Two brothers from Dubai have turned their curiosity, classroom challenges and friendly competition into a global achievement, winning first place in the Junior Team category at the 2026 MIT Global Appathon.
Grade 8 students Mohammed Hamdan and Mohammed Hamza Siddiqi from Gems Founders School outperformed more than 2,176 participants representing 141 countries with their artificial intelligence-powered app, “SCENAR” (Self-Controlled Energo-Neuro Adaptive Regulator).
The app aims to support emergency teams by helping them obtain accurate information faster during critical situations, where every second can make a difference.
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This week, the young innovators returned to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to share their achievement with the Director General, Aisha Miran and speak about their journey from a school innovation club to an international competition stage.
A blank sheet of paper to a global idea
Now in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where the brothers are pursuing their interests at the heart of one of the world’s leading innovation ecosystems, the duo reflected in an interview shared by Gems Founders School on social media, on how their school experiences shaped their path.
Hamza explained that the programme encouraged them to explore new challenges and understand what they were capable of achieving.
“Hamdan and I are in the Advanced Learners Club at our school. We always loved academics, but it just showed us a different side to it, and so we started going for stuff like Hustle, MIT Adventure, because it showed us what we really were intrigued by and what we were capable of,” he said.
Hamdan said one classroom activity particularly shaped their approach to creativity. Students were given a blank piece of paper with a single line drawn on it and asked to create an invention from it.
He said the exercise helped him understand that innovation could start from even the simplest ideas.
“I think the Advanced Learners Club also helped me and Hamza, and also from the creativity and innovation side, because we recently won the Global Appathon, which requires a lot of innovation and creativity,” Hamdan said.
The brothers’ interest in solving problems extends beyond their winning app. Hamza recalled creating an idea for a modular prosthetic leg after thinking about challenges faced by people using neuroprosthetics.
“My idea was kind of magnets with electrical contacts inside that would just let you snap it on,” he said.
Brothers, teammates and friendly competitors
While the pair worked together on Sinar, they said their relationship has always involved a healthy dose of competition.
The brothers explained that they often challenged each other academically, turning study sessions into games and quizzes.
“Obviously me and Hamdan do want the best for each other. Yeah, so we did help each other a lot, but then there are these times when we had a lot of fun and we started competing with each other,” Hamza said.
Hamdan added that their competitive spirit came from wanting to improve and test themselves.
“The kind of competitive me and Hamza get is like, who can do this quiz, who can get the most points in this quiz,” he said.
The young innovators believe their success also came from changing how they viewed learning. Rather than seeing academics as a routine task, they said students should approach it with curiosity.
“I think the very first step you should take is that you should start seeing academics in a very different perspective,” Hamza said, adding that learning should be seen as “something very intriguing, interesting.”
Hamdan agreed, saying a shift in mindset can change the way students approach challenges.
“If you first change the mentality, then everything else will just fall into place,” he said.
Solving real-world problems
Meanwhile, praising the brothers’ achievement, Luke Oung, Deputy Head of Secondary School at Gems Founders School Dubai, said he has known the boys and their family for more than a decade and described their journey as “incredibly rewarding”.
He noted that the pair consistently seek ways to use their talents in both literature and STEM to solve real-world problems and contribute positively to society. He added: “It’s been a privilege to know Mohammed Hamdan and Mohammed Hamzah Siddiqui, and their family, for more than ten years. Watching them grow into the remarkable young people they are today has been incredibly rewarding. They are true game changers.”
“Whether in literature or STEM, they are always looking for ways to solve real world problems and make their community and the world a better place. Their curiosity, determination and compassion set them apart, and I have no doubt they will continue to make a significant impact in the future.
“We are incredibly proud of both boys, and the entire Gems Founders School community is celebrating this outstanding achievement. Their success is an inspiration to us all.”
Source: Khaleej Times