Founders Lab.
Empowered Minds Shaping Tomorrow.
Dubai's premier hands-on 1-year weekend engineering incubator for young creators and innovators aged 8–16. Students build live practical projects with their own hands — autonomous robots, 3D printed inventions, neural AI models, and VR worlds — and take their creations home to keep forever.
🛠️ 100% Student-Built Live Hardware & Software to Take Home
Working robots, electronics kits, 3D printed mechanical models & market products belong entirely to your child.
GEMS School of Research & Innovation
Co-delivering micro:bit & Arduino circuits, autonomous robotics, 3D printing, and spatial computing at Dubai Sports City.
GEMS SRI Campus
Unreal Engine AuthorizedBook Launch Day Spot
Free Launch Day (5 Sep) & campus tour. Meet faculty, test 3D printers & lock in cohort spot.
Live Practical Projects.
Made by Hand. Taken Home.
Students master real industry tools — robotics, machine learning, CAD, 3D printing, VR environments, AI algorithms, and film production — by designing and constructing actual physical and digital inventions from scratch.
Every child takes home the hardware they build — including their working autonomous robot, microcontrollers, sensor kits, 3D printed mechanical models, and packaged invention. They don't just learn theory; they graduate with a living bedroom laboratory and real commercial portfolio.
100% Practical Inventions You Keep
"No passive screens. No copy-pasting. Every student solders, wires, codes, prints, and takes home real engineering."
Hardware Ownership: The robot chassis, microcontrollers, circuits, and 3D prints are theirs to keep at home forever.
Age-Tiered Cohorts: Tailored engineering tracks for Juniors (8–11) and Seniors/Teens (12–16).
Live Public Exhibition: Finished packaged product showcased and sold at Founders Expo in June.
STEM & Creative, in Parallel,
Every Saturday.
Each term combines an engineering STEM lab in the morning with a media/creative lab in the afternoon — where students construct live practical inventions to take home.
Term 1: Foundations & Digital Identity
Robotics & AI Lab
Circuits, sensors, block coding and machine learning — they train their own AI vision & sound model.
Core Tools & Skills:
AI & Creative Lab
Prompt engineering, AI imagery, branding and publishing a real responsive website for their company.
Core Tools & Skills:
Classes Begin Saturday 12 September 2026 · Launch Day 5 September 2026
Our Lab & Student Reels.
Videos auto-play silently. Tap any reel to listen with sound and see young inventors at work!
Autonomous Maze Runner Robot
AI Vision Model in Action
3D CAD Gearbox Prototyping
VR Spatial World Walkthrough
Green Screen Sci-Fi Short Film
Founder's Mic Podcast Episode
Founders Expo Market Day Pitch
Every Student Builds, Tests & Broadcasts
Parents receive video recaps, podcast links, and demo recordings after every module sprint.
How Every Lab Runs.
A child never walks in and starts on a blank product. They learn the tool, prove it on a structured project, then apply it to their real venture.
Tool Training
Guided drills. Everyone builds the same thing — learn the software and hardware fundamentals before touching an independent project.
Lab Project
A self-contained project with its own named outcome and its own recognized certificate.
Venture Application
The trained skill applied directly to the team's own venture product, built cumulatively across the year.
Your Saturday Breakdown.
Every Saturday delivers a balanced dual-engine day: engineering in the morning, creative digital arts in the afternoon.
Cohort Orientation
The whole cohort together: today's challenge, sprint targets & who is doing what
STEM Lab Session
Hands-on engineering: robotics, sensor circuitry, 3D CAD modeling, and machine learning models
Supervised Lunch Break
Recharge, socialize and brainstorm with fellow young inventors (children bring their own lunch)
Creative Lab Session
Immersive innovation: AI website building, VR/AR spatial sculpting, film production & podcast recording
Venue: GEMS School of Research & Innovation (GEMS SRI), Dubai Sports City
Book a visit to experience the Saturday energyMade by Hand. Taken Home Forever.
Every child wires circuits, calibrates 3D printers, programs neural AI, and brings home their physical inventions to show family and build their personal bedroom lab.
