From AI tools and advanced programming to Scratch games and hardware builds, the showcase featured an incredible range of projects from 113 Coolest Projects participants and 58 scouts. Every young person received thoughtful feedback from industry professionals, the chance to try hands-on coding challenges, and the thrill of sharing what they built with a welcoming crowd and other creators.

A day of discovery and digital making

Coolest Projects UK 2025 wasn’t just about showcasing finished products; it celebrated every part of the creative journey. Many creators shared works-in-progress or prototypes, sparking conversations around design, problem-solving, and learning through code.

One of the day’s highlights was an interactive escape room designed just for the event, giving attendees a chance to flex their logical thinking and collaboration skills. And for 58 visiting Scouts, the day was a chance to earn their Digital Maker Badge and share their creations with the showcase participants.

Greg Foot is known for BBC Radio 4’s Sliced Bread and other popular science shows. He brought energy and enthusiasm as host, sharing stories and celebrating young people’s creativity on stage.

A platform for everyone

Many of this year’s participants came from local Code Clubs, CoderDojos, and schools across the UK. Others had worked independently to bring their ideas to life. The event encouraged collaboration and connection, with creators exchanging feedback, learning from each other, and celebrating shared interests.

Earlier this year, young people from Bradford also had the chance to take part in hands-on workshops. Held at the National Science and Media Museum, they were guided on getting started with digital making and developing their own project ideas for the showcase.

Featured projects

Here are a few of the projects that were showcased on the day. Each one demonstrates the power of digital tools and the fun and creativity that young people bring to their Coolest Projects journeys. Here’s what the creators had to say about their work, what inspired them, and their experiences of the day:

Arlo | MUST. EAT. DONUTS., AI

Arlo’s interactive game featured AI models that used face and mouth tracking to make the main character, called Chompy, mirror the movements of the player. Arlo’s game was inspired by a session at his Code Club. He came across a video sensing motion plug-in and realised he could make a game that used the player’s head as the controller. 

“It is a fun and silly game for all to play. I also created the artwork myself in my own style, as drawing is another one of my passions, alongside coding. I would love to come back next year, maybe in a different category. I wanted to enter because I got the chance to share my coding and drawing skills, and I was excited to think others may play a game I created.”

Felicia and Francesca | The Silent Forest, Scratch

Felicia and Francesca created a top-down, Zelda-style RPG in Scratch, where the player explores a pixel world and interacts with characters and objects. Instead of using the keyboard, the game is controlled with a Micro:bit. Felicia shared with us why they wanted to showcase the game at Coolest Projects.

“I went to Coolest Projects UK because I love making things with Scratch and wanted to show my game to other people. It was a fun way to share what I built, see what other kids made, and learn new ideas. I wanted to challenge myself and be part of something really cool!”

Eesa, Yahya and Yusha | Let’s Speak Arabic!, Scratch

Let’s Speak Arabic is an interactive program designed to help people learn conversational Arabic. Eesa, Yahya, and Yusha are home educated and study a book called Al Arabiyyah Bayna Yadayk together. This inspired them to think about fun ways to upgrade their study, and the idea for gamifying their learning through Scratch was born. The team shared a little about their experience:

“The event was awesome. Actually, it was even better than we imagined! We loved meeting people from all over the country, really enjoyed playing other people’s games, and got lots of ideas for what we could code in the future. And, our parents were so proud we got judge’s favourite!”

Jay | J Bot, Hardware

Jay is a long-time friend of the Foundation and has been taking part in Coolest Projects online and in person for the past few years. He wowed again this year with his life-sized J Bot and shared with us why he thinks Coolest Projects is such an important event for the young creator community.

“I know it might seem a bit intimidating to come and showcase in front of all these people, but I feel more and more people should try and get involved [in Coolest Projects] because it’s a really good community of people. And they are really supportive as well. So I would just say, give it a go. Don’t be nervous because people are here to help you along the way.”

What’s next?

Coolest Projects UK continues to grow as a platform for the next generation of changemakers. We can’t wait to see what they create next!

Although the online showcase and Foundation-led events are now closed for this year, there are still many more partner events happening globally throughout 2025.

Visit coolestprojects.org to learn more.

Code Club: A place to keep creating

Coolest Projects is just one part of the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s work to help young people explore computing. Across the UK and Ireland, over 2000 free Code Clubs offer sessions where young people build digital skills, grow in confidence, and work on creative projects with others. Across the world, there are nearly 6000 more clubs running.To find your local Code Club or get involved as a volunteer, head to codeclub.org.

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Around 40 young people showcased their projects on the day, sharing their work with friends, family, and the wider coding community. With hands-on tech activities, project demonstrations, fun swag, and certificates of achievement, the day was packed with energy and enthusiasm.

Coolest Projects is all about empowering young people to show off what they’ve built, no matter their skill level or experience. From first-time coders to budding engineers, everyone was welcomed and learnt something from the day.

Celebrating impact: Broadcom Foundation Coding with Commitment® 

One of the standout moments was the presentation of the Broadcom Foundation Coding with Commitment® special recognition, which highlights a project that uses code to solve real-world problems.

The award went to Kaila for her project, Car vs Road, a self-driving car simulation designed to explore how natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes might impact autonomous vehicle technology.

