Engineering of the Future: The anniversary festival "BaikalRobot-2026" took place in Nizhny Novgorod.

      On May 18, 2026, at 17:44, Society. On May 15 and 16, the venues of the Competence Development Center "Multilab En+" - "School 800" and Lyceum No. 40 - hosted the All-Russian Engineering and Technology Festival "BaikalRobot-2026". This year, the large-scale event celebrated its tenth anniversary, bringing together 231 teams and nearly 600 schoolchildren from various cities in Russia. The Nizhny Novgorod stage gathered 15 teams and 26 participants, clearly demonstrating how technical creativity is becoming a driver of modern school education. Ten years of development: from a local idea to a federal movement. The history of "BaikalRobot" began in 2016 as an initiative of enthusiasts from Eastern Siberia. Gradually, the project transitioned to a multiregional format. Today, the festival covers twelve venues, nine of which are based in "Multilabs En+". "BaikalRobot" is not just a competition, but part of a systematic effort to prepare future specialists, specialists in the field of personnel support acknowledge.

      "We are implementing systematic, strategic work to form a personnel reserve, starting from the school bench. One of our key tools in this work is the 'Multilab' project. This is a network of modern multimedia educational spaces in schools. Our goal is to increase interest in engineering and technical specialties at a young age, develop practical competencies, and help children make informed career choices," notes Olga Dvortsova, HR Director of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of "En+ Teplo Volga". The company is creating a whole ecosystem of opportunities. In Nizhny Novgorod, two such venues are already successfully operating. Based on them, engineering and technology festivals are held, and competitions are organized where schoolchildren get a unique chance for learning, experimentation, and realizing their boldest ideas. From 3D printers to hydropower. The "BaikalRobot-2026" competitions took place in two stages. On May 15, a multi-competence game covered electronics, programming, 2D/3D prototyping, CNC cutting, ecology, and multimedia. On May 16, assessments were held in eight engineering directions. "We have been participating in the festival for the second year, as we are the 'Multilab En+' laboratory. And 'BaikalRobot' continues its activities for 10 years and gains momentum every year," notes Dmitry Timirbulatov, a physics teacher and head of the "Multilab En+" at "School 800". "The tasks become more interesting and challenging every year, but this is both captivating and gives a spark to the kids."

      This year, the venue scaled up competencies. "Energy in Action" simulates the operation of manipulators at En+ enterprises: the kids perform transport missions on the field, moving cargo between points. In the "Young Engineer" direction, participants built mini-hydroelectric power stations providing electricity to a village. Educators acknowledge that educational courses in "Multilab En+" helped the festival participants. "The multilaboratory is an engineering class with new machines, 3D printers, CNC, which are not available in a regular school," emphasizes Timirbulatov. "This is a story about growth, about engineering. When children go to professional-level competitions, they already know how to work with this - it lays the foundation for their future success." The results of the competitions were summarized in three key nominations. In the "Energy in Action" category, first place was taken by Maxim Chemizov, second by Artyom Vikulov, and bronze was shared by Darya Kasyanova and Alexander Tarasov. "Programming is my favorite hobby," shares Alexander Tarasov. "I love programming and building robots in our 'Multilab'."

      In the "Young Engineer" direction, the podium was occupied by Ildar Dautov (1st place), Nikita Perepyolkin (2nd place), and Viktoria Perepyolkina (3rd place). The team of students from school No. 170, Anna Nazarova and Artyom Denisov, presented a model of the "Sustainable City of the Future" and took first place. Deputy Director of school No. 170 Alexander Malkin noted the educational value of the format: "We were amazed by the scale! Performing in front of several cities in Russia via video communication imposes certain peculiarities. This is a very interesting experience, and we will definitely participate again."

      Education oriented towards tomorrow. The goal of the "BaikalRobot-2026" festival is to popularize engineering knowledge among schoolchildren, develop their creative potential, and actively participate in projects that align with sustainable development goals. The tasks of the event are directly related to the formation of project activity skills, scientific analysis, teamwork, and the implementation of innovative approaches in educational processes. "BaikalRobot-2026" is a live, team search for solutions to real problems. And judging by the shining eyes of the participants, next year the festival will again gather a record number of young engineers ready to design the future. And thanks to the support of En+ and the development of the "Multilabs" network, each of them has a chance to turn a school hobby into a profession. The NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.