Tech News
ATLAB announces winners of ‘FIRST LEGO League,’ recognising UAE’s young innovators in robotics
The FIRST LEGO League (FLL) 2024-25 season, hosted by ATLAB, a subsidiary of the Centena Group, in collaboration with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and LEGO Education, announced the national winners from across the UAE during the grand finale of the ‘CHALLENGE’ category on February 9, 2025. The awards recognised young innovators from 42 participating teams for their exceptional creativity, problem-solving skills and teamwork in robotics and STEM.
The Champion’s Winner Award was presented to Team ‘ACE’ from Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, with Team ‘PELAGIC PIONEERS’ from DPS (Delhi Private School) – Sharjah as first runner-up and Team ‘METAL MECH’ from Gems International School – Al Khail as the second runner-up.

In the Robot Performance category, Team ‘SEATROTTERS’ from Gems Millenium School – Sharjah emerged as winners, followed by Team ‘ACE’ from Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences first runner-up and Team ‘MARINE X’ from Gems Millenium School Sharjah as the second runner-up.
The winners for Robot Design were Team ‘AQUA RAPTORZ’ from DPS – Sharjah, with Team ‘SEATROTTERS’ from Gems Millenium School – Sharjah as first runner-up and Team ‘CODEBREAKERS 2.0’ from Emerging Stars Institute as second runner-up.
The Innovation Project award went to Team ‘MAWJ MYSTERY MASTERS (M CUBE)’ from DPS – Sharjah, with Team ‘HYDRATECH’ from Mayoor Pvt School as first runner-up and Team ‘NMS HYDROBOTS’ from Gems New Millennium School – Al Khail as second runner-up.
Finally, the Core Values award was won by Team ‘AIS_TECHTITANS’ from Abu Dhabi International Pvt School, while Team ‘ABYSSAL EXPLORERS’ from Abu Dhabi Indian School secured first runner-up position and ‘DIAEH TEAM 2’ from Dubai International Academy – Emirates Hill secured the second runner-up position.
This year, the competition included the Motivate Award, which was presented to Team ‘REEF RANGERS’ from Diyar Private Academy Early Years and Girl’s Campus Dibba, Fujairah in recognition of their exceptional team spirit, enthusiasm, and commitment to the core values of the FIRST LEGO League.
Charbel Najjar, the coach of Team ACE from Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences said: “The competition provided us with a dynamic platform to exhibit our innovative concepts and gain valuable experience in the realms of problem-solving, teamwork, and STEM-related skills. We aim to carry this experience forward and continue to participate in similar competitions.”
The winners in the CHALLENGE category were assessed on the basis of their robot design, performance, innovation projects and core values. Team ACE that received the Champion’s Winner Award are qualified for the international-level competition, which is held in the USA at the World Festival – Houston, Texas. Apart from this, selected teams will compete in the international competitions across the world; AIS_TECHTITANS from Abu Dhabi International Pvt School in Greece, SEATROTTERS from Gems Millenium School – Sharjah in South Africa, AQUA RAPTORZ from DPS – Sharjah and METAL MECH from Gems International School- Al Khail in Australia and PELAGIC PIONEERS from DPS – Sharjah in USA.
Nilesh Korgaonkar, CEO of ATLAB said: “The exceptional projects created by these innovators may not be directly implemented, but they might inspire real-world solutions at an international level or adopted by organisations or countries associated with FIRST. This competition is a platform for students to showcase their creativity, gain valuable experience and contribute to solving real-world problems. We are immensely proud of all the participants and winners who seized this opportunity. To ensure high-quality evaluation, we meticulously selected judges with expertise in STEM education and robotics.”
The teams were judged by esteemed professionals from different backgrounds, representing institutions, universities and schools across the UAE from both governmental and private organisations. This year’s grand finale was further enriched by the presence of special guest Rasna Hussain, a CCDI Teacher and Trainer at the UAE’s Ministry of Education, whose expertise spans Robotics, STEM Training, artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning.
