At 20, Shayan isn’t just judging. He’s designing Pakistan’s Surprise Rules—and in just a few seasons, teams have sharpened their skills and stepped up their game.

Mikaella Janielle Sevilla from the Philippines started out as a shy fifth-grader, but ended up mentoring Future Innovators and building an underwater robotic drone prototype at just 13.

You can rarely tell in the moment that something will have a profound impact on your life. Especially at age ten. That was how old Pan Yifan was when he first took part in a WRO national final.

Robotics is transforming African classrooms in 2025. From Zimbabwe to Nigeria, students, teachers, and mentors are reimagining learning through WRO, building robots, confidence, and a new future for education.