“My project was inspired by Waymo. After hearing about Coolest Projects through the Minnesota State Science and Engineering Fair, I decided to attend — and absolutely loved it! The atmosphere was welcoming, the judges were so involved, and the entire experience was truly unforgettable.” – Kaila, 2025 Coding with Commitment® recipient 

Broadcom Foundation’s partnership with Coolest Projects USA highlights how coding can be a powerful tool for tackling global challenges, from health to climate change, and champions digital literacy for all youth.

Celebrating creativity across categories

With seven categories available for entries, the judges had their work cut out for them choosing their favourite projects. Here are some that captured their attention on the day:

Mila | Sports Compilation, Scratch

Mila’s project, Sports Compilation, tells a story through animated sports scenes that inspire people to try new things and embrace their rebellious side.

“I wanted to show my mom that I could code — even though I’m not a ‘full-time coder’. I kept working on my original sports scene and added more to create something bigger.”

“My biggest challenge was making it reset automatically. At first, I didn’t understand the instructions I found online, but then I figured out how to use timing and broadcasts to make it work.”

“Coolest Projects was so fun, my teacher hyped it up, and it lived up to the excitement!”

Ethan | Coding AI to Enhance Speech Therapy

Ethan’s project was inspired by his experience with speech therapy. He used machine learning to help people identify and correct different types of incorrect pronunciations of the /s/ sound. Ethan shared his motivations behind attending:

“I went to Coolest Projects USA to get the opportunity to present my work and receive feedback from a large audience of judges, participants, and other viewers on how to improve my project and the presentation of it.”

“I had fun at Coolest Projects USA, seeing the different ways that young people like me are taking advantage of technology to try and help the lives of others, and also seeing the creativity and determination that we have.”

A big thank you

We want to say a huge thank you to every young creator who presented a project, to the families who cheered them on, and to our amazing volunteers and partners. We also want to give a special shoutout to our sponsors, Broadcom Foundation and Best Buy Inc., for their incredible support. We couldn’t have done it without you. 

Thank you for making Coolest Projects USA 2025 such a special day!

There’s still time to get involved with Coolest Projects this year…

If you missed the event or are feeling inspired, there are still ways to join the Coolest Projects global community!

• The online Coolest Projects showcase is open for entries from young people anywhere in the world. Entries close 28 May.
• Coolest Projects UK takes place in Bradford on 17 May. Come along and discover what young people are creating. 

Partner events are held around the world — head to the Coolest Projects website to find out more.

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The day offered the chance for young people to share their digital projects, engage with a like-minded community, chat with VIP judges, and take part in exciting coding activities like Astro Pi Mission Zero. The event was once again supported by Meta, who sponsored the new AI category, continuing their commitment to promoting the importance of digital skills to young people.

Celebrating creativity 

Coolest Projects is a space for all digital projects, across all levels and categories, from hardware inventions to AI to Scratch. The event celebrates not just the finished products, but also the learning journeys of young creators and skills such as problems solving and creativity.

Helen Gardner, Programme Manager at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, shared her enthusiasm about this year’s showcase:

“Returning to Dublin for Coolest Projects is always such a joy! It’s incredible to see the enthusiasm, creativity, and talent of young creators as they bring their ideas to life. This event is all about celebrating the community and inspiring the next generation of problem-solvers. It’s always so inspiring to witness their amazing projects and the energy they bring to the day!”

Participants at Coolest Projects Ireland included young people from schools, coding clubs such as Code Club and CoderDojo, and independent makers. Many were returning participants, excited to showcase their latest projects and connect with fellow creators. The sense of community and encouragement was felt throughout the event, with mentors, parents, and judges offering valuable support and feedback to support growth and celebrate achievements.

Spotlight on the judges favourites

This year, judges were particularly impressed with the originality and impact of the projects. We caught up with four of the creators to find out why being involved in Coolest Projects Ireland was important to them.

Sister duo, Riddhiba and Aarushiba, created Innovaid, a project that uses technology to improve safety at events.

“We wanted to solve a problem that was affecting a large number of people. Having read news articles, and having talked to people who have had bad experiences at concerts and large events, we wanted to solve this problem that has been ongoing for many years. Although technology has advanced rapidly in the past years, there are still flaws in large event management leading to incidents and deaths. We wanted to incorporate safety, medical aid, crowd management, and inclusivity.”

“Coolest Projects Ireland was an amazing experience for both of us, we got the opportunity to meet with so many people that were so passionate about technology and coding. We met many people who also wanted to make a change in society, or wanted to solve problems.”

Coolest Projects also welcomed an AI category, supported by Meta, for the first time, which included Kirsty’s entry, A haon, dó, trí – Learn with me. Kirsty’s entry used machine learning to help learners master the Irish language in an engaging and interactive way. Kirsty shared a little about her journey with the project

“I really enjoyed some of the machine learning with Scratch projects on the Raspberry Pi site. While doing the ‘Alien language’ project, it occurred to me that I could use a similar approach to build a game to help young kids learn Irish.”

“I had to build my own Irish language training data set so I recorded lots of speech samples from my school friends. However, I go to an all-girls school, which would have meant my training data would have been very limited! So I recorded some boys’ voices at my CoderDojo to make my data set more varied and balanced.”

