We’re thrilled to announce that WordFrame has officially placed first in Challenge One of the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) for our region. This follows our successful SparkTank event where we won 2/3 awards, and we’re incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received along the way.

What is Challenge One?

Challenge One is the validation round of the YES programme, where teams research, test and refine their business ideas before heading to market. It’s all about proving that there is a real need for your product or service, and that you have the insight and strategy to make it work. We’ve spent the past few months talking to students, teachers and schools across Aotearoa, making sure WordFrame is genuinely helping learners improve their writing through responsible, AI-supported tools.

The Idea Behind WordFrame

WordFrame is a responsible AI-powered document editor built specifically for NCEA students in New Zealand. We are solving a real problem: too many students struggle with structure, expression and feedback when writing. Our tool provides ethically guided support like structure suggestions, feedback tools, research assistance and quick prompts, without ever writing the work for you. It is writing support, reimagined for NCEA, built by students who understand the system from the inside.

What This Win Means

Placing first in Challenge One means our idea is not just exciting, it is validated. The judges believed in our mission, our research and our commitment to making a real impact in education. We also received a cash prize to reinvest into our journey, which we’ll be using to continue developing and promoting WordFrame to more schools and students around the country.

What’s Next for Us

This is only the beginning. Up next is Challenge Two: The Pitch, where we will be presenting WordFrame live in front of judges and business mentors. We're refining our messaging, maximising our branding, and rolling out new features as we move closer to launch. If you’re reading this and you’re a student, teacher or school interested in joining WordFrame, we would love to hear from you.

Thank You

To our teachers, classmates and everyone who gave us feedback, thank you. You are part of this win. We’re grateful to YES, the Young Enterprise Trust and the Marlborough Boys’ College team for making this journey possible.

We are not just building an app. We are building a movement that gives students the tools they need to master writing in a future-focused, AI-conscious way.

Stay tuned. We are just getting started.

– The WordFrame Team