Young Innovators Shine as Big Bang Finalists Unveiled for 2025
From a sustainable Formula One helmet to an eco-conscious water filter and a robotic pill dispenser, this year’s Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition has unearthed a treasure trove of talent.
Over 100 impressive student-led projects have now made it through to the final round, standing out from nearly 1,000 entries submitted by young people aged 11 to 18 from every corner of the UK.
This national celebration of STEM ingenuity highlights not only the power of youthful imagination but also the critical role that innovation will play in shaping a sustainable, tech-driven tomorrow. And it’s not just about ideas – it’s about action, impact, and a genuine drive to change the world.
Who’s in the Running?
With the competition heating up, just over 100 projects have been shortlisted. The final judging rounds will take place over the coming weeks, as a panel of STEM professionals evaluates each submission for its creativity, feasibility, and real-world potential.
Finalists are now vying for three prestigious titles:
- Big Bang UK Young Scientist of the Year
- Big Bang UK Young Engineer of the Year
- Big Bang UK Young Technologist of the Year (sponsored by Siemens)
Each award comes with a £1,000 prize, and of course, national recognition for their outstanding work.
Ideas That Inspire
Entries this year fall into six themes, underscoring the breadth of focus from the UK’s brightest young innovators:
- Access and Inclusivity
- AI and Smart Technology
- Computer Science, Robotics and Electronics
- Health, Medicine and Wellbeing
- Materials and Textiles
- Sustainability and Environment
This mix reveals a promising trend: young people aren’t just creating for the sake of innovation; they’re building solutions for real-world problems. These future engineers, scientists and developers are tackling climate change, digital inequality, and healthcare accessibility head-on.
Mark Wood, Social Sustainability Lead at Siemens, shared his excitement: “The Big Bang Competition is an opportunity for aspiring designers, technologists, engineers and problem solvers to showcase their ideas using science, technology, engineering, and maths to improve our lives. As digitalisation becomes more crucial and sustainable living more important, the ideas from our young people are inspiring, limitless, and practical. Each year, I am amazed by the brilliant ideas and genuine passion they demonstrate.”
A Celebration of Curiosity and Confidence
The culmination of this journey takes place at The Big Bang Fair, held from 17 to 19 June 2025 at Birmingham’s NEC. It’s the UK’s largest youth celebration of science, technology, engineering, and maths, offering immersive experiences through live shows, engaging workshops, and career panels featuring industry pros.
The Fair, which is open to students aged 10 to 13, promises more than just inspiration. It provides a window into the world of STEM careers, showing young people what they could achieve through passion, perseverance, and a bit of creative spark.
Phil McShane, Associate Director of The Big Bang programme, expressed his pride in the finalists: *”Once again, we’ve been blown away by the volume of entries, which is up from last year, and the levels of creativity and innovation of the projects. Also, it is fantastic to see so many entries – 61% – from underrepresented state schools.”
“I know our judges are extremely excited to get going on the judging – but they will have their work cut out, as it’s not going to be an easy task with such impressive and high-quality entries.”
Fostering Future Talent
The Big Bang Competition, managed by EngineeringUK, is more than just an annual event. It’s part of a broader mission to inspire young people from all walks of life to explore careers in engineering and technology. The aim? To address the UK’s growing demand for STEM talent while championing diversity and inclusion in these vital industries.
Students from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are encouraged to complete hands-on projects in any STEM discipline. The experience is designed not just to reward excellence but to nurture key skills like teamwork, critical thinking and communication.
By creating space for young people to experiment, prototype, and present their ideas, EngineeringUK is helping to build confidence and capability across the board. That means more students ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow with resilience and innovation.
Building a STEM-Savvy Generation
EngineeringUK collaborates with over 50 organisations to deliver the Fair and Competition each year. From education providers and professional institutions to private sector players, this collective effort ensures a rich, varied experience for every student.
Their school outreach programmes, such as EUK Education and Neon, bring STEM to life with real-world applications and stories. Through initiatives like Tomorrow’s Engineers, they work to improve the reach and impact of career inspiration across the country.
Whether it’s policy advocacy or industry-led engagement, the organisation’s research and evidence-building efforts are focused on making STEM accessible, engaging and representative of the UK’s diverse population.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
Let’s face it: the challenges the next generation will inherit are no small feat. From global warming and public health crises to digital transformation and AI ethics, the world is changing fast. That’s why competitions like The Big Bang are so crucial. They equip young minds with the tools, confidence, and vision to drive change.
Encouragingly, these students aren’t just future scientists and engineers. They’re already changemakers. Their ideas are bold, their outlooks refreshingly pragmatic, and their solutions? Well, they just might be the innovations the world didn’t know it needed.
Looking Ahead with Optimism
With the finals just around the corner, anticipation is building. Whether or not they walk away with a trophy, every finalist has already achieved something remarkable: they’ve taken an idea, turned it into reality, and shared it with the world.
For the rest of us, it’s a reminder that the next generation of STEM leaders isn’t just coming – they’re already here, and they mean business.