In line with the UAE’s vision to foster a knowledge-based economy and empower future generations, initiatives like the FIRST LEGO League play a vital role in nurturing young innovators. By providing a platform to showcase creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork, ATLAB reaffirms its commitment to supporting the nation’s aspirations for innovation and excellence in STEM fields.
Tech News
IT services spend in MENA set to reach up to 28% of total IT budgets as services-led transformation accelerates
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is entering a decisive, services-led growth phase in its IT sector, as enterprises and governments accelerate large-scale digital transformation initiatives. Investments in cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), data centres, and cybersecurity are reshaping technology priorities, with implementation, integration, and managed services gaining prominence over traditional software-led models.
Industry analysis by Grand View Research (GVR) reveals that IT services currently account for around 21–22% of total IT spending across MENA, a share expected to rise to between 26 and 28% by the end of the decade. The region’s professional IT services market, valued at USD 33.9 billion (Dh124.5 billion) in 2024, is forecast to grow to nearly USD 58.3 billion (Dh214 billion) by 2030, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 9.5%.
Sourav Bhanja, Middle East Head of GVR, said: “Many B2B IT services firms in the region continue to underinvest in digital engagement. Professional platforms such as LinkedIn remain underutilised, while company websites often lack strong case studies, sector-specific storytelling, and clear positioning.”
Government-led digitalisation programmes, sovereign cloud deployments, smart city initiatives, and national data strategies, coupled with rising enterprise adoption across sectors such as banking and financial services, healthcare, energy, logistics, and public infrastructure, are driving this shift. As hyperscalers and global technology firms expand their regional footprint, demand for localised integration, migration, and managed services continues to accelerate.
Bhanja also emphasised the importance of leadership visibility in the region’s competitive IT market: “Technical capability alone is no longer enough. Firms that combine deep technical expertise with consistent marketing, strong leadership visibility, and clear communication of value are the ones most likely to succeed in the MENA market.”
The analysis highlights that with growing competition among IT services providers, market visibility and differentiation have emerged as critical growth drivers. Integrated, always-on digital marketing strategies are increasingly vital, as many B2B IT services firms underutilise channels such as LinkedIn, websites, thought leadership content, newsletters, blogs, infographics, and short-form video to engage decision-makers.
Market data also indicates a broader shift towards digital-first engagement. Digital advertising spend in the Middle East, estimated at USD 32 billion (Dh117 billion) in 2024, is projected to rise sharply to USD 81.4 billion (Dh298.9 billion) by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.7%. In contrast, the regional events and conferences market is expected to expand at a more modest 7.1% CAGR, reflecting changing enterprise marketing priorities.
Grand View Research concluded that IT services firms combining technical depth with strong market communication, data-driven marketing, and visible leadership will be best positioned to capture the next phase of growth across MENA.
Tech News
Loylogic Shares 2026 Vision to Advance the Global Rewards Marketplace
Advanced AI innovation, intelligent marketplace design, and trusted global infrastructure position Loylogic for continued leadership in rewards and loyalty commerce.

As the Middle East loyalty market is projected to reach $3.27 billion in 2025, expanding 16.3% year-on-year, and digital-first, personalized, and coalition-based models reshape the industry, brands face rising expectations around relevance and engagement. Against this evolving landscape, Loylogic, a leader in global loyalty rewards management, today shared its 2026 strategic outlook, outlining how the company is evolving its global rewards marketplace to support brands navigating rapidly changing loyalty expectations.
The company enters the year with a renewed focus on continued investment in AI-powered rewards marketplace intelligence, enhanced catalogue curation, and deeper integration capabilities designed to improve reward relevance, partner value, and member experience across industries and geographies. Rather than simply expanding choice, Loylogic’s approach centres on intelligent rewards marketplace design, aligning consumer relevance, operational efficiency, and long-term value creation within a single global platform.
