Junior Creator Contest 2026

I Luminari 3D · 2026 Contest

JuniorCreator

Design your own object, tell us why you want a 3D printer, and win your first printer — complete with twelve hours of training to really learn how to use it.

Deadline October 31, 2026 Under 16 Brindisi · Lecce · Taranto Free to enter No purchase necessary Tinkercad is fine, free in the browser No need to own a printer
How it works

Three things, and you're in

1

Design an object

Anything: a tool you need, a spare part, a toy, or an absurd object that only exists in your head. It must be yours — modeled by you, not downloaded and modified.

Then give it a name and write a description of up to 900 characters: what it is, what it's for, how you modeled it, and where you got stuck. These are part of your application and will be the text that accompanies the project when we publish it.

Send us both the file for printing (STL or 3MF) and the source file from the program you used: Tinkercad, FreeCAD, Onshape, Fusion, Blender, OpenSCAD, SolidWorks. The first two are free, and Tinkercad works in the browser without installing anything. The source matters: that's where we see how you think.

2

Tell us why

Why would you like a 3D printer of your own, and what do you want to build with it? You choose how: a text of up to 1,500 characters, or a video of up to 90 seconds.

You don't have to show your face in the video if you don't want to. A voice-over of your computer screen or your drawings is perfectly fine. No one is penalized for choosing text.

3

Get a parent to sign the form

You are a minor, so we need written permission from whoever is responsible for you. It’s a single page: it says who you are, that the project is yours, and what we can do with it. Download it below and attach it to your submission.

We cannot evaluate your work without the signed form. It is the only truly non-negotiable requirement.

Download the consent form Send your project

No need to own a 3D printer

To participate, you only need the file. You don't need to own a printer, you don't need to have printed it already, and you don't need any paid software: Tinkercad is free and runs in the browser, FreeCAD and OpenSCAD are free and open-source, and Fusion and Onshape have free licenses for students. We'll handle the printing.

Sharing the post is optional

We'd love it if you share the contest with your friends, but it is not a requirement: those who don't share have the exact same chance of winning as those who do. The jury doesn't know and doesn't check who has shared.

Who can participate

Under 16, in Brindisi, Lecce, and Taranto

The contest is open to boys and girls who have not yet turned 16 by October 31, 2026 and who reside or attend school in the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce, or Taranto.

The contest is local for a specific reason: the prize is not just a machine, but also twelve hours of in-person training, looking at the printer together. It wouldn't work remotely, and we prefer a real prize to a big one.

One participant, one project. Direct family members of staff are excluded.

There are no separate categories, but age matters

There is only one ranking. However, the jury knows the age of the designer and evaluates the work in relation to their age, not the software used: a well-executed mechanism in Tinkercad at age eleven can be worth as much as a parametric assembly at fifteen. What we reward is the leap in progress.

There is also an Under 12 Special Mention for the best project from those who haven't turned twelve yet.

What to send

The complete package

  • The model name — what you call it. This goes on the certificate and the project card.
  • The model description (max 900 characters) — what it is, what it's for, how you modeled it, and what the hardest part was. This is the text that accompanies the images when we publish the project.
  • The source file from the software you used to model it — the shared Tinkercad or Onshape link, or .FCStd, .scad, .f3d, .blend, .step.
  • The printable file — .stl or .3mf.
  • Two or three images of the model: screenshots from the program, renders, or photos of the part if you've already managed to print it somewhere.
  • The motivation — why you would like a printer of your own and what you want to create in the future. Text (max 1,500 characters) or video (max 90 seconds). This is different from the description: here you talk about yourself; there, you talk about the object.
  • The consent form signed by a parent or guardian, in PDF or as a photo.
  • A phone number reachable on WhatsApp — this is how we will notify you and make arrangements. A parent's number is better.

If you're stuck on the description

We have prepared an assistant that asks you a few questions about your model and helps you organize your answers: open it here. It is optional, adds or subtracts no points, and requires a Google account to use: if you are under fourteen, open it with a parent.

