STEMpedia, an innovative tech-education ecosystem that helps students master the art of coding, has successfully conducted the fifth edition of its global ground-breaking innovation fest, Codeavour 5.0 International. 

 

Codeavour is an international Artificial Intelligence (AI), coding, and robotics competition hosted annually to encourage kids to bring out their inner programmers and make innovative projects using PictoBlox, a visual programming software to learn coding and AI. 

 

It provides a platform for students to learn and effectively utilise the latest technologies like AI, Machine Learning (ML), Augmented Reality – Virtual Reality (AR–VR), and Robotics. Codeavour 5.0 saw participants applying Pictoblox to develop innovative solutions that aligned with sustainability.

 

Innovation fest

The competition was jointly hosted by STEMpedia and ART PARK@IISc India's first AI & Robotics Technology Park, established by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru and supported by AI Foundry. The competition also received support from organisations like Startup India, Startup Nexus of the American Embassy, and CIIE.CO at IIM Ahmedabad, Industries Commissionerate of the Government of Gujarat, techXchange - India UK, PCB Power Market, INDIAai (a joint initiative of MeitY, NeGD, and NASSCOM to prepare the nation for an AI future), and STEM.org (US) to name a few.

 

Codeavour 5.0 International is the biggest innovation fest, empowering young talents to develop innovative projects with hands-on learning using PictoBlox. The competition also saw support from organisations like Motwani Jadeja Foundation, Inventant Education, AWS (Amazon Web Services), NITI Aayog, Agastya Foundation, SRF Foundation, and STEM.org.

 

Dhrupal Shah, Director and CEO of STEMpedia, said: “Five years ago, we initiated Codeavour intending to empower young innovators and equip them with the necessary skills for the future workforce. Our commitment to enriching these young minds has been unwavering. This year, we are thrilled to announce that the top 20 winners will be awarded a trip to Mexico to participate in the FAB24 Event, accompanied by their mentors. As we continue our journey, our goal remains to offer even greater value to these bright young individuals, transforming them into the innovators and leaders of tomorrow.”

 

STEMpedia’s annual initiative to discover future talents occurs at a time when the global AI market is expected to grow exponentially from $103 billion (AED378.3 billion) in 2023 to $1.03 trillion (AED3.78 trillion) by 2030, according to global information services firm GlobalData, which will result in a massive demand for programmers and AI researchers. 

 

Role of robotics

Moreover, robotics is implemented to improve the efficiency of major industries like healthcare and automation. As per the Ministry of Economy of the UAE, the global robotics market size is anticipated to reach $189.36 billion (AED695.48 billion) by 2027, tripling from $62.75 billion (AED230.47 billion) in 2019.

 

Hosting the contest in the UAE is an indication of the country’s efforts to become a hub for the next generation of coders and developers in the region. It has launched the National Program for Coders in collaboration with global tech companies including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon to train 100,000 coders and establish 1000 digital companies, aiming to foster the development of its digital economy.  

 

The programme has witnessed a tremendous outcome so far. The number of AI professionals quadrupled to 120,000 from 2021 to 2023, according to a media statement by the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, Omar Sultan Al Olama. The UAE’s transition towards a digital economy will boost the AI industry’s revenue to $5.25 million (AED19.28 million) in 2024 and further to $5.19 million (AED19.06 million) by 2028, according to Statista.com.

 

Codeavour 5.0 welcomed 1200+ attendees including students, parents, mentors, principals, and visitors from more than 18 countries across the globe, all converging to celebrate the spirit of youth-led innovation aimed at addressing environmental challenges. 

 

Pictoblox

The contestants deployed Pictoblox to develop innovative projects. They took the stage to present their ground-breaking projects in Track 1 - Innovation and Entrepreneurship, each aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Meanwhile, participants in Track 2 - AI-Robo City Challenge engaged in intense competition, demonstrating their problem-solving skills and creative thinking in pursuit of solutions for a sustainable future. 

 

The students won prizes worth $45,000. Top 20 students from the senior category aged 15+ also won the opportunity to attend FAB 24 Event in Mexico, which will give them a fruitful chance to meet and learn from industry experts and network with like-minded people.

 

The winners from both tracks were felicitated with the prizes at Dubai American Academy, the international venue partner of the event.

 

Understanding of AI

Sreejit Chakrabarty, Director of AI at GEMS Dubai American Academy and Cluster Edu-Innovation Lead at GEMS Education, said: "It is increasingly important to recognise the impact of artificial intelligence on various job profiles across industries. Students must understand that irrespective of whether they pursue a technical career, a basic understanding of AI is essential. Competitions in this field provide an invaluable opportunity for students not only to learn but also to demonstrate their skills by identifying problems and applying AI solutions to address them."

 

Codeavour 5.0 International is supported by the Motwani Jadeja Foundation (California, USA) dedicated to fostering maker culture among students and nurturing their entrepreneurial spirit to transform them into creative change-makers. 

 

Asha Jadeja Motwani, a Silicon Valley-based venture capitalist and founder of the Motwani Jadeja Foundation, advocated cultivating tech skills among children, “From the age of 6, children must learn to code and understand what computation is. It is very easy as kids are exposed to smartphones and can understand what it means to create an app. This is good news as children of this generation have access to AI tools, and the jobs of the future will require these core skills.”

 

Codeavour 5.0 International is honoured to have Inventant Education as its Education Sponsor. As India’s first STEM focused K12 educational publisher, Inventant Education has created a niche for itself by providing dynamic and accessible learning resources. 

 

Expanding STEM horizons

Vikrant Goyal, co-founder of Inventant Education, highlighted Codeavour 5.0 International's global reach and dedication to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship: "It amplifies our mission, especially with Tracks centered on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Codeavour is about expanding STEM horizons, dismantling obstacles, and fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship among future innovators, educators, and learners."

 

As coding is the skill of the future, schools have adopted lessons to equip students with sufficient knowledge in AI and robotics. STEMpedia helps CBSE, British, and IB schools to enrich students’ coding skill by providing efficient learning and practice resources, thereby paving the way to produce future innovators and entrepreneurs in STEM fields.

 

Since its inception, Codeavour has attracted 300,000 students across 70 countries, making it the biggest innovation contest for future coders to elevate the development of critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication. This milestone reflects the cumulative efforts and achievements of all editions of the competition thus far. 

 

Additionally, this year has been marked by the successful conclusion of regional events in 13 states across India, alongside national events in 18+ countries around the globe. These events have showcased the incredible talent and innovation of participants and underscored STEMpedia’s commitment to expanding its reach and positively impacting teams worldwide. It is dedicated to building on this momentum and continuing its mission of fostering creativity and collaboration on a global scale.

--TradeArabia News Service