In the Games category, Timi received acknowledgement for his project, Stakes & Laughters Maximus.

“I got the idea from a story my dad told me about when I was younger. I apparently got really upset when I lost a game of Snakes and Ladders. So, I wanted to make a Snakes and Ladders game that wasn’t just about luck. I wanted players to have to think strategically about how to use their luck.”

“There were many challenges! Everything from the character movement to the turn system and the items presented roadblocks. But I broke through them by carefully thinking about what I wanted to achieve and then using code to create the logic for it.”

Get involved

The Coolest Projects online showcase is open for entries, providing young people worldwide the opportunity to share their digital creations.

We also have upcoming in-person events in the US, UK, and around the world thanks to our partner organisations. You can find out more and get involved with these through the Coolest Projects website.

Finally, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who made Coolest Projects Ireland 2025 such a fantastic experience! We can’t wait to see what young innovators create next year.

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What you need to know about Coolest Projects

The Coolest Projects online showcase is open to young people worldwide. Young creators can enter their projects to share them with the world in our online project gallery and join our extra special livestream event to celebrate what they have made with the global Coolest Projects community.

By taking part in Coolest Projects, young people can join an international community of young makers, represent their country, receive feedback on their projects, and get certificates to recognise their achievements.

Coolest Projects is completely free to take part in, and we welcome all digital technology projects, from young people’s very first projects to advanced builds. The projects also don’t have to be completed before they can be submitted.

Projects can be submitted to one of seven categories: Scratch, games, web, mobile apps, hardware, advanced programming, and AI (new for 2025).

• Young creators up to age 18 can take part individually or in teams of up to five friends
• Any young person anywhere in the world can take part in the online showcase, and there are in-person events in some countries for local creators, too (find out more below)
• Submissions for the online showcase are now open and close on 28 May 2025
• All creators, mentors, volunteers, teachers, parents, and supporters are invited to the special celebration livestream on 25 June 2025

We know Coolest Projects has a big impact on young people all over the world, and we can’t wait to see your creations for 2025. You can find out more about the incredible creativity and collaboration from mentors and makers worldwide in our 2024 impact report.

How to submit your project

Taking part in Coolest Projects is simple:

• Young people think of an idea for their project or choose something they’ve already made and are proud of
• Young people work with friends to create their project or make it on their own 
• Creators (with the help of mentors if needed) enter projects via the Coolest Projects website by 28 May
• Creators’ projects are shared with the world in the online showcase gallery
• Creators, mentors, and supporters explore the amazing projects in the online gallery and join the livestream on 25 June to celebrate young creators’ achievements with the Coolest Projects community worldwide

Mentors — entering more than one project? Sign up for a group code, and your young people can link their projects to your account.

1. Sign up or log in. If you don’t have one already, you’ll need to set up a Raspberry Pi account. Click on the ‘sign up’ link in the top right-hand corner of the website to create one, and provide your details. You’ll be emailed a verification code as part of the sign-up process. If you already have an account, you can just log in.

2. Create a group. Once signed in, you’ll be able to create a group. You’ll be asked questions about your group, including the group name and the country you’re based in, and be asked to agree to some privacy policies before continuing. You will then be able to view your group code and group submissions on your group dashboard. 

3. Share your group code with your young people. Your group dashboard should look like this, with your group code displayed. The group code is what your young people will need to link their submissions to your account. They’ll be asked to input their group code at the start of the project submission form.

Submit your coolest projects. Every young person who uses your group code will have their project linked to your account. You can review and edit their projects in your group dashboard and submit them from there. There is no limit to the number of young people who can submit entries using your group code.

For a more detailed run-through of how to use group codes, please see our ‘how-to’ video.

Coolest Projects in-person events in 2025

As well as the global online showcase, Coolest Projects in-person events are held for young people locally in certain countries. We encourage creators to take part in both the online showcase and their local in-person event. In 2025, creators can attend the following in-person events, run by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and partner organisations around the world:

• Coolest Projects Ireland, 1 March 2025 (run by the Foundation) — entry closes on Friday 14 February 
• Coolest Projects Belgium, 26 April 2025 (run by CoderDojo Belgium)
• Coolest Projects USA, 5 April 2025 (run by the Foundation) — entry closes on Friday 14 March 2025
• Coolest Projects UK, 17 May 2025 (run by the Foundation) — entry closes on Friday 2 May 2025 
• Coolest Projects India, 2025 date coming soon (run by the Foundation)
• Coolest Projects Ghana, 2025 date coming soon (run by Ghana Code Club)
• Coolest Projects Malaysia, 2025 date coming soon (run by Penang Science Cluster)
• Coolest Projects South Africa, 2025 date coming soon (run by CoderLevelUp)

More events are on the way, so sign up for the Coolest Projects newsletter to be sure you hear about any in-person events in your country. And if there isn’t an event near you, don’t worry, as the online showcase is open to any young person anywhere in the world.

Need help with your submission? 

Coolest Projects welcomes all digital tech projects, from beginner to advanced, and there are loads of great resources available to help you help the young people in your community to take part. If you’re searching for inspiration, take a look at the 2024 showcase gallery, where you can explore the incredible projects submitted by participants last year.

