The model
A motorised build using SPIKE Essential that demonstrates the team's idea. Movement and sensing are expected; complexity is not.
Home / Categories
UAE categories 2026/27
Explore and Challenge
The UAE runs the BIOGLOW™ Founders Edition, built on LEGO® Education SPIKE™ technology. Two categories, two very different seasons.
Ages 6–10 · Discover. Build. Create.
Explore
Young learners explore engineering fundamentals through hands-on building, coding, teamwork and creative problem-solving, powered by LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential or WeDo 2.0.
In BIOGLOW™, Explore teams investigate a habitat and build a motorised LEGO® model showing something they have learned about how that ecosystem works. Alongside the model they produce a team poster documenting their research, their team identity and their build process.
Explore events are festivals, not tournaments. Every team presents to friendly reviewers and every team is recognised. There is no ranking table — the outcome is confidence.
Explore at a glance
- Ages6–10
- Team size2–6 students
- Coach1–2 adults
- KitBIOGLOW Season Explore Kit
- HardwareSPIKE™ Essential
- DeliverablesModel + poster
- EventFestival showcase
- Season length8–10 weeks
The poster
A single board covering the team, the research, the build and what changed along the way. Students present it themselves.
The showcase
A short, warm review session with two adults. Reviewers ask about the process, not just the result.
Ages 9–16 · Build. Code. Compete.
Challenge
Teams design, program and test autonomous robots while researching real-world problems and developing innovative solutions with LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime, EV3 Mindstorms, NXT collaborating to research a real-world challenge and develop creative solutions.
Matches run 2 minutes 30 seconds. The robot must complete missions autonomously; students may only handle it inside a marked home area. Alongside the robot game, teams identify a real biodiversity problem, research it, design a solution and defend it to judges.
Awards are spread across all three strands — Robot Performance, Robot Design, Innovation Project and Core Values — with the Champion's Award recognising the strongest all-round team.
Challenge at a glance
- Ages9–16
- Team size2–10 students
- Coach1–2 adults
- KitBIOGLOW Season Challenge Kit
- HardwareSPIKE™ Prime
- Match2 min 30 sec
- Judged categoriesThree
- Season length10–12 weeks
Robot game
Autonomous missions on a 2.4m x 1.2m field mat. Best score across multiple matches counts. Judges also review the robot's design and code.
Innovation Project and Robot Design
Identify a biodiversity problem, research it, design a solution, and present it in a five-minute judged session with questions. Showcase your robot design and the end effectors along with your Robot Game plan.
Core Values
Assessed continuously — in the judging room, in the pits and at the table. Weighted equally with the technical strands.
What your team needs to buy
What do you need to participate?
Every team needs the BIOGLOW™ season set for its category and the LEGO® Education SPIKE™ set that category runs on. The season set holds this year’s models, mat and mission elements; the SPIKE set is the hub, motors and sensors that make them work.
The season set is required and changes every year. The SPIKE set is reusable — if your school already has them from a previous season, you only need the season set.
Explore · Ages 6–10
Season set · required
BIOGLOW™ Explore Set
This season’s rainforest models, build instructions and Explore mat.
Robotics platform
LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential
The electronics Explore models are built around. Reusable season after season, and also used for classroom teaching outside the competition.
Challenge · Ages 9–16
Season set · required
BIOGLOW™ Challenge Set
Every mission model for this season’s robot game, plus the field mat.
Robotics platform
LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime
What teams build and code their competition robot from. Reusable season after season. Larger squads often run a second set so two sub-teams can build at once.
Need more SPIKE™ sets?
Additional LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime and LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential™ sets, and LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime Expansion Sets are available from the ATLAB shop online site.
Choosing between them
Which category fits your students?
Side by side
Ages
6–10
9–16
Competitive ranking
No — celebration format
Yes — scored matches and awards
Coding required
Icon blocks
Word blocks or Python
Weekly commitment
1–2 hours
2–4 hours
Coach experience
None needed
Helpful, not required
Best for
Students new to robotics
Students ready for competition
Not sure? Send us the ages and the number of students and we will recommend a category. Get in touch.
Season 2026/27 is open
Bring BIOGLOW™ to your school
Explore and Challenge teams across the Emirates are registering now. Secure your kit, lock in your coach orientation date, and start building.
