Young inventors at the Hydrogen World Championship

Two teams from Chemnitz at the H2 Grand Prix World Final in Switzerland

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Two teams from the Dr. Wilhelm André Gymnasium in Chemnitz are currently taking part in the H2 Grand Prix World Final, which is being held in Bulle (Switzerland) from 29 June to 4 July. The H2 Grand Prix is an international technology competition in which pupils develop and optimise hydrogen-powered, radio-controlled model vehicles and pit them against each other in long-distance races.

The ‘BlubberBoliden’ team, comprising four female pupils, and the ‘Ganymede Racing’ team, comprising five male pupils from Years 10 and 11, each won the national championship in their respective competition classes at the end of May 2026. The German qualifying round took place at the Chemnitz Industrial Museum. The teams will now represent Germany at this World Championship. Although the boys’ team finished 10th out of 17 in the competition yesterday, they did bring home the prize for the most innovative vehicle in the stock car class to Chemnitz – and thus to Germany. The girls’ team is travelling to Switzerland today for their competition.

Through the competition, the young people engage in a hands-on way with the potential and challenges of hydrogen use and gain experience in a field of technology that is significant for the energy transition and industrial transformation. In doing so, they become young ambassadors for an innovative and climate-friendly future.

In doing so, the pupils are also representing the city of Chemnitz in particular, which, with the emerging Hydrogen Innovation Centre (HIC), is the location of the national Innovation and Technology Centre for Hydrogen (ITZ H2).

The Chemnitz Youth Welfare Office is supporting the participation of young people from Chemnitz in the World Championship through its International Youth Work programme, providing project funding to cover, amongst other things, accommodation, travel costs, entry fees and materials. In the competition, the teams will meet young people from numerous countries. The event thus also promotes intercultural competence and an open-minded attitude towards the world.

Furthermore, the project makes an important contribution to promoting girls in STEM subjects. The qualification of the “BlubberBoliden” team as an all-female team highlights the capabilities of girls in technical disciplines and sends a strong message in favour of greater interest and equal opportunities in STEM subjects.