High Schooler Aanya Shah Won Last Year's Hackathon. Now She's Ready to Compete Again.

In anticipation of BubbleCon we’re inviting Bubblers to participate in our hackathon: A challenge that asks developers to build a custom app, based on a chosen theme, in just 48 hours.

Last year’s hackathon, which centered around the theme of “Bubble for Good,” brought in some pretty amazing projects — from apps designed to mitigate carbon footprints to projects focused on bringing fun and convenience to healthy eating. 

In anticipation of this year’s hackathon — taking place on September 6 (theme forthcoming) — we sat down with last year’s Rookie winner, Aanya Shah. Her app, DoubleKarma, inspired by her great-grandmother’s charity work— took home the top spot in her category at last year’s BubbleCon. 

Since her win last year, she’s continued to work on her app, experimented with new development projects, and is eager to compete in this year’s hackathon once again.

Tell us your Bubble story. 

When I first started coding in middle school, I found the several hours of writing and debugging boring, time-consuming, and meaningless. The confident coders around me, mostly boys, only added to my intimidation. I felt like I’d never catch up since programming seemed like a skill that took years to master. 

When I came across Bubble, it seemed both powerful and user-friendly. I was excited to see that I could start building apps very quickly, so I decided to teach myself how to use it. Soon, I grasped database CRUD operations, which gave me a big confidence boost. And while learning to use containers and groups for design, I discovered how to configure API connections like Pexels and WhatsApp. I haven’t looked back since.

What have you been working on since last year's hackathon? Any plans to participate this year?

Since the hackathon, I've been on a mission to share the power of Bubble with other beginners, posting over 80 Bubble tutorials and how-to videos through my YouTube channel. I’ve also been active in online forums and created a free zero to one Bubble course to help others discover just how accessible and easy app-building can be. 

On top of that, I’m working on launching DoubleKarma, the app I developed during the hackathon last year. And yes, I am definitely planning on participating again this year!

Tell us about participating in last year’s hackathon.

After spending the summer of 2023 learning Bubble, I was excited to participate in my first hackathon. When I saw the theme "Bubble for Good,” an idea I’d been mulling over for a while popped into my head. 

The hackathon was the perfect chance to bring DoubleKarma, which is a web app inspired by the stories of my great-grandma’s generosity that I grew up hearing. The app uplifts communities by facilitating donations that benefit both the organizations receiving them and the local vendors fulfilling them.

How many Bubble apps have you built to date? Which one was the coolest?

Right now, building apps on Bubble is my way of experimenting and learning about features, like messaging and API integration, that are applicable across different types of apps. I’ve also built a couple of apps for my mom’s small business.

The most fulfilling project so far, however, has been DoubleKarma, the app I created during the Bubble hackathon last year. Not only am I in the process of releasing it, but I’ve since founded a nonprofit around it, too. 

What excites you most about no-code and the future?

Programming isn’t just a tool. It’s a means to create something impactful. 

What truly matters is how well an app solves problems and meets users’ needs, which is why I’m so excited about no-code platforms like Bubble. And as no-code platforms evolve, with advancements like Bubble’s AI builder and a growing range of tools, plugins, and resources, the possibilities are endless. It’s exciting to think about how all of this will help solve real-world problems.

What would you say to someone who’s considering learning no-code?

I’d encourage anyone interested in Bubble to dive in and start today! If a high schooler like me, with no prior coding experience, can pick it up in a single summer, so can you. The skills you’ll gain are incredibly powerful and transferable across various platforms and fields. 

With Bubble, anyone, regardless of background or experience, can create impactful apps, an ability that is truly empowering. As a high school Bubbler, I’m living proof of Bubble’s ability to democratize app development!