“Roboklinci” and “Level Up” Win the Second National Robotics Competition “RoboFin 2026”
01/11/2026
More than 280 primary school pupils from across Montenegro gathered in Podgorica yesterday for the second national robotics competition for young children, “RoboFin 2026”, held at the University of Montenegro’s Sports and Cultural Centre.
This year, for the first time, the competition was organised in two age categories, allowing the tasks to be tailored to the pupils’ ages, knowledge and abilities. A total of 24 teams took part in the Robo-malci (Robo-tots) category for pupils in the first and second years of primary school, while 48 teams competed in the Robo-znalci (Robo whizzes) category for pupils in the third and fourth years.
By building and programming robots, pupils tackled practical tasks that combined technological knowledge with the basics of financial literacy that included saving, planning and responsible money management. The competition called for creativity, logical thinking, precision and teamwork, while giving pupils an opportunity to put the knowledge gained at school into practice.
The competition was organised to celebrate Savings Week and World Savings Day as part of the national “Robotics for Young Children” programme. The organisers were the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, the CBCG and the Innovation Fund of Montenegro, with Crnogorska komercijalna banka AD Podgorica sponsoring this year’s competition.
In the Robo-znalci category (third and fourth years), first place went to “Roboklinci” from ‘Kekec’ Public Primary School in Sutomore, second place to “Robofinity” from “21. Maj” Public Primary School in Podgorica, and third place to “Robotim” from ‘Dr Dragiša Ivanović’ Public Primary School in Podgorica.
In the Robo-malci category (first and second years), first place went to “Level Up” from “Daćiće” Public Primary School in Rožaje, second place to “Robopčelice” from “Savo Pejanović” Public Primary School in Podgorica, and third place to “Oktorob” from “Oktoih” Public Primary School in Podgorica.
Special awards for the most creative robot design went to “RoboMunje” from ‘Štampar Makarije” Public Primary School in Podgorica in the Robo-malci category and “Robo Vukovi” from “Mahmut Lekić” Public Primary School in Tuzi in the Robo-znalci category. Awards for the best educational videos on financial literacy went to “Robomatix” from ‘21. maj’ Public Primary School in Podgorica in the Robo-malci category and “Iskrice” from ‘Savo Pejanović’ Public Primary School in Podgorica in the Robo-znalci category.
Addressing participants at the opening of the competition, Katarina Lalović, Executive Director of the Innovation Fund of Montenegro, highlighted the importance of learning through hands-on activities, exploration and collaboration.
“RoboFin brings together robotics, creativity and financial literacy, but above all it shows how much children can learn when they have the support of their teachers, schools and families. Dear competitors, today is not just about which team is the fastest or which scores the most points. What matters is that you think, work together, try things out and do not give up when something does not work the first time. That is precisely how good ideas emerge and valuable experience is gained,” Lalović said.
Trophies and medals, 3D-modelled money boxes and robotics kits were presented to the top teams in the Robo-znalci category by Savica Vujičić, Acting Director-General of the Directorate for Innovation, representing the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation. Awards for the winners in the Robo-malci category were presented by Biljana Gligorić, Adviser to the Governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro (CBCG) for ESG and Innovation, representing the CBCG. Special awards were presented by Katarina Lalović, Executive Director of the Innovation Fund of Montenegro.
A notable contribution to this year’s competition was the provision of educational robotics kits to all 42 participating schools, further enhancing opportunities for hands-on learning and the development of robotics and programming skills. The kits were presented to school representatives by Nemanja Đurašković, Head of the Marketing and Communications Department at Crnogorska komercijalna banka, and Snežana Šćepanović, Programme Coordinator at the Innovation Fund of Montenegro.
The ceremony also featured a performance by the 30-member children’s choir of “Milorad-Musa Burzan” Public Primary School, led by teacher Bojana Nenezić.
About the ‘Robotics for Young Children’ programme
“RoboFin” is delivered as part of the national “Robotics for Young Children” programme, launched in 2022 as a pilot initiative in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation and the Bureau for Education Services. The programme was designed to introduce pupils in the lower years of primary school to robotics and programming, while developing their logical thinking, creativity, teamwork and financial literacy.
The pilot phase was implemented in four primary schools in Podgorica. In response to strong interest from educational institutions, the programme was extended to a further 16 schools with donor support, reaching schools in all three regions of Montenegro. Thanks to the continued support of the CBCG, the programme has gradually grown into a national initiative that now covers more than 160 primary schools across the country.
A particular focus of the programme is strengthening teachers’ skills. Twelve teachers successfully completed training to become trainers for the ‘Robotics for Young Children’ programme, while more than 200 primary school teachers across Montenegro attended the accredited training course ‘Using Robotics for Innovative Teaching Methods and the Development of Pupils’ Key Competences’. Schools have been equipped with educational robots that enable teachers to use modern, interactive teaching methods and pupils to acquire new knowledge through practical activities.
By bringing together robotics, programming and financial literacy, the “Robotics for Young Children” programme helps develop children’s digital competences and encourages them to explore, experiment and approach problem-solving creatively from an early age.
The second national robotics competition for young children, RoboFin 2026, continues these activities and provides an opportunity for pupils to demonstrate the knowledge and skills gained at school, while further developing their interest in technology, innovation and responsible money management through social interaction and the exchange of experiences.