You’ll find everything you need to know about all seven Coolest Projects categories on our category pages, including our brand new AI category. Our projects site is also a great place for participants to begin — there are hundreds of free step-by-step project guides to help young people create their own projects, whether they’re experienced tech creators or just getting started.

We will also be running a series of online webinars for mentors and young people to help participants develop their creations for each Coolest Projects category. Sign up for the sessions here. All sessions will be recorded, so you can watch them back if you can’t join live.

Be sure to check out the Coolest Projects guidance page for resources to help you support young people throughout their Coolest Projects journey, including a mentor guide and session plans. 

There’s lots more exciting news to come, from the announcement of our VIP judges to details about this year’s swag, so sign up for updates to be the first to know. 

Whether your coders have already made something that they want to share, or they’re inspired to make something new, Coolest Projects is the place for them. We can’t wait to see what they create!

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What happens when creativity, enthusiasm, fun, and innovation come together? You get Coolest Projects South Africa 2024 — a vibrant showcase of students from all walks of life displaying their talent and shaping the future of technology.

Dozens of projects exhibited at the event in Cape Town

Hosted by our partner, Coder Level Up, Coolest Projects South Africa brought together creators, mentors, educators, and industry leaders to celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of young tech enthusiasts from across the country.

With nearly 200 projects submitted and dozens showcased, the event highlighted the impressive talent and potential of South Africa’s next generation of innovators.

Taking place at the University of Western Cape’s Department of Education in Cape Town, the event was a hub of excitement. Right from the start the venue was buzzing with activity, with the South African World Robot Olympiad (WRO) team kicking things off with a fantastic demonstration of their robotic inventions. Their creations came alive to cheers and applause as they performed flawlessly, leaving attendees in awe — what an inspiration they were!

Standout projects ranged from garbage collection to chocolate

The participants then presented their projects, each of which was ingenious in its own way. From hardware and visual programming to game development and website creation, there was a wealth of ideas on display — and a demonstration of the boundless potential of young minds when given the right tools and guidance. Adding to the inclusive spirit of the event, participants from Durban and East London joined remotely, their energy resonating through Zoom.

One standout project was a garbage collection robot created by an all-girls team from Nguzo Saba School. Using a LEGO kit, these creators transformed their idea into a functional invention. What made their project exceptional was their ability to improvise and enhance the kit to achieve their desired functionality. This was a true testament to their creativity, resilience, and problem-solving skills.

Another memorable presentation came from Emma, who used Scratch to tell the story of the history of chocolate. Her engaging narrative spanned the journey of chocolate from the Olmec civilisation in Latin America to today’s chocolate museums. Emma’s research was extensive, and she captivated the judges not only with her presentation but also with chocolate samples for everyone to enjoy — a sweet touch that left a lasting impression!

How Coolest Projects harnesses the power of education, creativity, and mentorship  

A recurring theme throughout the event was the importance of mentorship. Many of the young people shared that they had sought guidance from mentors, teachers, and family members while developing their projects. This collaborative spirit underscored the role of supportive communities in fostering innovation and creativity among young creators.

Coolest Projects South Africa 2024 was more than a showcase of talent. It was a reminder of the transformative power of education, mentorship, and creativity. Every project had a story of passion and perseverance, and every creator left inspired to dream bigger.

As we reflect on this event — and the many other Coolest Projects events that took place around the world this past year — we are reminded that the future of technology is in capable, imaginative hands.

Get involved with Coolest Projects in 2025

Coolest Projects will be back and bigger than ever before in 2025. 

The Coolest Projects online showcase is open globally to any young person up to age 18. Registration opens 14 January, and we’ll host a celebratory livestream on 25 June.

Thanks to an incredible network of partners, Coolest Projects events will also be hosted in person in many countries around the world. Go to the Coolest Projects website for more event dates and details.

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Prabhath, the founder of the STEMUP Educational Foundation, began his journey into technology at an early age, influenced by his cousin, Harindra.

“He’s the one who opened up my eyes. Even though I didn’t have a laptop, he had a computer, and I used to go to their house and practise with it. That was the turning point in my life.”

This early exposure to technology, combined with support from his parents to leave his rural home in search of further education, set Prabhath on a path to address a crucial issue in Sri Lanka’s education system: the gap in opportunities for students, especially in STEM education. 

“There was a gap between the kids who are studying in Sri Lanka versus the kids in other developed markets. We tried our best to see how we can bridge this gap with our own capacity, with our own strengths.” 

Closing the gap through STEMUP

Recognising the need to close this gap in opportunities, Prabhath, along with four friends who worked with him in his day job as a Partner Technology Strategist, founded the STEMUP Educational Foundation in 2016.  STEMUP’s mission is straightforward but ambitious — it seeks to provide Sri Lankan students with equal access to STEM education, with a particular focus on those from underserved communities.

To help close the gap, Prabhath and his team sought to establish coding clubs for students across the country. Noting the lack of infrastructure and access to resources in many parts of Sri Lanka, they partnered with Code Club at the Raspberry Pi Foundation to get things moving. 

Their initiative started small with a Code Club in the Colombo Public Library, but things quickly gained traction. 

