international innovation cluster Astana Hub, and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Smart Sarbaz).
The championship demonstrates the level of engineering training among young people and their ability to work with modern technological solutions. Participants go through the full journey from idea to working prototype, mastering programming, automation, and complex systems design — skills that define the development of the technology industry today.
“The development of engineering and digital competencies among young people is a key factor in the country’s technological future. Today, skills in STEM, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies are shaping the new economy. Kazakhstan has many talented and ambitious young people. Our task is to create opportunities for their growth, support their participation in international competitions, and help unlock their potential. We are building an ecosystem in which young people gain access to modern technologies and global platforms,” emphasized Deputy Prime Minister — Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Zhaslan Madiyev.
For young participants, reaching the global stage has become an important step toward their professional dreams. Amir Semetay, a member of the Nomadic Dragons team, shared his impressions:
“I love working in robotics. Every time my robot takes its first step or starts moving, I feel like a real inventor. I dream of one day enrolling at MIT, so I train a lot. At Alem Tech Fest, we met participants from all across Kazakhstan and other countries. Our team, Nomadic Dragons, took second place in the championship. Now we are heading to the WPI Open 2026 in Massachusetts. I am very happy to represent my country.”
The Central Asia FIRST Championship demonstrates how actively interest in technology, robotics, and programming is growing in the country. The large-scale achievements of Kazakhstani participants are a step toward shaping a new generation of engineers and developers who are already confidently entering the global technology arena.
For reference:
The FIRST Championship is the largest annual international robotics festival and serves as the final stage of the competitive season for teams from around the world. Organized by the nonprofit organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), the championship includes competitions in several categories (FLL, FTC, FRC) for children and youth aged 4 to 18. Participants design, build, and program robots to solve unique challenges, developing skills in engineering design, teamwork, and leadership.
Share
