All about the 2025 ArcGIS StoryMaps competition

From September 12 to December 12, 2025, Esri challenged you and storytellers globally to submit a story created with ArcGIS StoryMaps and ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World content through one of three categories. Each category offered a student track for students enrolled in a college, university, or other institution of higher education:

• Environment
• Infrastructure
• People

And you responded with inspiring submissions from 55 countries and in 14 languages.

Esri’s competition guest judges selected a winner and student winner from the finalists in each category. Esri's ArcGIS StoryMaps team, ArcGIS Living Atlas team, and you selected the special award winners.

Congratulations to these inspiring storytellers.

Living Atlas Innovation Award

The Living Atlas Innovation Award presented by Esri's Living Atlas team recognizes exceptional use of Esri technology. The winning story showcases the latest mapping and analytical capabilities in ArcGIS and demonstrates how innovative tools and techniques can elevate storytelling and spatial insight.

WINNER

Connections to Long Island Sound: Exploring the land and people in the Long Island Sound Watershed by Emily Wilson and Cary Chadwick, University of Connecticut, Center for Land Use Education and Research