Students from Kazakhstan won an international award at ABU Robocon 2026

The BULAN team from Nazarbayev University, representing Kazakhstan at the international ABU Robocon 2026 robotics championship in Hong Kong, won the Mabuchi Motor Award. University teams from 21 countries participated in the competition.

The Mabuchi Motor Award is given for originality in engineering solutions, quality of mechanical design, and effective integration of mechanical, electronic, and software components.

Participation in ABU Robocon 2026 marked Kazakhstan's return to the international championship after a seven-year hiatus. The national selection and formation of the national team were organized this year by the USTEM Foundation public fund.

The national stage took place on July 1 as part of the Almaty Tech Cup. As a result, the BULAN team from Nazarbayev University won, earning the right to represent Kazakhstan at the international finals in Hong Kong.

The Kazakhstan national team consisted of 28 students from various disciplines, including mechanics, electronics, programming, design, and project management. This interdisciplinary approach allowed for the combination of engineering and digital competencies in the development and preparation of robotics solutions.

At the international stage, Kazakhstan was represented by Meirjan Tazdarbai, Temirlan Amangeldi, Aymedet Taufig, Farshed Ibrokhimov, and Dastan Musrepov.

The Mabuchi Motor Award was established by the Japanese company Mabuchi Motor, a manufacturer of small electric motors. The award is presented to teams that have demonstrated an original approach to design, a high level of mechanical engineering, and comprehensive application of technological solutions.

The result of the Kazakh team at ABU Robocon 2026 indicates the growing potential of student engineering and robotics, as well as the competitiveness of young Kazakh developers on the international stage.

Source: gov.kz