Make:able 2027 is Here! Discover What’s New

The 2027 Make:able Challenge is here! Led by PrintLab and Autodesk, Make:able is a free, global design challenge where students, makers and professionals use 3D design and 3D printing to create assistive technology that makes a difference. This year, we're introducing some exciting changes, including a refreshed Challenge Toolkit, new animated videos, expanded design methods and a new approach to how Make:able works and its annual awards.

Collage of people using assistive technology products, including adaptive eating aids and 3D printed devices.

31st October 2026 • News

About Make:able

The Make:able design brief is simple: Design and make a 3D printed product or prototype that improves the day-to-day life of someone with a disability or an older person. Then, share your design journey through a short video submission for the chance to win an annual Make:able Award. *All 3D designs must be created using Autodesk Tinkercad or Autodesk Fusion.

But Make:able goes beyond a competition. It’s an opportunity to learn new skills, explore human-centred design and develop meaningful solutions to real-world challenges. Whether you’re working individually or in a team, our free online toolkit guides you through understanding your end user’s needs, generating ideas, designing, prototyping, testing and sharing your work.

For a closer look, watch our new introduction video and explore an inspiring submission from last year.

Make:able participants collaborating around a table, sketching and discussing ideas for an assistive technology project.

Make:able team demonstrating a colourful interactive musical soundboard to a young child during product testing.

Let’s take a look at what’s new for this year…

What’s New in the Toolkit?

We’ve refreshed the Make:able Toolkit to make it more engaging, practical and easier to navigate.

New animated introduction videos: Each section now features a creative animated video introducing key concepts, activities and practical advice.
Updated and expanded design methods: More activities and resources to help you understand your end user, generate ideas, develop prototypes and test your solutions.
A more streamlined experience: We’ve simplified and reorganised content throughout the toolkit, with clearer guidance and easier access to resources.
Real-world inspiration: We’ve added examples from last year’s challenge throughout the toolkit, showing how teams have applied different design methods in practice.

Laptop displaying the Make:able online Challenge Toolkit, with colourful sections covering the assistive technology design process.

A Year-Round Learning Experience with Annual Awards

While Make:able has always been available throughout the year, we’ve traditionally focused on an annual challenge launch each November. Moving forward, we’re shifting our focus towards Make:able as an ongoing learning experience, with regular toolkit updates and annual awards to celebrate outstanding projects.

Learn and create at your own pace: You can join Make:able at any time, explore the toolkit and develop your project at a pace that works for you.
Continuous improvements: Rather than releasing a big toolkit update each November, we’ll introduce new resources, examples and improvements throughout the year.
Annual Make:able Awards: We’ll continue celebrating outstanding projects each year through the Make:able Awards, with prizes for winning teams. Submit your project by 15th May 2027 to be considered for this year’s awards. Submissions received after this date will be entered into the following year’s awards.
Updated award categories: We’re replacing the Customisation and Iterative Design categories with Product Design and Storytelling. Product Design will recognise refined, functional and visually appealing products with a professional level of quality and finish, while Storytelling will celebrate teams that create compelling videos showcasing their end user, design journey and final solution.

Portrait collage of the Make:able global judging panel, featuring judges from different backgrounds and disciplines.

Graphic announcing 18 Make:able prize awards, with pink 3D printer illustrations on a turquoise background.

The Final Year for Make:able Champions

We introduced Make:able Champions to help participants who couldn’t find a real end user. Our Champions are people with disabilities who have generously shared their experiences and day-to-day challenges through videos, giving teams the opportunity to design solutions inspired by their stories. The 2027 awards will be the final year that participants can design for a Make:able Champion. From 16th May 2027 onwards, participants will need to work with a real end user.

We’re making this change because we believe the most meaningful design experiences come from working directly with the people you’re designing for. Conversations, observations and feedback help teams understand individual needs and create more useful, personalised solutions.

We also recognise that finding an end user can feel challenging, but it doesn’t need to involve contacting an unfamiliar organisation or arranging formal interviews. Your end user could be a family member, friend or someone in your local community. Even a few conversations and opportunities to gather feedback can provide valuable insights, and end users can remain anonymous in final submissions if they prefer. For anyone entering the 2027 awards, the Champions option remains fully available until the submission deadline.

Resources for Teachers

We’ve also refreshed our teaching resources to make it easier to introduce Make:able in classrooms and other learning environments.

Updated Teacher’s Pack: Refreshed guidance and 12 flexible lesson plans covering the key stages of the design process, helping educators adapt Make:able to their timetable and students.

Mockup of the Make:able Teacher's Guide and lesson plans, showing resources for teaching assistive technology design.

Free Autodesk Fusion training: We’re continuing to offer free Fusion Fundamentals training for educators through Autodesk Learning Partners. These virtual sessions help teachers develop their CAD skills and confidently introduce Autodesk Fusion to their students.

Learn more and register for free training

Key Dates and How to Get Started

Make:able is available year-round, so you can begin exploring the toolkit and working on your project at any time. For those who would like to enter the 2027 Make:able Awards, here are the key dates:

15th May 2027: Submission deadline for the 2027 awards
1st June 2027: Finalists announced
1st July 2027: Winners announced

Projects submitted after 15th May 2027 will be considered for the following year’s awards, so there’s no need to rush your design journey. Once registered, you’ll find full details of the award categories, judging criteria and submission process in the Make:able Toolkit.

Ready to get started? Visit makeablechallenge.com to register for free and access the online toolkit, teaching resources and everything you need to begin. We can’t wait to see what you create!

Let’s design and make, for purpose.

IMPORTANT NOTE: As of 31st October 2026, a new toolkit access code has been issued. If you registered prior to this date, you will need to register again to receive the new code.