Custom Working Robot
Assembled, wired with ultrasonic sensors, and programmed from bare parts. Taken home to keep.
Physical Electronics & Board Kit
Microcontrollers, breadboards, servo motors & jumper wires — fully owned by the student.
3D-Printed Mechanical Inventions
Precision CAD modeled and physically 3D printed with durable filament in our lab.
Packaged, Priced Market Product
Real invented physical product with custom packaging, barcode, and price tag ready for sale.
Trained Machine Learning Model
Computer vision and neural gesture models trained on custom datasets.
Live Public Brand Website
Fully functional e-commerce/brand web portal carrying their own startup identity.
Playable Spatial VR World
Interactive 3D spatial simulation playable on Meta Quest & Apple Vision Pro.
Broadcast Sci-Fi Short Film
Commercial video written, starred in with green-screen chroma key, and edited by the team.
9-Episode Podcast Series
Voice recorded episodes documenting customer interviews, pivots, and tech demos.
6 Project Certificates
Accredited credentials from UAE's only Unreal Engine Authorized Training Center.
Every session ends with something saved, built or filmed — and a finished piece of work goes home every two weeks.
Your Year at a Glance.
Every Saturday, Sep to Jun.
30 Teaching Saturdays · 3 Fun Days · 3 Showcases · 4 Capstone Builds.
Term 1 Focus
Robotics & AI Lab
Outcome: Working Robot Project
AI & Creative Lab
Outcome: Live Website + Brand Kit
Schedules & Milestones
Launch Day & Open House
Session 1 (Classes Begin)
Session 2
Session 3
Session 4
Session 5
Half Term Break
Session 6
Session 7
Session 8
VR & Esports Tournament
Capstone Build Sprint 1
Capstone Build Sprint 2
Prototype Day Showcase
Winter Break
Technology & Software Mastered in Term 1:
Breaks follow the GEMS school calendar — half term, winter, spring, and both Eid holidays. Eid dates subject to moon sighting.
Beyond the Labs.
Included Every Term.
We go far beyond isolated classroom theory: podcasts, founder pitches, and esports celebrations enrich every term.
Founder's Mic
Monthly podcast episode recorded by each team about their product — nine episodes across the year documenting their journey, challenges, and breakthroughs.
Founder Mentorship
Twice a term a working tech founder joins the lab. Children pitch their product in progress, receive actionable feedback, and ask tough questions.
VR & Esports Fun Day
A full Saturday each term — free-play VR headsets, a friendly team esports tournament, and an exciting cohort showcase.
The Home Loop.
You Are Part of the Build.
Instead of asking "what did you do today?", your child comes home with an exciting micro-mission for you.
You become their very first board member, test customer, and podcast listener.
Founder Homework
Every fortnight — a sensor hunt round the house, an interview about something that annoys you, or a phone test of their website. Under 20 minutes.
Customer Surveys
Once a term your child builds a product survey and you are the first respondent. Your candid answers directly change what they build in the lab.
Question of the Week
One guided conversation prompt sent to parents each Saturday morning, so the drive home starts far better than just 'how was it?'.
Key Dates (Academic Year 2026–2027)
Launch Day & Open House — tasters, lab tour, meet mentors & enrolment
Classes begin · Term 1 official kickoff
Prototype Day — first showcase ceremony for families
Development Day — second showcase ceremony & live demos
Founders Expo — public market day, investor pitches & graduation
VRAcademi vs Traditional Camps
vs Generic Online EdTech.
Why visionary parents choose a 1-year in-person incubator over passive Zoom classes and throwaway holiday workshops.
Generic Online EdTech
Zoom screens, 2D block puzzles, and passive sitting. Children get screen fatigue with zero physical hardware or tactile engineering.
Traditional Holiday Camps
Short 5-day surface-level tasters. Good for temporary entertainment, but lacks long-term progressive mastery and tangible product outcomes.