The usual rule applies: an assistant can help you write, but the model must have been designed by you.

Where to send it

Everything in a single email to contest@iluminari3d.com. If the files are large, upload them to Drive or WeTransfer and send us the link — just make sure it stays active until the end of November.

We respond to every submission with a confirmation within 3 days. If you don't receive one, write back or call us: it means something got lost along the way.

How we judge

One hundred points, five criteria

The jury is the I Luminari 3D team. Each project receives a score on five items, which are the same for everyone. For the top three finishers, we publish a short written justification: we want it to be understood why that project won, and for those who didn't win to know where to grow.

Criterion Points
Originality of the ideaDoes the object solve a real problem or say something new? Have we seen it a thousand times before? 30
Quality of the designHow the source file is built: clean sketches, sensible dimensions, parts that can be modified without redoing everything from scratch. 25
PrintabilityOverhangs, thicknesses, tolerances, orientation. A beautiful model that doesn't come off the printer is worth less than a simple one that works. 20
Utility or storytellingWhat it's for, who it's for, or what story it tells. How you describe this in the description also counts here. 15
Your motivationThe text or video. We evaluate what you say, not what you're wearing or how good the camera is. 10
Total 100

About help from adults and AI

Getting a command explained by a parent, a teacher, or an artificial intelligence is normal and takes nothing away. Having someone else do the model for you does. If the project isn't yours, anyone will notice during the source evaluation, and it is a disqualification. Models generated entirely by AI are not allowed.

Prizes

What's up for grabs

First place

Creality K1 Max + 12 hours of training

Our lab machine, not a box off the shelf: 300 × 300 × 300 mm print volume, unlocked Klipper firmware, with accessories. It has about 3,500 hours of printing behind it out of an estimated service life of around 10,000: used, but perfectly functional and in working order.

Included with the printer: 4 hours of initial training upon delivery — installation, first start-up, slicer, first print, accessories — and then 2 hours per month for three months of support on design and troubleshooting.

Total value € 650 — printer € 350, training 12 hours × € 25
Second place

€ 80 in Bambu Lab vouchers

To be spent on filament or accessories, plus 2 hours of online training with us on design and printing.

Value € 130
Third place

€ 40 in Bambu Lab vouchers

Same thing, plus 2 hours of online training. Because the most useful prize at fifteen is someone who answers your questions.

Value € 90
4th to 13th

Your model, printed

We will print your project, for free. One print each, in PLA in available colors, to be picked up at our office by appointment: we do not ship.

Up to 10 projects

No warranty, but six months where you aren't alone

Let's be clear: we provide no warranty on the machine. We provide something different and, as we see it, more useful — for six months, if something breaks, we will assist you with the repair. We assist, we don't repair it for you: we guide you while you do it, and by the end of the six months, you'll know how to handle it yourself. That is exactly the point of this whole contest.

The training hours cover machine use, slicing, design, and troubleshooting. Interventions performed by us in the lab and spare parts are excluded and follow the price list like anyone else's. Unused hours do not accumulate and expire at the end of the period.

And for everyone who participates

A digital Junior Creator 2026 certificate with your name and your project, and — if you and your parents want — the publication of the model on the official I Luminari 3D MakerWorld page.

Visibility

Your model on MakerWorld, without showing your face

The contest is local, the showcase isn't. Every valid project can be published on the official I Luminari 3D MakerWorld page, credited as «in collaboration with Junior Creator...». It means an object designed in a bedroom between Brindisi and Taranto can end up in the hands of someone printing on the other side of the world — while you stay safely at home.

We upload it from our account, so you don't need to sign up for any platform. The model remains yours: you only give us permission to publish it with your name, you aren't giving it away. The name and description you send us are exactly what will appear on the card: it pays to write them well.

