Davos Codes: Inspiring Tech Creativity in Youth

By: Laura Saier, Technology Programs Manager, Salesforce.org EMEA

Last week during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Salesforce.org, Salesforce and a group of enthusiastic young coders and tech enthusiasts put together a showcase of impact innovation – exploring how to use shipping containers to solve sustainable shelter issues and building apps to raise funds for charities.

We were very impressed to say the least!

Davos Codes 2017

The group behind these innovations is Davos Codes – a coding club based out of Davos made up of students from Davos Volksschule and young refugees living at Landhaus Laret orphanage. For the WEF 2017 project, 50 members of Davos Codes worked on two separate projects – both equally exciting!

Shelter Project – The task here was to use Salesforce and Virtual Reality (VR) technology to design spaces to provide shelter and education for young displaced people using up cycled shipping containers. The VR experience was powered by Google Pixel, Google Daydream View and Salesforce. Students had the opportunity to create their own 3D models to use in the VR experience. They rocked it!

Fundraising Project – Here, the younger teams built an app and business plan to fundraise on the Davos Promenade. The goal was to show the kids how to create an app, based on Salesforce, for fundraising. Throughout the project, they learned the fundamentals of retail, entrepreneurship and how to use Salesforce. All funds raised went to a local charity, Jann Andri Sunshine Vereins supporting humanitarian causes in Burma.

What is Davos Codes?

Davos Codes was launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2016 where 50 students from Davos Volksschule attended their first coding workshop organised by Salesforce and Salesforce.org. Following this, a regular program was developed so that students could continue to develop their coding and technology skills with support from local mentors and Salesforce volunteers.

In September 2016, Davos Codes added a number of new members when young refugees from Landhaus Laret orphanage were invited to join. Davos Codes is open to any young people in the Davos area. Learn more and sign up here >