75+ Real-World
Projects for Schools
Curriculum-aligned, mentor-supported projects across STEM, Arts, Business & Entrepreneurship and Humanities. Every brief is designed for students to produce work that matters.
The 15 Minute City
Can we imagine life: our school, friendships, food, recreation, leisure with less dependence on fossil fuels? Will it be a life of fun or hardships and limited choices? Or Can it be full of vibrant and sustainable relationships between humans and non-humans? We invite you to experience this idea through a month-long project called 'Exploring a 15 minute city life'. Worldwide, 15 Minute city is an urban planning concept in which most daily necessities and services, such as work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure can be easily reached by a 15-minute walk, cycle ride, or public transit ride from any point in the city.
Mentored by Pallavi Varma-Patil
ATREE
Your Story, Your Voice
Your Story, Your Voice invites students in grades 6–8 to discover something powerful; that stories are everywhere, and they already have what it takes to tell them. A conversation overheard at a bus stop, the way light falls on a familiar street, or a quiet moment between two people, stories are not always invented; often, they are simply found in the world around us. In this project, students step into their everyday lives with a new lens to find a story they want to tell to the world. They will observe closely, ask questions, make decisions, change their minds, and make decisions again. They will discover that the creative process is rarely a straight line and that the chaos along the way is not an obstacle, but an essential part of creating something meaningful. The project culminates in a written story that reflects each student’s unique perspective and voice. For those who wish to go further, there is also an opportunity to bring their story to life through images, illustrations, or simple graphics. This project is not about writing perfectly. It is about finding your voice and learning to trust it.
Mentored by Akhila Ramnarayan
Krea University
My Grandma Can't Get Automated : Story Telling Using AI
My Grandma Can't Get Automated : Story Telling Using AI invites students in grades 9–12 to explore one of the most urgent creative questions of current times: can artificial intelligence (AI) truly tell a human story? Inspired by the participatory storytelling model, students will interview a grandparent, elder, neighbour, or loved one and capture their experiences, memories, and views in a world increasingly shaped by AI. Using AI as a creative collaborator, they will shape that conversation into a 2–3 minute documentary film under the theme "My Grandma Can't Get Automated." The most compelling films will be considered for community screenings and may be featured in an upcoming documentary by filmmaker and digital storytelling pioneer Siok Siok Tan.
Mentored by Siok Siok Tan
Filmmaker and Entrepreneur, DeepHumanityAI Creator, AI for Humanity Co-Author
The GOAT LAB! Cracking Sports with Data
In the GOAT Lab, students step into the role of a sports analyst to answer one big question: Who is the Greatest Of All Time in a sport of their choosing? Drawing on real data, mathematical reasoning, and persuasive storytelling, students build their own analytical model and use it to defend a bold claim. This project is open to every student - not just sports fans. It uses the world of sport as a compelling context for exploring how data is collected, interpreted, weighted, and used to construct arguments. Students may choose any sport they are interested in - cricket, football (soccer), basketball, tennis, chess, esports, athletics, or any other - and select two to four top performers to compare. The project culminates in the GOAT Lab, an interactive showcase where students present their investigation, model, and verdict to an audience who can challenge their reasoning.
Mentored by Kartik Kannan
Cricket.com
Going Global: Building an International Business
Every business decision starts with a real problem. Consider the situation below, a scenario that mirrors the challenges students will explore throughout this project. As you read, think about what you would do in Mr. Sharma’s position, and what knowledge you would need to make the right call.
Mentored by Vaidyanathan
Great Lakes Institute of Management
BrandSpark: The Youth Marketing Challenge
BrandSpark challenges students in grades 6–8 to conceptualize, design, and pitch a marketing plan for a product or service of their choice. The product or service would be a small-medium size business in their local region, they have access to and doesn’t have a significant branding presence.. Students step into the shoes of a real-world advertising team, brainstorming ideas, identifying their audience, crafting messages, and presenting their campaign with confidence. This project connects creativity with critical thinking, giving students a hands-on introduction to how the media and marketing world works around them every day.
Mentored by Joseph Richards
California State University, Sacramento
Creativity in Engineering - Foldable House
How many rooms are there in your home? Is there a balcony? How about a garden? How many bathrooms? Are there young kids or older people living with you? Is the design of your home customized for their needs too? And for the biggest question of all - how long did it take to build your home? What if you could build a home that’s customized to suit the needs of people living at your place in a very short time? Let’s take it a step further and use concepts of physics to make it foldable so it can be assembled anywhere! This could potentially solve affordable home crisis or even utilize available space really well. In this project, you will be guided through research, ideation and finally designing the house. You can get creative with the materials and design. Remember it has to be functional and look good. Let's get started!
Mentored by Ashwin Mahalingam
IIT Madras
Change Makers Inc.
