PrintLab and Autodesk launch 2026 Make:able Challenge

Published 31st October 2025

The 2026 Make:able Challenge is now open, inviting students, makers and professionals to use 3D design and printing to create solutions that improve the daily lives of people with disabilities and the elderly. Led by PrintLab and Autodesk, the global initiative encourages innovation, empathy and practical problem-solving in classrooms and beyond.

This year, the challenge has expanded with new resources that support teams not only in designing and prototyping assistive devices for individual users but also in preparing them for wider use through open-source sharing.

What Make:able offers

Make:able is free to enter and open to anyone passionate about assistive technology, from students to teachers, designers and engineers. The brief remains focused:

“Design and make a 3D printed product or prototype that improves the day-to-day life of someone with a disability or the elderly.”

Participants can enter individually or in teams of up to five. Designs should be for a real end user in the local community, or alternatively for a Make:able Champion – individuals who have shared their personal experiences and challenges in the challenge toolkit.

The design process must use either Tinkercad or Autodesk Fusion software, and each entry must include a physical 3D printed prototype. Participants are encouraged to combine 3D printing with other materials and techniques, such as laser cutting or electronics, to bring their ideas to life. Each team also submits a 2–4 minute video documenting their journey.

A complete learning experience

Beyond the competition, Make:able is a guided learning programme with a comprehensive online toolkit and workbook. Teachers can access packs, lesson plans and curriculum-aligned documents to support classroom participation. The challenge walks students through every stage of the design process, from research and ideation to CAD modelling, prototyping and storytelling, making it an ideal project for design and technology lessons that aim to inspire creativity, empathy and practical skills.

The 2026 Make:able Challenge provides teachers with an opportunity to bring real-world problem solving into the classroom, encouraging students to think critically, innovate responsibly, and design with purpose.

Check out this example submission from 2025, a great illustration of the creativity and impact students can achieve through the challenge.