VRAcademi Founders Lab
1-Year physical engineering incubator at GEMS SRI. 120 hours of real tools, dual STEM + Creative tracks, and 10 tangible physical deliverables you take home.
| Core Capability | VRAcademi Founders Lab | Traditional Camps | Generic Online Apps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Format & Environment | Physical Advanced Tech Lab @ GEMS SRI (Saturdays 10AM–2PM) | Classroom lecture or 1-week holiday camp | Isolated Zoom screen sessions in bedroom |
| Physical Hardware & Take-Home Inventions | 100% Student-Built & Kept (Working Robot, Circuit Kits, 3D Prints, Packaged Product) | Center-owned demo kits taken apart after class | Zero physical hardware (100% screen simulation) |
| Curriculum Depth & Continuity | 1-Year Cumulative Incubator (30 Weeks, 120 Hours, 6 Future Labs) | Isolated 5-day surface-level hobby workshops | Fragmented 45-min pre-recorded or drag-and-drop tutorials |
| Dual-Track Methodology | Parallel STEM Engineering (Morning) + Creative Media (Afternoon) | Only basic coding OR only craft arts | Single narrow software app (e.g. Scratch only) |
| Real Industry Tools Used | Arduino, C++, Autodesk CAD, 3D Slicers, Python ML, Unreal VR, Chroma Key | Plastic toy kits with locked proprietary blocks | Gamified 2D cartoon block builders |
| Public Proof & Commercial Launch | Founders Expo Market Day booth, 9-Episode Podcast Series, Live Website | End-of-day certificate handout to parents | Digital badge in a closed browser dashboard |
| Official Accreditations | 6 Project Certificates from UAE's Only Unreal Engine Authorized Center | Generic non-accredited participation slip | Automated downloadable PDF completion card |
| Peer Teamwork & Social Confidence | Collaborative Startup Squads (CEO, Tech Lead, Media Director roles) | Individual desks with minimal structured collaboration | Muted microphones and isolated screen time |
Don't Settle For Toy Coding. Build Real Inventions.
Join founding families on Saturday 5 September 2026 at GEMS SRI Campus. Meet mentors, test 3D printers, and reserve your child's seat.
How to Join.
Securing your child's spot for the 2026–2027 academic year in 3 simple steps.
Come to Launch Day
Saturday 5 September 2026
Tasters, lab tour, hands-on tool demos, and meet the founding instructors & faculty.
Enroll in Cohort
Term or Academic Year Track
Select the per-term pathway or full-year incubator. Flexible payment plans available on Launch Day.
Classes Begin
Saturday 12 September 2026, 10:00–14:00
First official session kickoff at GEMS School of Research & Innovation (GEMS SRI).
Reserve a Seat for Your Child
Founding batch capped at 20 students to ensure 1-on-1 mentorship.
Founders Lab
Designed By Alumni Of.
PhD research meeting industrial precision.
PhD-Level Excellence.
Proprietary tech protocols built by doctoral candidates.
Learners
UCL (UK)
IIT
Partners
Dubai's Only Unreal Authorized Centre
Our Innovation Canvas.
The Founders Lab is 100% physical and hands-on. Our GEMS SRI Campus lab is an active playground where kids tinker space-by-space with industrial-grade microprocessors, VR gear, and actual 3D printers, executing real science.
Featured Showcase
Watch Our Students Build the Future
Future-Ready VR Lab
Robotics & AI Tools
Digital Innovation Zone
Advanced Design Studio
Coding & AI Ecosystem
Next-Gen Tech Hub
Limited Launch Day Tour Slots Available for GEMS SRI Campus
Because Screens
Are Not Enough.
Replace isolated screen time with a real engineering team. Give them industrial hardware tools and physical labs at GEMS SRI to spark true tech mastery.
01Passive Screentime vs. Active Invention
Is your child spending weekends passively consuming video content or building real physical technology? We replace screen scrolling with high-energy, in-person hardware and AI engineering.
02Physical Hardware & Real Lab Equipment
Deep tech skills demand tactile interaction. Our GEMS SRI Campus provides real microcontrollers, sensors, 3D printing filaments, and VR headsets that turn abstract concepts into tangible machines.
03From Toy Coding to Real Startup Founders
If kids want to lead tomorrow, they must learn to build and finish whole systems. In the Founders Lab, they engineer actual working products, design packaging, and present to live customers.