Welcome to Change Makers Inc., where your business acumen meets your desire for social change. In this project, you will act as a social entrepreneur, a leader who doesn't just ask “How much money can we make?” but “How much good can we do?” Your mission is to design a self-sustaining business model that tackles a specific challenge within your community. Whether it’s reducing local food waste, improving youth literacy, or tackling plastic pollution, you will build a venture that proves profit and purpose can live under the same roof. The Challenge Statement How might we create a profitable business that solves a real problem in our community and improves people’s lives? Why Social Entrepreneurship? (Fast Facts) To understand the world you’re stepping into, consider these insights: • The “Double Bottom Line”: Unlike traditional companies that measure success by profit alone, social enterprises track a Double Bottom Line: Financial Profit + Social/Environmental Impact. • A Growing Global Force: Social enterprises are no longer a niche market; they contribute billions to the global economy. In many regions, they are growing at a faster rate than traditional SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises). • Consumer Demand: Modern consumers, especially younger generations, are 4x more likely to buy from a brand that has a strong social purpose. Why This Matters: Essential Business Skills This project isn't just about “doing good”; it’s a masterclass in modern business. You will develop: • Strategic Problem Solving: You’ll learn to move beyond “charity” (which relies on donations) to “social business” (which creates a sustainable loop of revenue and impact). • Market Agility: By conducting market research and building a Business Model Canvas, you will learn how to pivot your ideas based on real-world community needs. • Compelling Communication: Through your elevator pitch, you’ll master the art of “selling” an idea to stakeholders, investors, and customers. What You’ll Build Student Deliverable: Submission 1 What’s Inside? The Solution Proposal (PPT or Poster) Theory of Change Diagram: A visual map showing how your business activities directly lead to long-term social benefits. Business Model Canvas: A one-page framework outlining your value proposition, customer segments, and revenue streams. Student Deliverable: Submission 2 What’s Inside? Group Walk-Through / Elevator Pitch Video You have 90 to 120 seconds to convince an audience that your business is viable and impactful. Pro Tip: Stop waiting for the future to happen and start building a business that creates it – it’s time to turn your biggest “what if” into a real-world “game changer”!
Mentored by Prof. Anil Srinivasan
AI for Reducing Waste in Everyday Systems
Solving the Waste Crisis with AI Imagine a world where your school cafeteria knows exactly how much pasta to cook so nothing ends up in the bin, or where a housing complex dims lights precisely when rooms are empty, saving thousands in energy costs. This isn't science fiction; it’s systems thinking. Most waste isn't caused by people wanting to be wasteful—it’s caused by inefficiency. In this project, you are the lead consultant. Your mission is to hunt down “leaks” in everyday systems, whether that's physical trash, wasted electricity, or lost time, and use the power of Artificial Intelligence to plug them. The Problem Statement: How might we use AI to identify, reduce, or prevent waste in everyday systems like schools, campuses, or local businesses? Your goal is to find the “Sweet Spot” between Environmental Impact, Cost, and Practicality. Shocking Facts to Get You Started • The Food Gap: Globally, about one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. In schools alone, food waste is often the largest component of the waste stream. • Vampire Energy: “Standby power” (electronics plugged in but not in use) can account for up to 10% of a building's total electricity use. AI can predict when to “kill” this power without human intervention. • The Data Goldmine: AI algorithms can analyze patterns in seconds that would take humans weeks. For example, AI can predict water pipe bursts before they happen by analyzing tiny changes in pressure data. What You’ll Build Student Deliverable: Project Portfolio (Submission 1) What’s Inside? You'll document how you went from finding a “waste leak” to designing an AI-based solution. You will describe the information you gathered, the ideas you tested, and the decisions you made. Document your journey (sketches, failed attempts, reflections) rather than just the final result. Student Deliverable: The Action Tape (Submission 2)What’s Inside? A professional presentation of your paper. Don’t just read the document—bring it to life! Show us the problem in the real world, visualize your data insights, and walk us through how your AI “brain” solves the problem. Why This Matters (STEM Skills) This isn't just about coding; it’s about Scientific Reasoning. You’ll be practicing: • Forecasting: Using past data to predict future waste. • Optimization: Finding the most efficient path for resources. • Ethical Design: Ensuring technology helps humans without overstepping boundaries. Pro Tip: Don't try to save the entire planet at once! The best projects usually focus on one specific “leak” — like the recycling bin in the library or the irrigation system on the soccer field — and solve it perfectly.
Mentored by Sriram Raghavan
IBM
Digital Heritage Archive & Revival Initiative
When was the last time you heard a language, song, or celebrated a festival or craft that only one person in your community still remembers? Most importantly, what happens when that knowledge is never written down, recorded, or passed on? Does it only slowly disappear or does it take with it a part of our identity and collective wisdom? In this project, you will identify a cultural practice within your community that is at risk of disappearing and build a digital heritage archive that reflects the voices and values of the community. You will step into the role of researchers, listeners, and storytellers to understand and explore what ethical cultural preservation looks like in a digital world and how your actions can help sustain and revive living heritage. The Problem Statement: How might we use digital technology and community engagement to document, preserve, and revive a dying or low-visibility cultural tradition in our region before it disappears completely? What You’ll Build: • Student Deliverable What’s Inside? • The Conceptual Paper You’ll document how you went from identifying a fading cultural practice to designing a structured digital archive. Why This Matters This isn’t just about creating a digital archive; it’s about learning how to work with living heritage responsibly. You’ll be practicing: • Ethnographic Research: Learning how to listen, observe, and document cultural practices through interviews, oral histories, and field notes. • Digital Storytelling: Using multimedia tools to organize, present, and archive stories, rituals, craft, and knowledge in meaningful ways. • Cultural Advocacy: Understanding how documentation can support awareness, respect, and revival rather than extraction or exploitation. • Sustainable Thinking: Designing ways for traditions to be passed on and updated over time, not just stored and forgotten. Pro Tip: Choose a cultural practice you can truly understand and engage with. If you can explain why it matters, you’re on the right track. Archive it with care, accuracy, and respect.
Mentored by Anita R Ratnam