GEMS Education launches ninth Global Innovation Challenge with record 600+ student startup entries and expanded seed funding pipeline

GEMS Education has launched the ninth edition of the GEMS Global Innovation Challenge (GIC), its flagship student innovation and entrepreneurship programme, receiving record participation of more than 600 startup ideas from students across the GEMS global network. The 2026 edition strengthens GEMS’ end-to-end innovation pipeline, supporting students to move from classroom ideas to investable, real-world startup solutions.

Launched in November 2025, the 2026 Challenge received submissions from across all GEMS schools, in the Junior and Senior categories. More than 100 industry experts will evaluate student pitches, focusing on innovation quality, real-world impact and early-stage commercial viability.

Building on last year’s announcement of USD 1 million in seed funding for the most investable student-led ventures, GEMS has already awarded nearly USD 50,000 to promising projects currently under incubation. These startups are progressing through structured mentoring and early commercialisation, reinforcing GIC’s role as a credible pipeline for future founders rather than a standalone competition.

Designed exclusively for students across the GEMS network, GIC is one of the largest school-based innovation and entrepreneurship programmes for K–12 students in the region. The Challenge invites students to design solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing global challenges across clean energy, healthcare, sustainability, education and social equity.

Dino Varkey, Group CEO of GEMS Education, said: “When students learn to identify real-world problems, think creatively, collaborate effectively and build viable solutions, they develop skills that will serve them for life, regardless of the career paths they choose. Through initiatives like the Global Innovation Challenge, we are empowering young people to become confident innovators, problem-solvers and future founders who can contribute meaningfully to society and the economy.”

Selected teams receive structured mentoring from industry experts, develop functional prototypes and pitch their solutions to investors and corporate partners. Students engage directly with entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and innovation leaders, gaining hands-on exposure to product development, market validation and early-stage investment processes.

In April, GEMS will announce 16 winners in each age category, representing each SDG except Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). In May, Junior category winners will participate in a multi-day bootcamp with industry partners, while Senior teams will receive one-on-one mentoring from global experts ahead of the final pitch event in June, culminating in a high-profile awards ceremony.

The top three teams in both the Juniors and Seniors categories will share a significant prize pool and receive continued access to mentorship, incubation and commercialisation opportunities through GEMS’ global innovation ecosystem.

Industry partners supporting GIC include Plug and Play Tech Center, Canva, QBS Learning, and the Determined Genius Entrepreneurship Academy, providing students with access to funding pathways, incubation support, product design expertise and go-to-market mentorship. A further additional number of high-profile partners are in the pipeline and will be announced as the challenge evolves.  

Since its inception, GIC’s mentoring model has evolved from short bootcamps to more personalised, outcome-driven engagement, particularly for Senior teams. Industry partners now deliver targeted one-on-one mentoring sessions tailored to each startup’s specific needs, while Junior teams continue to benefit from structured, immersive bootcamp experiences.

Baz Nijjar, Vice President – Education Technology and Digital Innovation at GEMS, said: “GIC has matured into a genuine early-stage startup pipeline for student founders. The structured mentoring and evaluation frameworks introduced in 2025 have significantly raised the quality, readiness and commercial potential of student innovations. What matters most is not participation alone, but tangible outcomes including student-led ventures receiving seed funding, refining their products and taking meaningful steps towards real-world impact.”

A key enhancement in 2026 is the introduction of a Launch Pack, equipping schools with guided resources to run structured design-thinking sessions internally. This ensures students enter the Challenge with stronger foundations, resulting in more mature, market-aware submissions.

GIC forms part of GEMS Education’s long-term commitment to building a comprehensive school-based innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, aligned with the UAE’s vision to develop a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy led by young talent. The initiative supports Dubai’s ambition to position itself as a global innovation hub and a launchpad for future entrepreneurs.