Ready to get started on your Maine App Challenge submission? See below for resources to help build your app, understand the judging criteria, access Innovation Workshops from the University of Maine’s Foster Center for Innovation, and more!
View 2026 Winners
Provides levels of specific information in an intuitive and easy-to-use interface
Example: Learning It (2026 submission) This app educates people on drugs and how to help save lives.
Provides a service to the user based on a real-world need or scope of needs
Example: SleepLoop (2026 submission) SleepLoop serves as a simple companion app for users to gain relaxation tips, track sleep habits, and improve sleep quality.
Entertains the user while providing some sort of competition
Example: Skyhigh Graveyard 1 & 2 (2026 submission) With two games in one, this app tries to emulate the 1982-1984 style of video games.
App Lab is a programming environment by Code.org used to make mobile apps. It allows you to build applications using drag-and-drop code blocks or to code directly in JavaScript. Their website has instructional videos and sample applications.Get started with App Lab.
MIT App Inventor 2 is a visual programming tool that guides you through building an app. It has a drag-and-drop interface allowing you to arrange elements such as screens, buttons, text, and more. MIT App Inventor 2 also comes with its own Android emulator, so you can test the app from your computer before loading it on a mobile device.
As a demonstration, Tyler developed a simple Tic-Tac-Toe game for the purpose of exploring and learning how to use MIT App Inventor 2.
Download MIT App Inventor 2, the sample project, and watch the demonstration video to get started using the MIT App Inventor 2.
First-year University of Maine students who participated in the Maine App Challenge have the opportunity to apply for additional scholarships. Learn more about our partnerships.
Brainstorming, Prototyping, Testing, Pitching
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