To support enterprise scale deployment, Loylogic continues to operate under a robust compliance and security, compliance and governance framework. The company adheres to internationally recognised standards ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI DSS, and AES-256 encryption, ensuring secure and trusted data handling across every layer of its technology while maintaining alignment with the European Accessibility Act 2025 and WCAG 2.0. All platforms remain adaptable to regional data residency and regulatory requirements.
“As loyalty programs mature, brands are looking beyond scale alone,” said Gabi Kool, CEO of Loylogic. “They want reward ecosystems that are smarter, more relevant, and commercially sound. Our focus for 2026 is about advancing how global rewards marketplaces are designed, governed, and experienced, combining intelligence, trust, and flexibility.”
Advanced AI innovation is central to Loylogic’s next phase of growth. Loylogic continues to enhance its use of advanced analytics and machine learning to support smarter reward discovery, improved marketplace performance, and deeper insights for loyalty operators, while maintaining strict standards for privacy, security, and compliance.
“Our innovation efforts are focused on making rewards marketplaces more intelligent and adaptive,” said Amit Bendre, COO of Loylogic. “This means better insight, better decision support, and better experiences, without compromising on trust, transparency, or regulatory rigor.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Loylogic plans to deepen collaboration with global partners, engage more actively with industry stakeholders, and selectively strengthen capabilities across commercial, product, and technology functions, supporting a growing pipeline of enterprise clients across financial services, travel, and consumer sectors. With a proven global infrastructure, deep marketplace expertise, and a clear strategic direction, Loylogic continues to help leading brands transform everyday engagement into meaningful, long-term loyalty.
About Loylogic
Loylogic is a leader in global rewards marketplaces for loyalty and incentives management, enabling brands to deliver scalable, flexible engagement experiences through a modern commerce platform. Its global catalog and redemption marketplace support meaningful engagement across B2C, B2E, and B2B programs worldwide. With deep expertise in sourcing, fulfilment, and patented points-plus-cash innovation, Loylogic has enabled over 200 billion points and miles transactions, delivered more than $1 billion in commerce, and shipped experiences spanning 100+ categories across 190 countries to more than 10 million loyalty members worldwide.
Tech News
Webook.com Strengthens UAE Footprint, Bringing World-Class Entertainment Experiences
Webook.com, one of the fastest-growing platforms for booking lifestyle and entertainment experiences in the Middle East, is deepening its footprint in the United Arab Emirates following strong traction across the country.
Founded with a vision to transform how people discover and book experiences, webook.com continues to elevate convenience through a unified platform that brings together entertainment, dining, and leisure in a seamless digital journey.
Within the UAE, webook.com has rapidly expanded its user base while curating a lineup of world-class experiences. From comedy nights with Bassem Youssef to electrifying Teddy Swims concerts and the magic of Disney on Ice, webook.com continues to bring some of the region’s most unforgettable events to audiences across the UAE. Beyond these major hosted events, users can also book global entertainment experiences, including MDLBEAST, Riyadh Season, AFCON and other leading events happening across MENA.
Commenting on the expansion, Nadeem Bakhsh, CEO of webook.com, said: “Webook.com was built to curate the experiences that matter most, from front-row access to world-class entertainment to discovering hidden local gems. Expanding our footprint to the UAE allows us to bring a carefully selected lineup of events and experiences to the region. Our goal is to continue providing variety, quality, and seamless access to unforgettable moments.”
As the platform widens its presence across the UAE, it continues to strengthen partnerships with top entertainment brands, cultural institutions, and iconic venues, enabling users to access an unmatched selection of events and experiences.
Webook.com’s technology has proven itself across multiple markets, handling millions of transactions during major events, tournaments, and high-demand ticket releases. With real-time queueing, robust infrastructure, and flexible integration, webook.com delivers landmark events with unmatched reliability and scale.
With momentum accelerating in the UAE, webook.com aims to transform how people discover, plan, and enjoy experiences, turning every booking into the start of a memorable story. Beyond expanding its presence, webook.com is shaping a movement centered on connection, culture, and the joy of shared moments.
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