AnemoDx wins Rep. Suzan DelBene’s 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Washington’s First District
Rep. Suzan DelBene has named Isabella Li, Hiya Pandey, and Anya Mehta of Redmond High School as the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge in Washington’s First District. Their app AnemoDx is designed to serve as a non-invasive, early warning system for anemia.
When asked what inspired the creation of AnemoDx, the students said, “The inspiration for AnemoDx came from our personal experiences watching our family members struggle with anemia. We saw firsthand how exhausting it can be, not just physically, but emotionally, to deal with constant fatigue, weakness, and the repeated trips for bloodwork and fasting. What stood out most was how often those symptoms were brushed off as ‘just being tired’ or ‘not eating enough,’ even when something more serious was happening beneath the surface.
“Regular testing can be inconvenient, uncomfortable, and in many communities, simply inaccessible. For elderly individuals or those living in rural or underprivileged areas, getting routine bloodwork done isn’t always easy or affordable. We realized there needed to be a better way, a simple, non-invasive tool that empowers people to take control of their health and get early warnings before things become critical.
“That’s what inspired AnemoDx: a practical, accessible way to help detect potential anemia early, raise awareness about a condition that’s too often ignored, and make monitoring easier and more comfortable for everyone.”
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.