In 2022, Zebra Robotics sent two strong teams to the World Robot Olympiad Internationals in Dortmund, Germany — each carrying a season of hard-earned momentum into the world stage.
Woodchucks — Nila Thiyagarajan, Shruti Nehete, and Riyanshi Sharma — had a near-perfect run through the season, competing in the Robo Mission Elementary category. They finished first at both the GTA Regionals and Canada Nationals, arriving in Dortmund with plenty of confidence. That confidence was well placed: on Day 1, the team scored full points on their core mission and successfully completed part of the surprise challenge — no small feat against the world’s best teams. They went on to finish in the top 40% globally, a strong showing for an Elementary-level team on the international stage.
The Nulls — Vedant Nehete, Dave Grewal, and Elil Thirumugam — faced a tougher road. Early in their run, their robot made contact with a game object, triggering a cascading error that cost the team around 50 points — the kind of single moment that can define a competition. But the team didn’t let it define their event. On Day 2, they bounced back, with their robot completing nearly 80% of the challenge. It wasn’t quite enough to climb back into medal contention, but the team still finished a respectable top 20% overall — a testament to their resilience under pressure.
Two teams, two very different competition stories — but both reflecting what Zebra Robotics teams bring to every World Robot Olympiad: preparation, composure, and the ability to adapt when things don’t go to plan.