Broadcom Foundation advances Digital and AI Literacy through the Congressional App Challenge
Broadcom Foundation's national sponsorship of the Congressional App Challenge connects young coders with Broadcom Inc. leaders, Members of Congress, and local communities working to build a better future.
Digital and AI Literacy are critical 21st Century+ skills that all young people need to compete for highly skilled jobs in emerging industries built on technologies of the future. Through its sponsorship of the Congressional App Challenge, Broadcom Foundation helps young people turn coding and AI skills into hands-on projects that address real-world challenges.
The Congressional App Challenge brings that mission to the national stage. Hosted by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the district-wide competition invites middle and high school youth to create original apps using any programming language or platform. Broadcom Foundation sponsors the program as part of its commitment to Digital and AI Literacy.
At #HouseOfCode 2026 in Washington, D.C., Congressional App Challenge winners from across the country gathered to demonstrate their apps, meet Members of Congress, and connect with peers. Their projects reflected the future of technology in action, with apps focused on accessibility, health, education, civic engagement, and other real-world challenges.
Broadcom Foundation’s leadership was visible from the opening moments of #HouseofCode. Paula Golden, President of Broadcom Foundation, welcomed the young coders and helped set the tone for a national celebration of project demonstrations, peer connection, and STEM recognition. Golden also had the privilege of introducing Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, whose presence underscored the importance of STEM education, coding, and AI at the highest levels of national leadership.
Broadcom Foundation and Broadcom Inc. leaders continued that engagement throughout the event. Joan Stone, Broadcom Inc. Vice President of Global Marketing, joined Golden, with Congressman Derek Tran of California’s 45th Congressional District and his district Congressional App Challenge winner, Vedant Kharul. The moment brought together a national STEM platform and a regional young innovator whose winning app earned him the opportunity to represent Orange County, California, on Capitol Hill.
Stone's participation at the event is an important reflection of Broadcom Inc.’s leadership, recognizing the importance of young people using technology to solve problems they care about. For youth like Vedant, the Congressional App Challenge creates a rare opportunity to present their ideas directly to leaders in government, industry, and education.
Rachelle Celebrezze, Broadcom Inc. Head of U.S. Federal Government Relations, also joined Paula Golden; Maria Wronski, CFO of Broadcom Foundation; Cheryl Braun, Assistant Director of STEM Advancement; and Congressional App Challenge Director Joseph Alessi at the Broadcom Coder Connect Reception. The reception gave winners time to meet peers from other districts, exchange ideas, and build relationships beyond their home communities.
That connection is part of the value of the Congressional App Challenge. Coding is not only a technical skill. It is also a way for young people to communicate ideas, build networks, and imagine future STEM pathways. One participant described the value of that connection simply: “My day really started when I made my first new friend.” Another reflected on capturing photos together as a way of remembering the connections that began at #HouseOfCode.
These interactions show why out-of-school programs matter. Young people need opportunities to build, test, present, and explain technology in environments that give them time to explore their own ideas. The Congressional App Challenge extends that approach by giving youth a public platform for applying coding and AI to problems they care about.
The national reach of the Congressional App Challenge reinforces the value of Broadcom Foundation’s sponsorship. 13,830 young people from across the United States participated in the Congressional App Challenge. 4,650 original apps were submitted, and more than 56% of submitted apps incorporated AI, resulting in more than 360 finalists from 48 states being invited to travel to Washington D.C. and participate in the April 2026 #HouseofCode.
Broadcom Foundation’s engagement continues this fall in Orange County. The National App Challenge Day, presented by Broadcom Foundation, will provide opportunities for youth in grades 7–12 to participate in hands-on training designed to help them develop an idea and take the first steps in preparing a project for submission to the 2026 Congressional App Challenge. The free half-day event takes place Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Discovery Cube Orange County in Santa Ana, California. Spots are limited. Register now for the CAC Bootcamp at bit.ly/CACinOC.
Registration for the 2026 Congressional App Challenge is also open. Young people ready to build an app and make an impact can register at congressionalappchallenge.us/students/student-registration.
Through national sponsorship, local engagement, and direct participation from Broadcom Inc. leaders, Broadcom Foundation helps young people connect coding and AI with community problem-solving, civic engagement, and future STEM pathways.
ABOUT:
Broadcom Inc. is an American company and global technology leader that designs, develops, and supplies a broad range of semiconductor, enterprise software and security solutions. Solutions include service provider and enterprise networking and storage, mobile device and broadband connectivity, mainframe, cybersecurity, and private and hybrid cloud infrastructure.
Broadcom Foundation advocates basic coding and AI literacy as 21st Century+ skills to solve community problems that students care about that align with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, so they become digitally literate citizens who "think globally and act locally."
