Young Ugandan Innovators Fly National Flag High at International Greenwich Olympiad

KAMPALA – Uganda has secured a major international science accolade after a 13-year-old student won a Gold Medal at the 2026 International Greenwich Olympiad (IGO) in London, with two other young Ugandans also earning global recognition for their engineering innovation.

Roshan Aitham Karoobi, a Senior One student at Light Academy Secondary School in Entebbe, emerged as the overall winner in the STEM Lesson Presentation category for his project titled Physics in Action: How a Fruit-Picking Robot Uses Newton’s Laws of Motion. His innovation outperformed entries from around the world, earning Uganda the category’s only gold medal.

The project addresses one of Uganda’s key agricultural challenges by demonstrating how a robot designed using Newton’s Laws of Motion can automate fruit harvesting, reducing labour costs, minimizing post-harvest losses, and improving productivity. The innovation also contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on Zero Hunger and Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.

“I wanted to build something that could actually help farmers back home, not just something for a science fair,” Roshan said after receiving the award. “Seeing Uganda’s flag next to the word ‘Gold’ is something I’ll never forget.”

Uganda’s success extended beyond the gold medal, with 12-year-old Luke Oz Governor Mukulembeze and 14-year-old Israel Mbonye, both Grade Seven students at Shekinah International School in Entebbe, receiving an Honourable Mention in the Engineering category.

Their project focused on designing a low-cost automated greenhouse equipped with Arduino-based monitoring technology, automatic irrigation, and real-time temperature and humidity tracking to promote sustainable agriculture.

The three students competed under the African School of Innovations Science and Technology (ASIST) through its flagship programme, Young Engineers Uganda.

Roshan’s coach, Monica Arinaitwe, praised his dedication, revealing that the student spent six months refining the fruit-picking robot before presenting it in London.

Similarly, coach Allan Mugarura commended Luke and Israel for repeatedly redesigning their irrigation system until it met the required standards, describing the recognition as a remarkable achievement for students at such a young age.

The International Greenwich Olympiad, organised by North London Grammar School, is one of the world’s leading platforms for student-led research and innovation. This year’s competition attracted 362 finalists from 53 countries selected from more than 1,000 registered participants worldwide, with only one gold medal awarded in each competition category.

The latest achievement further strengthens Uganda’s growing reputation in international STEM and robotics competitions.

According to ASIST, Ugandan students have represented Africa at the VEX Robotics World Championship for four consecutive years, won gold at the Enjoy AI Global Finals in China, secured multiple podium finishes at the Pan-African Robotics Competition in Senegal, and qualified for the 2026 MATE ROV Underwater Robotics World Championship in Canada.

ASIST Chief Executive Officer Maureen Ayebare Karamagi described Roshan’s victory as proof that Ugandan children can compete with the world’s best when given quality mentorship and opportunities.

Chief Operating Officer Caroline Kapere Tusiimire added that the organisation remains committed to identifying and nurturing more young innovators to represent Uganda at international science and robotics competitions in the years ahead.