Bradford was buzzing with excitement this May as over 170 young digital makers from across the UK gathered for Coolest Projects UK 2025 at the Life Centre to celebrate the amazing things young people create with technology. Run by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and hosted by BBC science presenter Greg Foot, the free, in-person event brought together budding creators, families, mentors, and even a few troops of Scouts for a fun-filled day.
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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