DAISY wins Rep. Byron Donalds’ 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Florida’s 19th District
Rep. Byron Donalds has named Tony Yilmaz of Barron Collier as the winner of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Florida’s 19th District. Their app DAISY is a conversational AI assistant designed to help teams organize, schedule, and communicate more naturally than before.
When asked what inspired the creation of DAISY, Tony Yilmaz said, “We live in a time where being busy has become the norm. It’s harder than ever to guarantee that someone will be available when you need them—whether it’s customer service, an employer, or a collaborator. Waiting for a response can leave people feeling stuck and helpless, even when all they really need is a small confirmation, a quick adjustment, or a simple question answered. Fortunately, they can use Daisy! She knows exactly what to do and how to do it right. With Daisy, the flow of work is never interrupted, and no one is left waiting in a state of idle frustration. She keeps everything moving smoothly, ensuring that every task, every message, and every moment stays connected.”
The 2025 Congressional App Challenge marked another record-setting year for the program. A total of 394 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives hosted App Challenges in their congressional districts, the highest level of participation in the program’s history. More than 13,800 students from across the country participated, submitting over 4,600 original apps focused on real-world challenges ranging from health and accessibility to education, sustainability, and civic engagement.
The Congressional App Challenge is an official initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives that encourages middle school and high school students to learn to code, explore computer science, and build practical technology solutions for their communities. Each participating Member of Congress selects a winning app from their district, and winning teams are invited to showcase their projects to Members of Congress, staff, and industry leaders at the annual #HouseOfCode celebration on Capitol Hill.
The Challenge is proudly bipartisan and reflects a shared commitment to expanding access to STEM education and preparing the next generation of American innovators for the future workforce. The program is a public-private partnership made possible through funding from the Broadcom Foundation, AWS, Infosys Foundation USA, theCoderSchool, Apple, and others.
The 2026 Congressional App Challenge will launch in May, and eligible students can pre-register for the competition now.