Eugenia Moche
A new generation of innovators is reshaping the country’s future through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
At the centre of this movement is Genius Robotics, the organisation behind the Namibian Robotics Team.
Once a non-profit organisation, the company has now evolved into a growing enterprise, but its mission remains to empower youth to innovate, bring change, and excite communities through technology.
What began as one young founder’s international experience representing Namibia at the First Global Challenge, an international robotics competition, has now grown into a movement that is inspiring learners.
Genuis Robotics chief executive officer and founder Denis Michael de Abreu said his experience gave him the motivation to ensure that other Namibian students could access the same opportunities.
“It should be an opportunity that every student can and should have,” he said.
For Namibia’s youth, he said, STEM is more than an academic pursuit. It is a pathway to jobs, entrepreneurship, and national development.
Genius Robotics believes that STEM is the step ladder to knowledge in most careers, especially in fields of change and impact, as well as in everyday work.
Without strong STEM foundations, Namibia risks importing skills instead of building them locally.
“It is essential especially when trying to reach the target of being a first world country.”
The Robotics Team has become a symbol of inclusivity.
Girls are encouraged to take leadership roles, and younger learners are mentored by older peers. This mix of ages and genders creates a collaborative environment where everyone feels like they belong.
De Abreu noted that they have had initiatives such as The Girls Can Code programme, which actively encourages more female participation.
The organisation believes the government has a critical role to play in expanding STEM opportunities.
“STEM should become a mandate in all schools,” De Abreu said.
“Most students from grade 0 to 7 should be exposed to STEM in the school system and programming by grade 3.”
He explained how that would lay a foundation in choosing future careers.
Without sustained support, Namibia risks falling behind countries like South Africa and Kenya, where robotics and coding are already integrated into national curricula.
Genius Robotics has achieved notable successes. From ranking seventh place out of 194 globally in the 2022 First Global Challenge to collaborating with schools to expose STEM to learners, the organisation has become a symbol of what youth can achieve.
De Abreu added that the organisation plans to make the schools they are in collaboration with compete on a regional level, with a scaled-down First Global to give them an opportunity to represent their schools.
The organisation sees STEM as directly linked to Namibia’s future industries.
With the country investing in green hydrogen and digital transformation, the demand for engineers, coders, and innovators will only grow.
“We will need a lot more competent people to work in those fields, and STEM is essential to create that critical thinking and competence,” said De Abreu.
For those unsure about joining the STEM movement, he stated: “We have all started from knowing nothing and whatever we have learned we have mostly taught ourselves, so if you feel you don’t know enough to join, you never know enough, so you might as well join.”
De Abreu said he believed that every young person has the potential to innovate, and that STEM is a gateway to discovering that potential.
By empowering youth to innovate, Genius Robotics is helping Namibia build a future where technology is no longer imported but created locally.
The challenge now is whether the government, schools, and industry will provide the support needed to turn this vision into reality.
