Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, a free national tech-for-good competition, returns for a seventh year with expanded regional workshops, giving more 11-to-18-year-olds across the UK and Ireland the chance to bring their tech ideas to life 

As schools and colleges place growing emphasis on creativity, careers education and real-world employer experiences, Samsung is expanding its Solve for Tomorrow programme to give more young people the tools and opportunities they need to turn their ideas into real-world impact. 

From today, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow reopens its doors for a seventh year, inviting every secondary school, college and 11-to-18-year-old across the UK and Ireland to turn a problem they care about into a tech-for-good solution. The programme is built on a simple belief: creativity isn’t a gift. It’s a skill every young person can develop and is where innovation begins. The free, award-winning innovation programme runs year-round, and this year’s competition is now open, with entries closing Jan. 18, 2027. 

At its core is a competition that challenges young people to apply their skills and develop innovative solutions to real-world problems, creating positive change for people, communities and the planet. Supporting schools’ careers provision and the Gatsby Benchmarks, the programme gives young people direct access to Samsung volunteers, mentoring and industry experts, helping them understand how classroom learning applies to real-world careers. 

Commenting on the launch, Soohyun Jessie Park, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Samsung Electronics UK, said:

“Every year, this competition reminds us just how creative, ambitious and innovative young people can be when they’re given the opportunity to develop their ideas. That’s why Samsung continues to invest in the next generation through programmes like Solve for Tomorrow. As part of our ambition to positively impact one million young people by 2030, we’re expanding access through new regional workshops and enhanced mentoring opportunities, helping even more students gain the skills, experiences and industry insight to turn their ideas into action. We’re excited to see what they’ll create next.” 

Teachers can deliver it in one lesson, six lessons or as self-guided independent study, with resources that need no specialist technology knowledge to run. It supports curriculum delivery in D&T, ICT, PSHE/Citizenship, Computer Science and Economics, though its flexible format means any department or subject can take part, alongside personal development and careers education, so schools and colleges can embed real-world learning without adding to staff workload or school budgets. 

Based on what schools and teachers consistently say they need most, practical curriculum support, meaningful employer engagement and opportunities to bring learning to life, Samsung has built a network of expert partners to help make these experiences accessible to more young people. Working with organisations including the Design & Technology Association, Design Council, Tech She Can and Internet Matters, the programme provides curriculum-linked resources, workshops and industry insight that help students connect classroom learning to real-world challenges and future careers. As teams progress through the competition, they receive mentoring from Samsung volunteers and access to prototype funding, helping them develop and refine their ideas before pitching their solutions to a panel of industry experts at the national final hosted at Samsung KX in King’s Cross, London. 

Winners can earn Samsung technology, national recognition on the Piccadilly Circus screen, and work experience with Samsung – a rare opportunity for secondary school and college students to spend time inside a global technology company that isn’t available through any other route. Participating teachers and schools are recognised too, with additional prizes and Samsung Certified School status on offer for those who take part. 

To help ensure more young people can benefit from the programme, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is taking innovation education on the road. In partnership with the Design & Technology Association and Tech She Can, Samsung will deliver a series of regional workshops in Glasgow, London, Birmingham and Manchester, bringing expert-led innovation experiences directly to schools and colleges that need them most, backed by teacher training designed to build lasting confidence. 

The impact is already clear. Last year, 84,137 young people took part across the UK and Ireland and 2,185 entered the competition, with participants’ confidence rising from 45% to 73% and overall capability improving from 43% to 65% across creativity, problem-solving, collaboration and self-management. Among teachers, 82% agree the programme helps students develop both STEM and essential life skills, and 71% say it improved students’ perceptions of D&T as a subject – one of the reasons Samsung Solve for Tomorrow was named Best STEM Education Platform Award Winner by the Edtech Innovation Hub. 

“Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is an excellent way to challenge your students to think creatively in new contexts,” said Colin Smethurst, Head of Computing at Byrchall High School. “It’s a great opportunity to apply STEM skills, and students often find the challenges very relevant to their experiences with consumer tech. I’d encourage any teacher to introduce their students to the programme – it’s an enriching experience and may even spark future career aspirations.” 

Students describe a similar shift, across every category. , from County Limerick, Ireland, won the 14-16 category with AsthmaSense, a device that warns users before an asthma attack can start.

“I learned to really not get into my head too much and not overthink things when it comes to presenting and public speaking,” she said. “It’s really helped me improve overall with my confidence.”

, whose device The Green Cross scans wounds to monitor healing, won the 16-18 category:

“I’ve learned how to present, how to sell an idea, and to put myself out there – things I hadn’t done before.”

And , whose Plant Enforcers app won the 11-14 category, still sounds surprised by how far it went:

“How did we go from a little project in our classroom to a huge place in London and winning an award from Samsung? It’s insane.” 

Samsung Solve for Tomorrow has now reached 401,444 young people and a third of all secondary schools across the UK and Ireland since launching in 2020, with 7,618 ideas entered so far – part of a wider goal to reach one million young people through Samsung’s global Together for Tomorrow vision by 2030.