  • You decide how to appear: name and age ("Marco, 12 years old"), first name only, or a nickname you choose. Never your last name, never your school, never your address.
  • No mandatory photos. What we show on social media is the object: renders, photos of the printed part, time-lapse of the print filmed by us.
  • Image consent is separate and optional. If the parent doesn't check it, the project still competes, on equal footing with everyone else.
For parents

The questions you're asking yourselves

Are you asking us to hand over our child's work?

No. The intellectual property of the model remains entirely with your son or daughter. By signing the form, you grant I Luminari SRLS a non-exclusive and royalty-free license to publish the model on MakerWorld and the contest channels, always with attribution. "Non-exclusive" means you can publish it elsewhere too, whenever you want, without asking us anything.

If at any time you want us to remove the model, write to us and we will remove it.

What data do you collect and how long do you keep it?

The minimum necessary: name and date of birth of the participant, name, email, and WhatsApp number of the parent, the project files. For children under 14, consent for processing is given by those exercising parental responsibility, as provided by the Italian Privacy Code; over 14, we still collect it from you, because the prize must be delivered to an adult.

Materials from non-winners are deleted by December 2, 2026, after the awards ceremony. You can request access, modification, or deletion of data at any time by writing to contest@iluminari3d.com.

Our child is shy and doesn't want to appear. Can they still win?

Yes, and the contest is designed specifically so they can. The motivation can be submitted in writing; the video, if chosen, can be just voice-over on the screen. Public communication revolves around the printed object, not the children. No judging criterion rewards exposure.

Do I have to buy something or follow the page?

No to both. Participation is free and open; it is not tied to any purchase, and we do not ask for follows, likes, or shares as a condition for entry.

Do I need a powerful computer or paid software?

No. Tinkercad works inside your browser on any computer, even an old one, and it's free: it's designed specifically for beginners, and the jury considers it just as legitimate as any other software. FreeCAD and OpenSCAD are free and open-source; Fusion and Onshape have free licenses for students.

And you don't need to own a 3D printer: all you need to participate is the file. We’ll take care of the printing.

The printer is used. What does that mean exactly?

Yes, and it's only fair to know that upfront. It is the machine we used in our lab: approximately 3,500 hours of printing on a service life that, with proper maintenance, goes well beyond that. It is fully functional and in good working order, and we deliver it tested.

The firmware is unlocked with Klipper: this is what makes it a machine to learn with rather than just an appliance, which means the manufacturer's warranty does not apply. We do not offer our own to replace it, and we prefer to say so rather than hide it. Instead, we offer six months of repair assistance: if something breaks, you fix it together with us — with spare parts at your own expense, at standard list prices. A student who learns to fix their own printer by the end of the year has learned a skill that no warranty could have provided.

Where do we put it, and can it be used at home with a young person?

You need a stable surface in a ventilated area, with an outlet nearby: the machine measures about 44 × 42 × 53 cm and should be considered a tool, not a toy. It is enclosed, which helps, but it does reach high temperatures.

We deliver it to a parent, who remains responsible for its use, and safety is the first thing we talk about during the four hours of initial training. For younger children, we recommend adult supervision, at least at the beginning.

Who decides, and how do we know it was fair?

The jury is the team at I Luminari 3D, and they evaluate using the scoring rubric published above — the same for everyone, visible even before participating. For the top three finishers, we publish a written justification. The jury's decision is final, but it is put in writing: that is how one can be judged.

How is the prize delivered?

The printer is delivered to a parent or guardian, never directly to the minor, at no cost to you, within the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce, and Taranto. We will arrange this via email after the announcement, and delivery coincides with the first four hours of training. Prizes are not convertible into cash.

Free prints for 4th to 13th place can be picked up at our office by appointment.

