TechFest, Scotland’s leading STEM charity, is celebrating the nationwide success of its ‘Innovation in Action’ competition, which has inspired secondary school pupils across the country to design creative solutions to improve life for visually impaired people.
The STEM competition has officially reached its finale with 19 teams from 12 schools taking part in it, presenting their incredible creativity, collaboration and technical understanding from pupils across the country.
First place was awarded to team ''See Beautiful'' from Wallace High School, Stirling, for their innovative project on accessible beauty products for the visually impaired, featuring sustainable braille covers allowing the visually impaired to identify different types of make-up. Shortly after them were team ''Enable'' from Levenmouth Academy, Fife in second and team ''EasyC'' from. St Paul's RC Academy, Dundee in third place, taking the runner-up prizes with their ideas around an innovative app and a multi-featured walking cane and 360 AI Enhanced glasses.
This year’s competition has brought together young pupils across Scotland, showcasing the country’s growing strength in innovation, engineering and design.
Students were challenged to design a practical and sustainable product or app, solving a problem for the visually impaired people, as they were supported by TechFest’s technical resources and partner organisations' expert advisers.
Martha Gavan, TechFest Managing Director, said: “Innovation in Action has showcased the very best of Scotland’s young creative thinkers. Their creativity and teamwork never fail to amaze me. This year, they’ve shown a new level of determination that truly reflects the heart of Scotland’s heritage in innovation.
“We are super proud of every team that took part and want to congratulate them for their incredible work and effort, as they truly show that they are the future STEM leaders who will help drive Scotland’s next wave of progress.”
All participant entries demonstrated an impressive breadth of ideas, from sustainability to digital technology, as their creativity, communication and technical understanding was highly praised by the judges.
To help the judges decide on the overall winner, teams were invited to deliver a 10-minute online, similar to the Dragon’s Den sales pitching.
Yvonne Whitaker, director at the NCR Voyix Foundation, said: “It has truly been a privilege for all of us at the NCR Voyix Foundation to support TechFest’s Innovation in Action.
"Watching young people from across Scotland step forward with such creativity, curiosity and courage has been incredibly inspiring. Their ideas show not only remarkable talent but a real passion for making a difference for the visually impaired, and that spirit is exactly what has driven Scotland’s innovation for generations.
“We’re genuinely excited for what comes next for these young innovators and believe that the skills they’ve gained will stay with them as they grow, learn and will eventually shape Scotland’s future STEM landscape.”
TechFest extend its sincere appreciation to the judges: Edward Pollock, Net Zero Transition Centre; John N A Brown, Robert Gordons University; Clair Donaldson, Whittakers Eyecare; Jenny Liddell, Sight Scotland Veterans; Michelle Quadrelli, Scott & Fyfe Ltd, for their invaluable support in this project. Their expertise, thoughtful evaluation, and steadfast help played a pivotal role in delivering ‘Innovation in Action’ and ensuring its success.
The Innovation in Action competition helps to develop skills in design, sustainable manufacturing, teamwork and communication, as they are all tailored to meet the needs of diverse audiences, including people with visual impairments.
During its duration, participants were able to explore the challenges of visual impairment, learn to adapt designs, and build core skills in project management and budgeting.
All teams, comprising of 2 to 6 students, had to conduct market research, investigate materials and the costs of various production methods, before submitting their entry in a 10-page report and in a 3-minute video.
The success of Innovation in Action reinforces TechFest’s mission to inspire and empower the next generation of Scottish innovators.
With growing interest from schools and industry partners, TechFest plans to continue expanding its Scotland-wide opportunities next academic year, ensuring more young people can participate in hands-on, forward-looking innovation experiences that support future academic and career pathways.