Students and fans between 8 and 22 years old prepare their projects to compete in the national final of the World Robot Olympiad Guatemala (World Robotics Olympiad in Guatemala), where they will seek to qualify for the grand world final to be held in Puerto Rico.
At the global level, the Olympics have been held for 22 years in Singapore, its main venue, as well as in other European and Asian countries; however, It arrived in Guatemala four years ago, and in each edition the participation of competitors has increased.
“This year the event is expected to grow. Last year we had around 1,013 participants, which were the best in the entire region. We had people from Chiquimula, Zacapa, Tacaná, San Marcos and La Antigua; People come from all over the country. That is why the competition today has managed to position itself as the most important robotics event in Guatemala,” says David Concuá, director of STEAM Group, national organizer of the Olympics in alliance with the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala.
The activities begin on January 15 of each year worldwide, with the training program and the launch of the official challenges of the edition. From there, Each country holds robotics and technology fairs, regional competitions and the national grand final, where those who will represent Guatemala in international competitions are chosen.
“Last year we went to Singapore; two years ago we went to Türkiye; three years ago it was in Panama and so on (…) This year, Guatemala will have 14 teams that will participate internationally: seven teams will go to the Open Championship, in California, in September; and seven teams to the world final, in Puerto Rico, in December”, says Concuá.
In 2025, Guatemala ranked 33rd out of the 103 countries that took part in the World Robot Olympiad. Therefore, the event is considered a platform to promote scientific vocations, develop 21st century skills and open international opportunities for children and young people passionate about robotics, engineering and innovation.
The teams are made up of two or three participants guided by a coach. Each team must design, build and program a robot model capable of completing a challenge based on the competition theme, according to its category:
- Robotic Missions Elementary: from 8 to 12 years old
- Junior Robotic Missions: from 11 to 15 years old
- Senior Robotic Missions: from 14 to 19 years old
- Future Engineers: from 14 to 22 years old
- Innovative Futures: from 8 to 19 years old
Registration to participate will be open until Thursday, May 28, 2026, or while spaces are available. For more information about categories, requirements, challenges and registration processes, visit the site www.wroguatemala.org
The national final will be held at the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.where the best teams in the country will demonstrate their skills in robotics and innovation and compete for the opportunity to represent Guatemala.
“For the second time, the university will host the final of the Robotics World Cup, an activity that brings together young people from different establishments in the country and seeks to promote science and technology. For us this is especially relevant within the framework of the 60 years that the Universidad del Valle celebrates this year. There are six decades in which we have sought to transform lives through education, science and the possibility of having the talent of all of you, young people interested in the field of robotics, is especially interesting and valuable for us,” said Roberto Moreno, dean of the university.
The final will be open to the public, so the organizers invite you to come and learn about the projects and robots created by Guatemalan children and young people.
