Juniori
For children aged 6 to 10 who already understand the basics of robotics and want their first serious competitive challenge. The team builds, programmes and presents its solution to a panel of expert judges.
Who is the Juniori
category for?
They know the basics
Children who have taken their first steps in robotics, programming or building, and now want to apply that knowledge in a real competition with rules and a judging panel.
They work as a team
School groups, clubs, after-school workshops. Every team needs an adult mentor who oversees the preparation. Mixed teams are welcome.
They want a real challenge
Juniori is not a category for play — it is the first serious format with scoring, a presentation and a final ranking. For children ready to compete and to explain what they have built.
The 2026 challenge
Each team prepares a robot or a robotic solution that completes a task on the course. The focus is on the build, basic programming, precision of movement and the team’s ability to explain its solution to the judges.
This year’s theme for Juniori is smart logistics — the team develops an autonomous vehicle that has to carry a defined load from a starting point to a destination while avoiding obstacles along the way.
Every team has three hours for final assembly, tuning and presenting its solution. The judges score both the technical execution and the way the team explains its decisions.
Detailed rules and course specifications will be published in the PDF rulebook. This information is general guidance for your preparation.
Examples of task types
- Autonomous navigation of the course
- Carrying a load between marked points
- Avoiding obstacles with a sensor
- Stopping precisely inside marked zones
- Presenting the solution to the judges — 5 minutes
What to prepare
A robot or prototype
A working model that completes the task. It does not need to be perfect — what matters is that the robot can finish its mission under controlled conditions.
An explanation of the solution
A short spoken or written account of your approach: why you chose that build and that programming logic. The judges will ask — the team needs to know the answer.
Clear roles in the team
Who handles the mechanics, who the programming, who the presentation. An organised team earns points for teamwork — it is a separate scoring criterion.
A mentor from school
A registered mentor — a teacher of computing, technology or physics — is compulsory for the Juniori category. The mentor attends but does not help during the challenge.
Entry details
Full names and dates of birth of the team members, the name of the school and the mentor’s contact. The entry form does not require a project description or a prototype in advance.
Technical documentation
Not compulsory, but recommended. A short build diagram or a block diagram of the programme helps the team explain its solution to the judges on the day.
Key dates
Frequently asked questions
Does a child need previous experience in robotics?
The Juniori category assumes a basic grasp of robotics or programming — it is not for complete beginners. Children who have been through courses, school clubs or workshops are ideal candidates. For younger children and beginners we recommend the Kids category.
Is a mentor compulsory?
Yes. The Juniori category requires a registered mentor — a teacher, instructor or parent who signs the entry. The mentor attends the competition, but cannot help the team directly during the challenge itself.
How many members can a team have?
Team size and the other conditions will be defined in the category rulebook. Everyone must be registered before the deadline. Mixed teams from different schools are allowed and welcome.
Does the robot have to be finished before we enter?
No. All you need to enter are the details of the team and the mentor. The robot is developed and refined during the preparation period. On the day the team brings a working model — it does not need to be perfect, but the robot must be able to finish its mission.
When do the detailed rules and course specifications arrive?
Detailed rules and technical conditions will be published before the event. Follow the website and the event’s Instagram profile for the exact publication date and the download link.
Who do we contact with questions?
Send any enquiry through the contact form on the website or straight to the event email address. We reply within 48 hours on working days. The organisers are also available at the preparation workshops at the Dečiji inovacioni centar (Children’s Innovation Centre).