Calendar

The dates

August 28, 2026
Registration opens. Projects can be submitted from here.
October 31 · 11:59 PM
Submissions close. The time of email receipt is final.
November 1 – 7
Jury evaluation. All participants will receive a response, winners and non-winners alike.
November 8, 2026
Winners announced on I Luminari 3D channels, with justifications for the top three.
By November 30
Printer delivery with the first 4 hours of training, and publication of models on MakerWorld for those who provided consent.
December 2, 2026
Deletion of materials from non-winning projects.
Rules in brief

The points that count

  1. Who is promoting this. The competition is promoted by I Luminari SRLS, Via Annunziata 32, 72019 San Vito dei Normanni (BR) — VAT ID IT02667500744. Contact: contest@iluminari3d.com, +39 339 4645623.
  2. Purpose. The initiative is educational and cultural in nature: to grow a new generation of 3D designers and printers. Prizes are a recognition of the personal merit of the participants.
  3. No purchase required. Participation is free and is not conditional upon any purchase, follow, like, or share.
  4. Requirements. Under 16 as of October 31, 2026, residing in or enrolled in a school in the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce, or Taranto, with written consent from a parent or guardian. One project per person.
  5. Submission. Each application includes the source file, the printable file, images, a name and description of the model (max 900 characters), and a personal motivation statement (text max 1,500 characters or video max 90 seconds).
  6. Duration. From August 28, 2026, to October 31, 2026, at 11:59 PM. Winner announcement on November 8, 2026.
  7. Criteria and ties. Selection is based on the published scoring rubric, which is the same for everyone. In the event of a tie, the highest score obtained in the "Originality of the idea" category prevails; there is no prize draw at any stage of the competition.
  8. Originality. The work must be created by the participant and must not violate the rights of third parties. Models downloaded, remixed without disclosure, or generated entirely by AI will be excluded.
  9. Intellectual Property. The work remains the property of the participant. I Luminari SRLS receives a non-exclusive, free, and revocable license to publish it with attribution on MakerWorld and the competition's channels.
  10. Image. The use of photos, videos, or the voice of the minor is subject to separate and optional consent, which is revocable at any time and does not affect the evaluation.
  11. Privacy. The data controller is I Luminari SRLS. Data is processed in accordance with EU Regulation 2016/679 and Legislative Decree 196/2003 as amended, solely for the management of the competition; materials from non-winners will be deleted by December 2, 2026. Requests for access or deletion can be sent to contest@iluminari3d.com.
  12. Prizes. Not convertible into cash or transferable, delivered to a parent or guardian within 30 days of the announcement. Total prize pool value: €870 — 1st prize €650 (printer €350, 12 hours of training at €25/hour), 2nd prize €130, 3rd prize €90. Free prints for 4th to 13th place are to be collected at the I Luminari 3D headquarters.
  13. Printer condition. The first prize is a used machine, with approximately 3,500 hours of printing, functional and tested, with modified firmware. The manufacturer's warranty does not apply, and I Luminari SRLS provides no replacement warranty: the printer is delivered in its current condition. Included is a repair assistance service for six months from delivery, of an educational nature, with spare parts and any laboratory intervention at the winner's expense according to our price list.
  14. Training and assistance. The initial 4 hours and the 2 hours per month for three months are educational in nature: usage, slicing, design, and guided troubleshooting. This excludes repairs performed by us, hardware interventions, maintenance, and spare parts, which are provided at our standard rates. Unused hours are non-cumulative and non-refundable and expire at the end of the period.
  15. Legal Classification. The initiative is structured as a competition for the production of intellectual works, excluded from prize draw regulations pursuant to Art. 6 of Presidential Decree 430/2001.
Do you have an idea and aren't sure if it's right?

Just write to us: contest@iluminari3d.com, or call +39 339 4645623, also via WhatsApp. We respond to everyone, even those who write just to ask, "but can this thing be printed?" No question is too small.

Regulatory classification, privacy, intellectual property, and prize conditions are collected in a separate document, in twelve articles.

Download the full legal notes (PDF)

I Luminari SRLS · Via Annunziata 32, 72019 San Vito dei Normanni (BR) · VAT ID IT02667500744
Junior Creator Contest 2026 · Last updated August 29, 2026

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