The prestigious regional coding competition series, the ASEAN Coding Competition (ACC) 2026, has officially concluded successfully. Under the theme “Creative Kids, Bright Future,” this online coding competition was successfully launched by Codero in collaboration with STEM Malaysia.

The goal of this event is to encourage the development of logical thinking skills, creativity, and the use of technology from an early age. This event serves not only as a competition but also as a learning space for the younger generation in the ASEAN region. The competition is divided into two categories so that every child can create works appropriate to their developmental stage, namely:

• Primary A / Lower Level:

  • For ages 6–9.

  • Theme: Kids Build the Future (Animation)

• Primary B / Upper Level:

  • For ages 10–12.

  • Theme: Save the Future Planet (Games Story)

Mas Amelia, Director of STEM Malaysia, expressed her deep appreciation for this strategic collaboration:

“STEM Academy Malaysia's collaboration with Codero Indonesia reflects the importance of international and cross-country cooperation in empowering the next generation with future-ready skills, especially in STEM and technology.”

In line with this, Arif Puji Gunarto, Head of the Codero Unit, also emphasized the importance of this collaboration in developing digital talent ready to compete on the global stage:

“"The collaboration between Codero Indonesia and STEM Academy Malaysia represents a shared commitment to preparing the next generation with future-ready skills in technology, innovation, and STEM education. In today’s rapidly evolving world, international collaboration plays an important role in creating broader learning opportunities and empowering young talents beyond geographical boundaries.

Through the ASEAN Coding Competition, we are not only creating a platform for students to showcase their coding abilities, but also encouraging cross-cultural learning, creativity, confidence, and innovation among young learners across the ASEAN region. We believe that every student has the potential to become a future leader, creator, and problem-solver when given access to meaningful opportunities and supportive ecosystems.”

High Enthusiasm from Various ASEAN Countries

The extraordinary enthusiasm was evident in this year’s participant count, which reached 340 children. The competition was fierce yet fair, with 173 participants registering for the Primary A / Lower Level category and 167 participants registering for the Primary B / Upper Level category.

The participants came not only from Indonesia but also from other ASEAN countries such as Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.

“Seeing students from different countries come together with passion and determination is a strong reminder that the future of ASEAN will be shaped by collaboration, education, and technology. We hope this initiative continues to inspire more schools, institutions, and communities to actively participate in building a stronger and more innovative generation for the future," said Arif.

Mas Amelia also added that this competition serves as a valuable stepping stone for the participants, especially those from Malaysia.

“While this year’s competition was highly competitive, we are encouraged to see Malaysian participants stepping forward to challenge themselves on an international platform. We hope this experience will inspire even more students and institutions from Malaysia to participate in future editions of ACC and continue growing their passion and confidence in coding and innovation,” she concluded.

A Comprehensive Series of Activities

This competition series kicks off with a free workshop on May 2–3, 2026. Through this free learning session, participants will gain the basic skills needed to use the Scratch application, enabling them to take their first steps into the world of coding with confidence.

After receiving the training materials, all participants submit their original digital works by the deadline on May 9, 2026. Following a rigorous evaluation process by the judging panel, the finalists are announced on May 14, 2026.

A competitive and innovative final round

The highlight of the event takes place on May 16, 2026, during the ACC 2026 final round. At this stage, the selected finalists are challenged to present their projects in person before a professional judging panel from Codero and STEM Malaysia.

For the presentations by finalists in the Primary A / Lower Level category, starting at 09:20 WIB, each participant was given 3 minutes for their presentation and 2 minutes for a Q&A session with the judges. After all participants had finished their presentations, the organizers directed them to take photos before the break.

The presentation session for the Primary B / Lower Level category began at 1:20 PM WIB. Just like in the previous category, each participant was asked to present their project for 3 minutes and was given 2 minutes for a Q&A session with the judges.

All finalists’ works were evaluated objectively based on three main criteria: Creativity, Presentation, and Project Suitability.

Announcement of the ACC 2026 Winners

After a rigorous curation and judging process by the jury, ACC 2026 is proud to announce the names of the young digital talents who have won the competition:

Winners of the Lower Level / Primary A category

• 1st Place: Cohann Mariposa (Philippines)

• 2nd Place: Rafael Anderson Gunawan (Indonesia)

• 3rd Place: Shalem Chia (Singapore)

• Fan Favorite:

  • Muhammad Khafid Alkhalifi Rayan (Indonesia)

  • Adhyatama Umar Alkhalifi (Indonesia)

  • Anjar Ajis Ramadhani (Indonesia)

Winners of the Upper Level / Primary B category

• 1st Place: Ismail Mufazzal Al Kayyis (Indonesia)

• 2nd Place: Johannes Frederick Ansel (Indonesia)

• 3rd Place: Jordan Funnell (Indonesia)

• People’s Choice Award:

  • Alfonso Rudolph Heryawan (Indonesia)

  • Muhammad Farras Rashad (Indonesia)

  • Hak Kien Chua (Malaysia)

Miss Madiha Rauf, one of the ACC 2026 judges and Head STEM Teacher at STEM Academy Malaysia, expressed her delight at the participants’ achievements:

“We’re really happy to share that ACC 2026 has come to a close, and it’s been such an amazing journey. Seeing students from 8 different countries come together, share their ideas, and present what they’ve built was honestly very inspiring.

The creativity and effort the students put into their projects really stood out, and it’s clear that platforms like this can make a big difference in building confidence and interest in coding and STEM.”

She also hopes that this competition will serve as a valuable stepping stone for all participants and open up greater opportunities for collaboration in the future.

“We truly hope this experience has sparked something meaningful for them, and we’re excited to keep creating more opportunities like this in the future,” closed Miss Madiha.

Young Asian Talents’ First Steps in Embracing Technology and the Future

The success of ACC 2026 offers an optimistic outlook that today’s children are capable of expressing extraordinary ideas through digital media. This event proves that from an early age, children can be guided to become technology creators, not merely users. Even more impressive, some participants have already begun exploring and utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to enrich their original works.

If technology is introduced to children through appropriate and supportive methods, it is entirely possible that they will grow up to become global innovators who shape the future. The digital era has given rise to talented young minds across Asia; our task now is to continue providing platforms and creative spaces for them to showcase their talents to the world.