What began with just a handful of friends has now grown into a movement involving over 1,500 volunteers who are all working to provide free education in coding and emerging technologies to students who otherwise wouldn’t have access.

A key reason for STEMUP’s reach has been the mobilisation of university students to serve as mentors at the Code Clubs. Prabhath believes this partnership has not only helped the success of Code Club Sri Lanka, but also given the university students themselves a chance to grow, granting them opportunities to develop the life skills needed to thrive in the workforce. 

“The main challenge we see here today, when it comes to graduate students, is that they have the technology skills, but they don’t have soft skills. They don’t know how to do a presentation, how to manage a project from A to Z, right? By being a volunteer, that particular student can gain 360-degree knowledge.” 

Helping rural communities

STEMUP’s impact stretches beyond cities and into rural areas, where young people often have even fewer opportunities to engage with technology. The wish to address this imbalance  is a big motivator for the student mentors.

“When we go to rural areas, the kids don’t have much exposure to tech. They don’t know about the latest technologies. What are the new technologies for that development? And what subjects can they  study for the future job market? So I think I can help them. So I actually want to teach someone what I know.” – Kasun, Student and Code Club mentor

This lack of access to opportunities is precisely what STEMUP aims to change, giving students a platform to explore, innovate, and connect with the wider world.

Coolest Projects Sri Lanka

STEMUP recently held the first Coolest Projects Sri Lanka, a showcase for the creations of young learners. Prabhath first encountered Coolest Projects while attending the Raspberry Pi Foundation Asia Partner summit in Malaysia. 

“That was my first experience with the Coolest Projects,” says Prabhath, “and when I came back, I shared the idea with our board and fellow volunteers. They were all keen to bring it to Sri Lanka.” 

For Prabhath, the hope is that events like these will open students’ eyes to new possibilities. The first event certainly lived up to his hope. There was a lot of excitement, especially in rural areas, with multiple schools banding together and hiring buses to attend the event. 

“That kind of energy… because they do not have these opportunities to showcase what they have built, connect with like minded people, and connect with the industry.”

Building a better future

Looking ahead, Prabhath sees STEMUP’s work as a vital part of shaping the future of education in Sri Lanka. By bringing technology to public libraries, engaging university students as mentors, and giving kids hands-on experience with coding and emerging technologies, STEMUP is empowering the next generation to thrive in a digital world. 

“These programmes are really helpful for kids to win the future, be better citizens, and bring this country forward.”

STEMUP is not just bridging a gap — it’s building a brighter, more equitable future for all students in Sri Lanka. We can’t wait to see what they achieve next!

Inspire the next generation of young coders

To find out how you and young creators you know can get involved in Coolest Projects, visit coolestprojects.org. If the young people in your community are just starting out on their computing journey, visit our projects site for free, fun beginner coding projects.

For more information to help you set up a Code Club in your community, visit codeclub.org.

Help us celebrate Prabhath and his inspiring journey with STEMUP by sharing this story on X, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

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Coolest Projects in 2024

This year, 7197 young people across 4678 projects took part in our global Coolest Projects online showcase, with participants from 43 countries. All of these projects were shared in our online showcase gallery, and we hosted a live-streamed event celebrating the judges’ favourites watched by over 1000 people.

At the 2024 in-person Coolest Projects events in Ireland and the UK, 171 young people shared projects. At these events, the young creators presented their projects to other attendees and our team of judges. They also took part in other activities, including a digital escape room.

We wanted to understand how Coolest Projects impacts young people, and so we collected the following data:

• For the online showcase, mentors and tech creators filled in a survey when they completed their project registration, and we ran focus groups with mentors, who are adults that support the tech creators
• At the UK and Ireland in-person events, creators completed a survey, other event attendees completed feedback cards, and we also interviewed creators. 

Online showcase: Impact on skills and confidence

In the survey, mentors and young people told us that taking part in the Coolest Projects online showcase had a positive impact:

• 91% of young people and 87% of mentors agreed or strongly agreed that taking part in Coolest Projects online inspired them or their team to continue to participate in computing and technology
• 89% of young people and 86% of mentors agreed or strongly agreed that taking part in Coolest Projects online increased their or their team’s confidence in coding and digital making

Mentors told us that the community built by the online showcase gallery played an important role in making young people want to participate,  and improving their confidence. One mentor said that “[being part of the online showcase] motivates them actually to do something innovative and… [the] global community motivates them to think out of the box.”

They also reported that the online community inspired young people to solve real-world problems. One mentor said, “the wonderful thing is the kids create so many things which are solutions to world problems.” Others told us that young people feel a great deal of pride that their solutions are available for others to see online and that they get ideas from other projects on how to solve problems. One mentor from India told us about a young person who created a boat to clean rivers and then was inspired to learn to program micro:bit devices, having seen similar projects in the gallery.

Focus on ‘growth, not competition’

The phrase ‘growth, not competition’ came from the mentors in the focus group, and we love this description.

“[With] Coolest Projects… the only agenda is to grow. Grow with the coding, nurture your skills, creativity.” – Focus group attendee.

In the focus group, mentors told us they really valued the way the Coolest Projects online showcase allows all young people to participate, including those who were less experienced tech creators. One mentor told us that because everyone’s project is displayed in the gallery the “beauty is that everybody is encouraged individually… regarding the experience. … They can start with very small things. And they have [the] opportunity to upload it on the platform.”