85% of Jobs
In 2030 will require spatial & AI literacy*
Elite Future Labs.
Where Products Get Built.
Practical learning is driven by active physical engagement. Assemble circuitry, calibrate 3D printers, and test spatial VR gear at GEMS SRI Campus' top tech hub.
Metaverse & VR Lab
Hands-on spatial software scripting & real-time VR headset environments.
AI & Neural Tech Lab
Physically train machine-learning models with smart camera & audio inputs.
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Spatial Computing Lab
Apple Vision Pro hands-on layout, spatial prototyping & interactive UX.
Motion & Film Studio
Green screen chroma key, audio podcast mics, and video editing suites.
Robotics & Hardware Lab
Microcontroller circuit routing, sensors, and motor mechanics for physical robots.
3D Fabrication Lab
Precision CAD modeling, 3D printer calibration, and real filament part assembly.
GEMS SRI Campus • Ages 8–16 • Limited Founding Cohort Slots
Power of Physical Labs.
True product mastery requires physical space. The Founders Lab swaps digital isolation for active prototyping, 3D printing calibration, and face-to-face team engineering.
Hands-on First
Tinkering with physical components, Arduino/micro:bit boards, and motors.
Physical Teamwork
Co-designing with active cohort partners in the GEMS SRI Campus lab.
Problem Solving
Analyzing diagnostics, training neural models, and mechanical tolerances.
Venture Readiness
Packaging, pricing, podcasting, and launching a real physical invention.
Senior Mentors & PhD Technologists
Trusted by Parents,
Loved by Students.
What Parents Say
"Finally, a physical summer camp in Dubai that matches elite engineering standards. My daughter's hands-on progress in robotics has been phenomenal."
Fatima Al Mansouri
Parent of Grade 5 Student
"Best summer experience yet. The practical, physical tinkering with microcontrollers and Unreal Engine is exactly what my son wanted."
James Wilson
Parent of Grade 7 Student
"Swapped video-game binging for active coding and 3D printing this summer. VRAcademi has inspired my son to build physical prototypes!"
Sonal Ahuja
Parent of Grade 4 Student
Future Creator Stories
Join Active Summer Sprints"I built my first VR game here! It's the best place to learn tech because we actually get to use the cool gadgets."
Adam
Grade 6
"The AI classes are so interesting. I learned how to train a model to recognize my drawings!"
Elena
Grade 8
"Robotics is my favorite. Programming the robots to navigate through mazes is like solving a giant puzzle."
Omar
Grade 4
Meet The Technologists.
Learn from award-winning creators and PhD technologists with decades of industry experience.
Sonal (Sunny) Ahuja
Co-Founder & CEO
PhD background in AI from Imperial College London. 25+ years global experience.
Shubhankar Tiwari
Co-Founder & COO
Operations expert ensuring seamless delivery of high-standard educational programs.
Kishore Seran
Director of Immersive Ed
Leading curriculum strategy with deep expertise in pedagogical innovation.
Common Questions.
Everything you need to know about the Futures Creator Pathway · Founders Lab (Ages 8–16).
Still have questions? Meet the directors & mentors on Launch Day.
RSVP for Launch Day (5 Sep)GEMS SRI Campus, Dubai Sports City • Ages 8–16 • Limited Founding Cohort Seats
Join the Founders Lab.
Give your child the unfair advantage of building a real venture, mastering 6 future technologies, and presenting at Founders Expo.
Enrolling for 2026–2027 Academic Year
Launch Day
Sat 5 Sep 2026
6 Project Certificates
Unreal Engine Hub
Reserve Launch Day Spot
Meet the faculty, tour the hardware labs at GEMS SRI, and experience live tool drills.
Book Launch Day RSVPFind Us at GEMS SRI.
Our campus is located in the state-of-the-art GEMS School of Research & Innovation, providing a safe and inspiring environment for your child's creative journey.
Dubai Campus Location
GEMS School of Research & Innovation - Al Hebiah Fourth - Dubai Sports City - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Nearby: Dubai International Stadium
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