Make It Happen: From paper to prototype, and one classroom to a global movement

Make It Happen (MIH) began with a simple belief: when a child is given a blank sheet of paper and an opportunity to imagine, they can design something worth building. Today, MIH is delivered as part of our Tech for Social Good (TFSG) programming, with global reach.

At its heart, MIH is about inspiring students to see the value and validity of their ideas, proving through technology that those ideas can become reality. It’s also a reminder that students often bring a fresh perspective on the world around them. The problems they choose to solve and the solutions they dream up can shape their communities in meaningful ways. That belief has carried MIH from its earliest classroom sessions to where it is today (for background on MIH’s origins and growth story, read here).

In 2026, MIH is expanding its footprint across regions, building on early launches in Atlanta and Bengaluru, with further growth planned in Buenos Aires, Columbus and Delaware. This expanding network is bringing MIH to more classrooms, enabling more students to transform hand‑drawn app ideas into working demos and creating new opportunities for JPMorganChase technologists to support that journey from imagination to reality.

What MIH makes possible-for students and the technologists who build

MIH sparks young students’ curiosity about what technology can do by turning their imaginative ideas into real apps. In the ‘Happathon’ event – MIH’s focused, high-energy sprint session – JPMorganChase technologists come together as one team to build a student’s idea and create a working demo. In that setting, technologists who are usually immersed in production-grade delivery and service ownership switch gears into rapid prototyping and clear product storytelling. Moving from day-to-day coding to low-code/no-code solutions, volunteers translate paper sketches into working demos by mapping simple data tables, defining variables and parameters and building logic that stays playful and human. The shift is intentional: it strengthens how technologists simplify flows, communicate decisions, and turn ambiguity into something testable, all skills they bring into their everyday work. As Senior Executive Director of Software Engineering at JPMorganChase and MIH founder, Alan Torrance, puts it, “No screens, no prerequisites – just a piece of paper and a problem worth solving.” The learning runs both ways: “A five-year-old draws an app on a piece of paper. A JPMorganChase technologist builds it. And somewhere in between, both learn something they didn’t expect.”

City Snapshots: a fast start to 2026

Following MIH’s success across the UK, the program expanded to Atlanta and Bengaluru, marking a key milestone in its global growth trajectory. Across all locations, a continued focus on representation and confidence ensures students can see themselves in the future of tech.

JPMorganChase technologists who volunteered for the program describe that same energy from the other side of the classroom. “Watching them think through problems, pitching creative ideas, and confidently explaining their thinking reminded me why early exposure to tech really matters.” Another technologist reflected on the mentorship experience: “I had an amazing time guiding them, answering their questions and seeing those ‘aha’ moments when a concept finally clicked. Technology isn’t just about code. It’s about empowering the next generation to see themselves as creators, not just consumers.”

At the Bengaluru ‘Happathon,’ this came to life through a strong focus on prototyping. Technologists judged a wide range of apps, from math practice to storytelling, including more whimsical ideas such as “ducks flying in the sky after solving a puzzle.” The winning concept was brought to life as an app exploring the culture of different Indian states, designed as a simple, age-appropriate game experience. Once available, it’ll have the potential to enable students around the world to learn from peers thousands of miles away.

As MIH expands, it’ll continue to build technology skills and confidence on both sides of the classroom. JPMorganChase technologists bring rapid prototyping and product thinking into focus – leveraging a gamut of tools, simplifying user flows and turning early ideas into testable demos – then carry those lessons back into their day-to-day work.

Get involved

If you are a teacher, school administrator, or know of a school interested in getting involved, use this link.