One mentor who supports young people in remote locations in India spoke about the way Coolest Projects offers a level playing field where his students can be included and participate to the same extent as less remote places: “students never feel left behind.”

The in-person events also reflected the diversity of young people’s experience of digital making. Of those creators who answered surveys, 35% said it was their first time making this kind of project, while 37% said they had made similar projects before. This mix of experience was also reflected in the interviews, with some young people creating something for the first time and having only started learning coding recently, while others had been developing their projects for a long time. Many creators told us they felt inspired by the opportunity to show their projects to others, regardless of their experience level.

In-person events: Building a community of digital creators

Attendees at both Coolest Projects UK and Ireland commented on the sense of community and the excitement that was generated by being around other young people. One young person spoke about how much they enjoyed being “surrounded by people who like coding too”. They really valued seeing other creators’ projects and speaking with their peers.

The young people we spoke to reflected on the positive impact of this sense of community and belonging. They told us that seeing others’ projects inspired them to develop their ideas and learn new skills. One young person described how the in-person event allowed them to “get inspired and socialise.” A second said, “that’s why I’m here — to get inspired.”

Another clear theme was how much young people valued the opportunity to show their projects to others. This gave them confidence in their own ability to build things. One creator at Coolest Projects UK spoke about the sense of achievement they felt after building something themselves and then being able to present it to others.

Young people at both events spoke about their plans for what they wanted to do next, talking about trying new technology such as building games, learning Python, and creating mobile apps. At both events, creators described how they wanted to continue to develop and build on their existing ideas with the possibility of showcasing them again.

What we want to learn next

We are continuing to look for ways to improve the Coolest Projects experience for young people and their mentors. As part of this, we are conducting user experience research to understand how we can improve the registration process for the online Coolest Projects showcase.

We were delighted to hear from mentors in this year’s focus group how much they valued the online showcase gallery, and we want to understand the impact of this resource better as part of Coolest Projects 2025. If you want to find out more about Coolest Projects, we highly recommend taking a look at the amazing projects made by young people around the world. 

Dates for Coolest Projects 2025

We’re so pleased that so many young people around the world loved taking part in Coolest Projects this year. And we’re very excited that Coolest Projects will be back and bigger than ever before in 2025! 

The Coolest Projects online showcase is open to any young person up to age 18, based anywhere in the world. Registration opens 14 January, and we’ll host a celebratory livestream on 25 June.

Coolest Projects in-person events will also be popping up around the world. In-person events are open to everyone up to age 18 in the host country. Family and friends are very welcome to come along too. 

Save the date for:

• Coolest Projects Ireland, 1 March 2025
• Coolest Projects USA, 5 April 2025
• Coolest Projects Belgium, 26 April 2025
• Coolest Projects UK, 17 May 2025
• Coolest Projects Ghana, date TBC
• Coolest Projects India, date TBC
• Coolest Projects Malaysia, date TBC
• Coolest Projects South Africa, date TBC

Keep an eye on the Coolest Projects website for more event dates and details coming soon.

It’s never too early to start making and saving digital projects to showcase next year. We can’t wait to see what the world’s young tech creators will make!

The post Celebrating Coolest Projects 2024, plus dates for 2025 appeared first on Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Coolest Projects is our annual global celebration of young digital creators and the cool things they make with technology. This year’s showcase featured 4678 amazing projects, from a doughnut clicker game created in Scratch to an app that tracks sunscreen usage and areas with high UV levels for users. 

This week, we celebrated each and every young creator and their incredible tech projects in a special livestream:

Every year, we invite some very special VIP judges to choose their favourite projects to highlight. Meet our 2024 judges and find out about the projects they picked.

Azra Ismail’s favourite projects

Azra is the co-founder of MakerGhat, an education nonprofit based in India that aims to nurture underserved youth to become the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders. MakerGhat has reached around a million youth to date through hands-on making programmes. She is also an Assistant Professor at Emory University, where she directs the CARE Lab (Collective Action & Research for Equity). Azra was named in the Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list, and has previously worked with Google, the Wadhwani Institute for AI, and United Nations Global Pulse. She has a PhD in Human-Centered Computing and Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech. 

See Azra’s favourite projects:

• Advanced programming project WorkTunes by Qizhen from China
• Net Zero Home, a hardware project made by Reyansh, Advith, and Aditya in India
• Web project Igbo Language Project by Zihe in the USA
• Mobile app ShareWear created by Christina in Canada
• ArtHub made by Ada and Tingzhi from the USA, from the games category
• Scratch project Mental wellbeing 2 :) created by Sophie from the UK

Greg Foot’s favourite projects

Greg is an award-winning Science Presenter and Producer who has written and hosted a bunch of stuff on TV, YouTube, radio, and stage over the past 20 years. Greg has a BBC Radio 4 show called Sliced Bread that investigates whether wonder products like face creams and air fryers are indeed ‘the best thing since sliced bread’, or marketing hype. Greg regularly pops up on TV — he’s a regular on the BBC’s Morning Live and was the in-house science guy on Blue Peter and Sunday Brunch for many years. He’s also hosted multiple TV series, made live shows for families on YouTube (Let’s Go Live), and toured science theatre shows around the UK.

