On February 21–22, 2026, the national stage of the global techathon Teens in AI 2026 took place in Ukraine — a global initiative that brings together teenagers from over 100 countries to create tech solutions to address humanity’s key challenges.
Ukraine is joining the event for the third time — and this year the national selection became one of the largest in the country’s participation history: 321 applications from teenagers across different regions of Ukraine. After a thorough selection process, 10 teams advanced to the final stage. The finalists represented Kyiv, Irpin, Kropyvnytskyi, Lviv, and other cities. Many participants had a strong technical background even before the start, including experience in programming, machine learning, robotics, and drone development. A minimum English proficiency level of B1 was mandatory, as the final pitching session was held in English. Each team was supported by an educational mentor — a computer science teacher or lecturer — who guided the students throughout the process.
Preparation for the project final began back in November 2025 and lasted 18 weeks. From January 26–30, 2026, Inspiration Week took place — a week of inspiring lectures delivered by the global Teens in AI team. Participants explored how artificial intelligence and Data Science can serve the social good. Speakers included international experts from Harvard, Safe AI for Children Alliance, and other well-known institutions.
On February 9–13, 2026, a unique Ukrainian initiative, Bootcamp Week, took place. Over five days, participants worked with leading Ukrainian experts in design thinking, AI ethics, programming, pitching, the use of AI to counter information operations, and more:
The most anticipated stage for all participants and organizers was the Design Sprint (February 21–22, 2026) — two days of intensive project work in a hackathon format. Participants followed a rigorous schedule and could access mentoring support across various areas. Mentors at this stage included:
The final pitching session took place on February 22. During it, each team had only three minutes to present their AI solution in English before an expert jury. Projects were evaluated based on five key criteria: design and implementation, innovation, technical complexity, social impact, and ethical considerations. The jury included experts in machine learning, AI ethics, technology regulation, and product development:
The How AI team from the Irpin Lyceum of Innovative Technologies secured first place at the national stage with EyraLearning, under the guidance of mentor Ivan Nechyporuk. They created an inclusive browser-based learning platform that enables children with physical disabilities (including cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and limb absence) to fully interact with educational content solely through their gaze. The key innovation is that the system works with a regular webcam, without expensive specialized equipment. AI algorithms adapt educational materials to the individual needs of the student, adjust difficulty levels, provide voice support, and deliver a personalized experience.
The Techathon prize winners also included the RoboLegion team with their project Perekladon and the PL_KPI team with Speachie.
Perekladon is an interactive application that turns the world around you into a textbook. A student points a camera at an object — AI recognizes it and immediately provides its name in the native and a foreign language. The project is especially relevant for remote regions where a shortage of qualified foreign-language teachers is a problem. The team paid significant attention to ethics: photos are not stored on servers, and users are warned about data privacy. The team represents the Lyceum of New Learning Technologies (Kropyvnytskyi).
Speachie is an AI platform for developing soft skills and diction. The solution includes three modules: word-by-word diction analysis, a speech training simulator with confidence and structure assessment, and a job interview simulation with an AI avatar. The team used specialized datasets to analyze emotions, diction, and speech. At the same time, audio recordings are not stored — the system tracks only user progress. The team represents the Polytechnic Lyceum of NTUU “KPI” (Kyiv).
The projects of other teams were also innovative and engaging: an API for detecting harassment and cyberbullying, an AI-powered career-matching platform, an intelligent time manager, an app for budget-friendly, healthy nutrition, tools for automating teachers’ work, and more. Most teams chose directions related to quality education and health, reflecting Ukrainian youth’s demand for practical solutions to real social problems.
The organizers of the national stage of Teens in AI in Ukraine are the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and Lviv IT Cluster. For the third consecutive year, the techathon was also supported by TechMagic.
All participants will receive branded gifts, and the winning team will have the opportunity to attend IT Future Fest 2026 in Lviv.
The next stage for the winners is participation in the Global Demo Day on April 23, 2026. The Ukrainian team will compete against participants from 101 countries worldwide.
Teens in AI 2026 once again demonstrated that Ukrainian teenagers are not just interested in technology — they are creating world-class solutions that combine deep technical expertise with a strong sense of social responsibility. We wish the winners every success as they represent Ukraine on the international stage.
On February 21–22, 2026, the national stage of the global techathon Teens in AI 2026 took place in Ukraine — a global initiative that brings together teenagers from over 100 countries to create tech solutions to address humanity’s key challenges. Ukraine is joining the event for the third time — and this year the national […]
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