Global Appathon
About
Registration and submissions for the Global Appathon 2026-2027 are not yet open. Registration will open at the end of October, 2026.
Watch the 2026 Global Appathon Winners Announcement HERE.
The Global Appathon is a free, virtual hackathon hosted by appinventor.org and MIT App Inventor that encourages people around the world to build mobile apps for a cause. The goal of the competition is to develop an app using MIT App Inventor that aligns with the competition’s theme and demonstrates creativity, social impact, design thinking, and technical skill.
2026 winners presented their projects at the MIT App Inventor Global Education Summit.
Theme
This year’s competition theme is the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the United Nations, the 17 SDGs are intended “as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.” The Global Appathon invites you to think of a cause related to one or more of the SDGs, and identify a solution to address that cause.
Categories
There are three award categories in the competition for 2026-27:
- Junior (1-5 members, <13 years old)
- Youth (1-5 members, ages 13–18,
or currently enrolled in Grades 7–12) - Adult (1-5 members, 19+)
If team members are from different age groups, they will fall into the category of the oldest team member.
One winning submission will be recognized per category, as well as honorable mentions in each category. Participants should select categories based on the age they will be on April 2, 2027. Participants may only make one submission, and cannot be involved in multiple teams. For example, if you submit as part of a youth team, you cannot also be part of an all-ages team submission.
Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
|
Registration opens |
October 29, 2026
|
|
Submissions open |
December 2, 2026
|
|
Submissions due |
April 2, 2027 at 23:59 AOE (Anywhere on Earth) |
|
Winners announced |
End of May 2027
|
|
Global Education Summit |
TBA, 2027 |
Registration & Submission
Learn more about registration and submission requirements at the page below.
Judging
Submissions will be judged on the criteria listed below.
Content & Impact
Problem Scoping/ Impact
(Weight 40%)
- Submission includes a well-defined problem, mapped directly to a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal.
- Submission demonstrates a significant need and the potential for transformative, scalable impact on the target users.
Solution
(Weight 35%)
- Submission describes and demonstrates a fully functional App Inventor app.
- Submission makes a convincing case that it improves users’ lives, not just that it technically runs.
Creativity
(Weight 25%)
- Submission demonstrates significant originality and creativity, offering a new or unexpected solution to a problem.
Technical
Usability & User Experience
(Weight 25%)
Submission exhibits a seamless, accessible user experience tailored thoughtfully to the target audience’s profile. Navigation is effortless, and feedback and error-handling are thoughtful throughout, anticipating what could confuse or block a user.
Design
(Weight 25%)
Submission demonstrates thoughtful use of color, layout, and hierarchy that enhances the app’s purpose. Uses sophisticated layout strategies (dynamic component and arrangement visibility, custom branding) to create an aesthetically cohesive and highly engaging product.
Technical Skill: Software
(Weight 50%)
Applicable for projects that only use software.
App is a fully-featured working app. Code shows:
- Purposeful abstraction through parameterized procedures, local/global variables, and data structures.
- Use of complex data structures (e.g. lists, dictionaries, local variables, and procedure parameters) to manage complexity.
- Code is clean, well-named, and logically structured throughout; no redundancy or dead logic. All user input paths and edge cases are handled predictably.
Technical Skill: Hardware
(Weight 50%)
Applicable for projects that include external hardware components.
Note that judges will likely have to assess hardware integration and functionality based on the video demo of the app and hardware working together, and review of code and hardware appendix.
- Code Proficiency:
- Code shows purposeful abstraction through parameterized procedures, local/global variables, and complex data structures.(e.g. lists, dictionaries, local variables, and procedure parameters) to manage complexity.
- Code is clean, well-named, and logically structured throughout; no redundancy or dead logic. All user input paths and edge cases are handled predictably.
- Hardware Integration: Seamless two-way communication (app processes complex sensor inputs and sends real-time outputs back to physical components).
- Appendix/Connection: Complete hardware appendix detailing original circuit design or integration. App gracefully recovers state upon connection loss/reconnection.
Note: We do not provide letters for visa or application purposes based on participation as a volunteer judge. We have received a number of inquiries about using judging certificates for U.S. visa and H-1B applications, as well as requests for formal support letters. This volunteer program is intended solely as a community service activity and does not meet the criteria required for immigration-related documentation.
Prizes
A total of three submissions will be recognized as winners, with one winner per category. Winners will receive the following:
- Official certificates signed by appinventor.org and MIT App Inventor
- Featured in official press from appinventor.org and MIT App Inventor
- Invitations to present their projects at the MIT App Inventor Global Education Summit in the summer of 2027.
Note: Due to visa restrictions by the US government, we will not be able to invite all winners to present in person at MIT. If winners are not able to enter the US, we will ask them to present remotely and will extend the invitation to 2028 if timing is the issue.
A select number of honorable mentions will also be awarded. Honorable mentions will be invited to present their work at the MIT App Inventor Global Education Summit and will receive a separate certificate from the winners.
Congratulations to 2026 competition winners! Read more about the winning teams and projects here.
Certificates
Only category winners and honorable mentions will get Award Certificates from appinventor.org and MIT App Inventor. All participants who successfully submit a project, and complete the participation post-survey will be awarded digital Certificates of Contribution from appinventor.org and MIT App Inventor.
If any of these items are incomplete or are not completed by our specified deadline, a certificate will not be issued. Note that the participation post-survey will be sent out after the submission deadline this year.
Prizes
A total of six submissions will be recognized as winners, with one winner per category. Winners will receive the following:
- Official certificates signed by MIT App Inventor and the App Inventor Foundation
- Featured in official press from MIT App Inventor and the App Inventor Foundation
- Invitations to present their projects at the MIT App Inventor Global Education Summit on July 6-8, 2026.
Note: Due to new visa restrictions by the US government, we will not be able to invite all winners to present in person at MIT. If winners are not able to enter the US, we will ask them to present remotely. Unfortunately, we are not able to pay for participants’ travel or accommodation expenses in 2026.
A select number of honorable mentions will also be awarded. Honorable mentions will be invited to present their work at the MIT App Inventor Global Education Summit and will receive a separate certificate from the winners.
Congratulations to last year’s competition winners! Read more about the winning teams and projects here.
Disclaimer
The Global Appathon is open to anyone in the world, with the exception of United States embargoed countries (Iran, Cuba, Syria, North Korea, or the Crimea, Donetsk People’s Republic or Luhansk People’s Republic areas of Ukraine), regardless of age, nationality, gender identity, cultural identity, or political viewpoint. United States law prevents MIT from providing services to persons ordinarily resident in Iran, Cuba, Syria, North Korea, or the Crimea, Donetsk People’s Republic or Luhansk People’s Republic areas of Ukraine and to parties blocked by the US Treasury Department.