Take a look at Greg’s favourite projects:

• Advanced programming project Evolution Simulation made by Daniel, Anton, Finlay, and Connor in the UK
• Hardware project Imash (AI Water Dispenser) created by Lionel from Indonesia
• Coloring Pages Using Edge Detection created by Grace in the USA, from the web category
• Mobile app Allergen Alert: Food and Cosmetic Safety Tool by Anika in the USA
• Desktop Goose: Meme Defender, a game created by Joel from Indonesia
• Scratch project Guess The Country made by Lavitra from India

Natalie is the Executive Director of the App Inventor Foundation, a global nonprofit that has empowered over 20 million inventors of all ages to create over 100 million apps to improve their lives and uplift their communities. She received her PhD in ML and AI education from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, and currently serves as Expert on Mission at UNESCO to develop the UN’s AI Competency Framework for K-12 Students. 

See which projects Natalie chose as her favourites:

• Creating A Smart Pill Dispenser with AI Technology to Help Fight the Medication Nonadherence Problem With Raspberry Pi Technology, an advanced programming project by Andrew in the USA
• Hardware project Vim! created by Grace and Charles in Ghana
• Website for Recycling of School Uniform by Jing, Jack, and Arthur from China, from the web category
• OriPal, a mobile app made by Akari, Lila, and Lily from Japan
• Pose Estimation Single-player Squash Game by Lung Ngok in Hong Kong, from the games category
• Scratch project DUCK! (yes, in all caps) created by Abby in the USA

Selin Ornek’s favourite projects

Selin is a 17-year-old multi-award winner and changemaker who has been passionate about using tech for good since an early age. She taught herself to code at age 8 and started building robots at 10, and participated in Coolest Projects for many years. She has built seven robots to date, including the social good robot iC4U, a robot guide dog for visually impaired people, and BB4All, an anti-bullying school aid robot. She has also built a stray dog wellbeing app, JAVA, and an AI model for breast cancer diagnosis. Her aim is to inspire young people, especially girls, to see the fun and importance of using tech for good.

Selin’s favourite projects are:

• Advanced programming project ROBO GREENY from Andrei in Romania
• MicroBit BitBot Controller, a hardware project made by Shivam from the UK
• Web extension Multi-Lingual Input Tools created by Sai in the USA
• Mobile app Pocket Doc. by Arjun from Ireland
• Vamoose made by Allison and Isabel from the USA, from the games category
• Imma Time-Loop, a Scratch project by Muhammad from Indonesia

Broadcom Coding with Commitment® award

We partnered with Broadcom Foundation to give a special award to young creators using coding and computing to solve real-world problems that matter to their communities. Broadcom Coding with Commitment® is a special recognition for a Coolest Projects creator aged 11–14 who has used computing as an essential problem-solving tool to help those around them.

This year’s Broadcom Coding with Commitment® recipients are Naitik, Shravasti, and Nikita from India in recognition of their project Drainage alert system. Their thoughtful project uses a water flow sensor connected to a Raspberry Pi computer to detect when waste enters the drainage system and causes blockages and send an alert to the local council.

Get inspired and keep creating!

Now you’ve seen the judges’ favourite projects, it’s time to pick your own! Take a look at the Coolest Projects 2024 online showcase gallery to see all the amazing projects from young people all over the world, and get inspired to make your own.

Participants will shortly receive their own unique certificates and the personalised feedback on their projects from our team of judges, to celebrate their achievements.

Support from our Coolest Projects sponsors means we can make the online showcase and celebration livestream an inspiring experience for the young people taking part. We want to say a big thank you to all of them: Amazon Future Engineer, Broadcom Foundation, GoTo, Kingston Technology, Meta, and Qube Research & Technologies.

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What you need to know about Coolest Projects

The Coolest Projects online showcase is open to young people worldwide. Young creators can register their projects to share them with the world in our online project gallery, and join our exciting livestream event to celebrate what they have made with the global Coolest Projects community.

By taking part in Coolest Projects, young people can join an international community of young makers, represent their country, receive personalised feedback on their projects, and get certificates and more to recognise their achievements.

Here’s how it works:

• Coolest Projects is completely free to take part in!
• All digital technology projects are welcome, from very first projects to advanced builds, and the projects don’t have to be complete
• Projects can be registered in one of six categories: Scratch, games, web, mobile apps, hardware, and advanced programming
• Young creators up to age 18 can take part individually or in teams of up to five friends
• Any young person anywhere in the world can take part in the online showcase, and there are in-person events in some countries for local creators too (find out more below)
• Registration for the online showcase is now open and closes on 22 May 2024
• All creators, mentors, volunteers, teachers, parents, and supporters are invited to the special celebration livestream on 26 June 2024

Taking part in Coolest Projects is simple:

• Young people think of an idea for their project, or choose something they’ve already made and are proud of
• Young people work with friends to create their project, or make it on their own 
• Creators (with the help of mentors if needed) register projects via the Coolest Projects website by 22 May
• Creators’ projects are shared with the world in the online showcase gallery
• Creators, mentors, and supporters explore the amazing projects in the online gallery, and join the livestream on 26 June to celebrate young creators’ achievements with the Coolest Projects community worldwide

Coolest Projects in-person events in 2024

As well as the global online showcase, Coolest Projects in-person events are held for young people locally in certain countries too, and we encourage creators to take part in both the online showcase and their local in-person event.

