ALKHOBAR: Aged just 23, Saudi developer Kady Al-Yahya is helping define how technology can teach. Her hand-coded game Orbital Sweeper — a blend of space exploration and environmental awareness — has earned her global recognition and a place among the winners of Apple’s prestigious WWDC Global Student Challenge, a feat few from the Kingdom have managed.
The young developer from Riyadh’s achievement highlights her creativity, persistence, and passion for using technology to educate. The game invites players to collect debris orbiting Earth.
“The inspiration for Orbital Sweeper came from my fascination with both space and environmental sustainability,” Al-Yahya told Arab news. “I realized that while people often talk about pollution on Earth, few know about the growing problem of space debris. I wanted to create a game that makes players aware of this issue in an engaging, interactive way.
“The idea was to combine entertainment and education — showing that games can inspire real-world curiosity and responsibility toward our planet and beyond,” she added.
Gameplay from Orbital Sweeper, where players navigate a rocket equipped with a net to collect orbital waste around Earth. (SUPPLIED)
Al-Yahya’s path to the WWDC stage was a long one. Before creating Orbital Sweeper, she spent months at the Apple Developer Academy, where she shaped her design and her business mindset.
“The academy completely transformed the way I approach technology and creativity,” she said. “It gave me hands-on experience in app design, user experience, and teamwork, while also encouraging me to think like an entrepreneur.”
She learned that creativity is not just about aesthetics, it’s about problem-solving. “I learned to develop ideas with real-world impact, to prototype quickly, and to refine designs based on feedback. The mentors emphasized human-centered design — focusing on solving problems that matter,” she said.
She also gained skills that extend beyond programming. “I gained confidence in presenting my ideas and collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds, which prepared me to turn creative concepts like Orbital Sweeper into tangible, high-quality products,” she said.
For Al-Yahya, gaming is more than entertainment, it’s a way to democratize complex ideas.
“Gamified learning captures attention in a way traditional education cannot,” she said. “Games allow players to interact, make decisions, and experience consequences — which helps information stick. By transforming global issues like space debris into playable challenges, we turn passive awareness into active understanding.”
She believes the future of education will increasingly rely on interactive storytelling. “People are more likely to care about a topic when they experience it rather than just read about it,” she said. “Games simplify complex topics and make them accessible to all ages. Through fun and challenge, players can learn empathy, responsibility, and problem-solving — powerful tools for addressing global issues creatively.”
Her success has made her a role model for young Saudis entering the fast-growing tech and gaming ecosystem.
Kady Al-Yahya recognized among the five Saudi winners of Apple’s Swift Student Challenge 2025, celebrating young innovators in app development. (SUPPLIED)
“My message to young Saudi developers and creatives is simple: Believe in the power of your ideas,” she said. “Even if you start small, every innovation begins with curiosity and courage. Technology is not just about coding — it’s about solving real problems and improving lives.”
, she said, is now fertile ground for young innovators. “The tech ecosystem in is growing rapidly, and this is the perfect time to dream big,” she said. “Surround yourself with people who inspire you, and always keep learning. Your creativity has the power to represent the future of Saudi innovation globally.”
Kady Al-Yahya at her Apple Developer Academy graduation in 2024, where she first developed the concept for her space-themed educational game. (SUPPLIED)
Behind Al-Yahya’s victory lies a story of determination.
“Winning the WWDC Global Student Challenge was an unforgettable milestone that encouraged me to think even bigger,” she said. “What makes this victory even more meaningful is that I had tried to participate the previous year but didn’t make it. However, I never lost hope — I kept learning, improving my skills, and pushing myself until I finally achieved my goal.
“My next step is to expand Orbital Sweeper into a more immersive educational platform — one that can be used in schools to teach environmental and space awareness.”
For Al-Yahya, the recognition is only a first step. “I also want to mentor other students and share what I’ve learned through workshops and community projects,” she said. “This achievement is just the beginning of a journey toward shaping meaningful digital experiences for the next generation.”
Her work reflects a broader transformation in ’s digital and creative economy, one where technology, art, and education intersect. As gaming and AI become national priorities under Vision 2030, innovators like Al-Yahya are proving that creativity can be both playful and purposeful. From Riyadh to Cupertino, her story embodies the Kingdom’s new creative energy: bold, experimental, and globally aware.
Through Orbital Sweeper, Al-Yahya isn’t just cleaning up space debris — she’s clearing the path for a new generation of Saudi talent ready to innovate for a better, smarter world.
