Two brothers from Dubai turned their curiosity, school assignments, and friendly rivalry into an international achievement by taking first place in the 'Junior Team' category at the MIT Global Appathon 2026.
Eighth-grade students, Mohammed Hamdan and Mohammed Hamza Siddiqui from Gems Founders School, outperformed over 2176 participants from 141 countries with their artificial intelligence-based application called 'SCENAR' (Self-Controlled Energo-Neuro Adaptive Regulator). The goal of this application is to support emergency services by accelerating the retrieval of accurate information in critical situations where every second counts.
This week, the young innovators returned to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to share their success with CEO Aisha Miran and talk about their journey—from a school innovation club to participating in an international competition. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, where the brothers develop their interests at a center within one of the world's leading innovation ecosystems, they shared in an interview published by Gems Founders School on social media how their school experience influenced their path.
Hamza explained that the program encouraged them to explore new challenges and understand their potential. He noted: 'Hamdan and I are in the Advanced Student Club at our school. We have always loved academics, but this showed us another side, so we started doing things like Hustle, MIT Adventure, because it showed us what we are truly interested in and what we are capable of.'
Hamdan recounted that one classroom activity particularly shaped their approach to creativity. Students were given a blank sheet of paper with a single drawn line and asked to create an invention based on it. He believes this exercise helped him understand that innovations can arise even from the simplest ideas. 'I think the Advanced Student Club also helped me and Hamza, both in terms of creativity and innovation, because we recently won the Global Appathon, which requires a lot of innovation and creativity,' added Hamdan.
The brothers' interest in problem-solving extends beyond their winning application. Hamza recalled developing the idea for a modular prosthetic leg after considering the difficulties faced by people using neuroprosthetics. He described his concept as 'something like magnets with electrical contacts inside that would simply allow you to attach it.'
While working on Sinar, they noted that their relationship always included a healthy dose of competition. The brothers explained that they often challenged each other academically, turning study sessions into games and quizzes. Hamza stated: 'Obviously, Hamdan and I want the best for each other. Yes, we helped each other a lot, but there were times when we had a lot of fun and started competing with each other.'
Hamdan added that their competitive spirit stems from a desire to improve and test themselves. 'The kind of competition between Hamza and me is: who can pass this quiz, who will score more points in this quiz,' he said. The young innovators believe their success is also linked to a change in perspective on learning. They feel that instead of viewing studying as a routine task, students should approach it with curiosity. Hamza emphasized: 'I think the first step you should take is to start looking at studying from a completely different point of view,' adding that learning should be perceived as 'something very intriguing, interesting.'
Hamdan agreed, noting that a change in mindset can alter students' approach to tasks: 'If you change your mindset first, everything else just falls into place.'
Meanwhile, praising the brothers' achievements, Luke Oun, Deputy Principal of Gems Founders School Dubai, said he has known the boys and their family for over ten years and called their journey 'incredibly rewarding.' He noted that the pair constantly seeks ways to use their talents in both literature and STEM to solve real-world problems and make a positive contribution to society. He added: 'It has been a privilege to know Mohammed Hamdan and Mohammed Hamza Siddiqui and their family for over ten years. Watching them grow into the wonderful young men they are today has been incredibly rewarding. They are true game-changers.'
He continued: 'Whether it is literature or STEM, they are always looking for ways to solve real-world problems and make their community and the world better. 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 celebrates this outstanding achievement. Their success is an inspiration to all of us.'