In 2024, creators can look forward to the following in-person events, run by us and partner organisations around the world:

• Coolest Projects Ireland, 13 April 2024 (run by us)
• Coolest Projects Belgium, 20 April 2024 (run by CoderDojo Belgium)
• Coolest Projects UK, 11 May 2024 (run by us)
• Coolest Projects Ghana, 1 June 2024 (run by Ghana Code Club)
• Coolest Projects Sri Lanka, 6 July 2024 (run by STEMUp Educational Foundation)

More events are coming soon, so sign up to the Coolest Projects newsletter to be sure to hear about any in-person events in your country. And if there isn’t an event near you, don’t worry. The online showcase is open to any young person anywhere in the world.

Help for you is at hand

Coolest Projects welcomes all digital tech projects, from beginner to advanced, and there are loads of great resources available to help you support the young people in your community to take part.

We are running a series of online calls and webinars for mentors and young people to share practical tips and help participants develop their ideas and build their creations. Sign up for the sessions here. All sessions will be recorded, so you can watch them back if you can’t join live.

You can also check out the Coolest Projects guidance page for resources to help you support young people throughout their Coolest Projects journey, including a mentor guide and session plans.

To inspire your coders, encourage them to take a look at the 2023 showcase gallery, where they can explore the incredible projects submitted by participants last year.

Our projects site is also a great place for participants to begin — there are hundreds of free step-by-step project guides to help young people create their own projects, whether they’re experienced tech creators or they’re just getting started.

Sign up for Coolest Projects updates

There’s lots more exciting news to come, from the announcement of our VIP judges to details about this year’s swag, so sign up for email updates to be the first to know. And whether your coders have already made something fun, innovative, or amazing that they want to share, or they’re inspired to make something new, Coolest Projects is the place for them. We can’t wait to see what they create!

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In our latest story, we’re heading to Vivek High School in Mohali, India, to meet Sahibjot, a 14-year-old coding enthusiast who has taken his hobby to the next level thanks to mentorship, Code Club, and the exciting opportunity to take part in the Coolest Projects 2023 global online showcase.

Introducing Sahibjot

When he was younger, Sahibjot loved playing video games. His interest in gaming led him to discover the world of game development, and he was inspired to find out more and try it out himself. He began to learn to code in his spare time, using tutorials to help him develop his skills.

Keen to share the joy he had experienced from gaming, Sahibjot set himself the challenge of creating a game for his cousin. This project cemented his enthusiasm for coding and developing games of his own.

“I always felt that I have played so many games in my life, why not make one and others will enjoy the same experience that I had as a child.

For my cousin, I made a personal game for him, and he played it and he liked it very much, so once he played it, I felt that, yes, this is what I want to do with my life.” – Sahibjot

Mentorship and collaboration

While continuing to hone his computing skills at home, Sahibjot heard that his school had started a Code Club. After initially feeling nervous about joining, his enthusiasm was bolstered by the club mentor, Rajan, talking about artificial intelligence and other interesting topics during the session, and he soon settled in. 

At Code Club, with support and encouragement from Rajan, Sahibjot continued to develop and grow his coding skills. Alongside his technical skills, he also learned about teamwork and working collaboratively. He embraced the opportunity to help his peers, sharing his knowledge with others and becoming a mentor for younger club members. 

“Last year, we joined this coding club together and we became friends. He’s a very friendly person. Whenever we need him, he just quickly helps us. He helps us to troubleshoot, find any bugs, or even fix our codes.” – Akshat, fellow Code Club member

A global opportunity

The next step for Sahibjot came when Rajan introduced him and his fellow Code Club members to Coolest Projects. Coolest Projects is a celebration of young digital creators and the amazing things they make with technology. It offers participants the opportunity to share their tech creations in a global, online showcase, and local in-person events celebrating young creators are also held in several countries.

Sahibjot was eager to take part and showcase what he had made. He submitted a Python project, a ping-pong game, to the online showcase, and was very excited to then see his creation receive a special shout-out during the Coolest Projects global livestream event. He was delighted to share this achievement with his friends and family, and he felt proud to be representing his school and his country on a global stage.

“I told everyone around me that there was going to be a livestream and I possibly might be featured in that, so that was really exciting. I learned a lot about just not representing my school and myself as an individual, I learned about representing my whole nation.” — Sahibjot

Sahibjot’s passion for computing has helped shape his aspirations and ambitions. Looking to the future, he hopes to use his technology skills to benefit others and make an impact.

“Using code and technology and all of the things like that, I aspire to make effort to do something with the world, like help out people with technology.” — Sahibjot

Inspire young creators like Sahibjot

To find out how you and young creators you know can get involved in Coolest Projects, visit coolestprojects.org. If the young people in your community are just starting out on their computing journey, visit our projects site for free, fun beginner coding projects.

For more information to help you set up a Code Club in your school, visit codeclub.org.

Join us in celebrating Sahibjot’s inspiring journey by sharing his story on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.

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