Students Worldwide Use MIT App Inventor to Build Apps for Social Good Powered by AWS

Students around the world are using MIT App Inventor to build mobile apps that address problems they see in their communities, from emergency response and crop health to sustainability and economic wellbeing.During the 2026 Global Appathon, a free virtual competition hosted by the App Inventor Foundation and MIT App Inventor, 2,176 participants from 141 countries and regions created apps connected to real-world challenges. Judges evaluated projects based on creativity, design, impact, and technical skill. AWS support has helped make this kind of global participation possible. With the grant of AWS cloud technology, MIT App Inventor has the infrastructure to support the innovation of over 30 million users around the globe, keeping the app free for learners, educators, and communities worldwide.

MIT App Inventor helps students move from learning about technology to building with it. Because the platform is free and accessible, students can create working apps even when they are new to coding or do not have access to advanced development tools.That access matters for programs like the Global Appathon, where students can use app development to identify local problems, design practical uses, and share their ideas with a global community. They own their apps and can choose to share them for others to view, modify, and redistribute.

Some of this year’s winners include:

SCENAR, created by Mohammed Hamzah Siddiqui and Mohammed Hamdan Siddiqui in the United Arab Emirates, is an emergency response app designed to help first responders receive clear, organized information when every second matters. The app converts incident details into a standardized report and provides tools such as personal medical profiles, hospital routing, and emergency guidance. By making critical information more accessible to both people in crisis and those assisting them, SCENAR aims to support faster and better-informed emergency care.

KisanSaathi, created by Deeksha Parvata Reddy in India, means “farmer’s friend” in Hindi It is an AI-powered crop health app designed for farmers who may not have timely access to agricultural advice. Users can scan a plant leaf to identify possible disease, assess the plant’s health, and receive guidance tailored to factors such as crop type, location, and weather. The app also includes an offline mode, a chatbot, scan history, and voice output in regional languages, making its services more accessible in rural and low-connectivity settings.

Ecobin, created by Piyatida Luangon, Atisha Thaviyonchai, Kin Supabundit, and Kornsiripatchara Damrongrat in Thailand, helps households, street vendors, and restaurants recycle used cooking oil rather than disposing of it through drains, which can contribute to sewer blockages and pollute waterways. Developed with input from local market vendors, the app directs users to nearby smart recycling bins, tracks the environmental impact of their contributions, and offers rewards for participation. An AI-enabled bin identifies and measures the oil deposited, supporting a more convenient and accountable recycling system.

Food Flow, created by Ahana Chatterjee in the United States, is a food platform that helps users make healthier choices while improving access to food. Connected to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Zero Hunger and Good Health and Well-Being, the app provides personalized food insights, real-time tools for locating available food resources, and recipes based on ingredients users already have. Its goal is to reduce barriers to nutritious food while helping people make practical use of what is available to them.

“App Inventor has been free and open-source for the past 15 years, and that’s core to who we are,” said Dr. Natalie Lao, App Inventor Foundation’s CEO and Executive Director. “A student’s ability to have a voice in the digital world shouldn’t depend on their family’s income or their school’s budget. Through computational action and programs like the Global Appathon, we empower students to become problem-solvers and critical thinkers who can use digital tools and technology to transform their own lives and communities. Thanks to the AWS Education Equity Initiative, that access and that mission reached thousands more students in 2026.”

“The Global Appathon reflects the kind of hands-on learning that helps young people see themselves as builders and problem-solvers,” said Aanya Niaz, Global Leader for the AWS Education Equity Initiative. “By supporting the cloud and AI infrastructure behind MIT App Inventor, AWS is helping expand access to tools that allow young innovators around the world to create, experiment, and build technology for their communities.” As students continue developing their Global Appathon projects, MIT App Inventor and AWS are highlighting the importance of accessible tools, cloud infrastructure, and hands-on learning opportunities that help young people turn ideas into working technology.

About App Inventor Foundation

App Inventor was founded in 2007 by educators and researchers at MIT and Google with the vision of enabling anyone—including those who may not think of themselves as coders—to create mobile apps for real, effective change in their communities. The App Inventor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established by the same team, and expands upon the educational initiatives of the MIT App Inventor project by offering additional resources for teachers and students across the globe. Our mission is to empower students of any background and any age to make apps that improve their lives, uplift their communities, and change the world.

About AWS

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is guided by customer obsession, pace of innovation, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. By democratizing technology for nearly two decades and making cloud computing and generative AI accessible to organizations of every size and industry, AWS has built one of the fastest-growing enterprise technology businesses in history. Millions of customers trust AWS to accelerate innovation, transform their businesses, and shape the future. With the most comprehensive AI capabilities and global infrastructure footprint, AWS empowers builders to turn big ideas into reality. Learn more at aws.amazon.com and follow @AWSNewsroom.

Press Contact
Andrew Whitacre
Communications Manager
App Inventor Foundation
andrew@appinventor.or