Nine champion teams from Bangladesh have been selected for the final round of the NASA Space Apps Challenge. The team “Quantum Voyagers” from Dhaka emerged as the champions in their region. Other regional champions include team “Ork” from Sylhet, “Innovators BD” from Rangpur, “Eco Rangers” from Mymensingh, “T Minus Zero” from Cumilla, and “Urban Utopians” from Chattogram. Additionally, team “EnvO_Fighters” from Rajshahi, “Team Phoenix” from Barishal, and “Team Atlas” from Khulna also received championship titles. These teams will now represent Bangladesh in the global challenge.
The announcement of the winning teams for the Bangladesh segment was made on Saturday night. A total of 27 participants, including both champions and runners-up, were honored. A special recognition was also awarded to the team “Solar Shadow” in the school category. The team, led by sixth-grade student Subha Safayat Sijda, created a game to educate players about the solar system’s planets and moons. The team members included fifth-grade students Sejda Zakir Tarla, Mirha Sinayat, Aminur Rahman Sajim, and Golam Tahreem Bin Arik.
Over 3,000 students from 500 teams, ranging from school to university level, participated in the challenge from different regions across Bangladesh. They competed with over 100,000 problem solvers from 185 countries around the world. In Dhaka, the first runner-up was “Team Titan,” while the virtual second runner-up was “Team Hydro.”
Other regional runners-up include “Aqua-Agripredicta” and “Yottabyte” from Barishal, “Bluesentry” and “Recursion” from Chattogram, “Helio Alchemist” and “Exoverse” from Cumilla, “Novaflare” and “Global Protector” from Khulna, “MonsoonFive” and “Lunar_Harvesters” from Mymensingh, “Novochari” and “Agri Vision” from Rangpur, “CodeBlack” and “The Orbvengers” from Rajshahi, and “Team Novo” and “SUST Brainstormers” from Sylhet.
Speaking at the event, Mahdi-Uz-Zaman, advisor to NASA Space Apps Challenge Bangladesh, expressed hope that Bangladesh could win gold in all three rounds of the global competition this year. He praised the innovative work of participants, especially those developing games on exoplanets and tackling climate change resilience.
Ariful Hasan Apu, a global judge for NASA Space Apps Challenge, highlighted the exceptional talent of Bangladesh’s youth, emphasizing their creative thinking and presentation skills. He expressed confidence in their ability to lead on the global stage, provided they receive proper guidance and inspiration.
During the awards ceremony, Helen LaFave, Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, presented the trophies to the winners. She congratulated them, noting that the NASA Space Apps Challenge is a platform that fosters innovation and sparks interest in science and technology among youth. She also expressed pride in Bangladesh’s achievements and hoped to see the country continue its winning streak.
Nadia Anwar, founder and trustee board chairperson of AIUB, emphasized the event’s importance in encouraging youth to pursue careers in science and technology. She noted that technological advancement plays a crucial role in shaping the future of industries and societies, and that this event will inspire young people to become tomorrow’s scientists and technologists.
BASIS President Russell T. Ahmed, who administered the oath for continuing the legacy of innovation, expressed confidence that Bangladesh will claim global victory for the fifth time, given the motivation and talent of the youth. He emphasized that BASIS has been organizing this competition for 11 consecutive years, which serves as a significant source of inspiration for the country’s future innovators.
