When I set out to build Kaya ML — a no-code machine learning curriculum for UK secondary schools — I gave myself two constraints:

  1. It had to be built in 5 days
  2. It had to be built for free

No funding. No team. Just purpose, urgency, and a clear outcome: make real-world AI learning accessible, fun, and classroom-ready.

Here’s how I architected the whole thing — using only free tools.

🔧 The Tech Stack (All Free)

Layer Tool Purpose
Frontend Notion + Super.so Website, landing page, CMS
Design Figma + Canva Logo, brand assets, page mockups
Curriculum Engine Notion + Google Docs Writing, planning, resource structure
Project Layer Teachable Machine, Google Earth, Blob Opera Interactive no-code AI tools
Automation Google Forms + Sheets Lead capture, onboarding, waitlist
Optimisation Custom CSS in Super Mobile layout fixes and visual polish
Chat Layer Notion AI + third-party embed tools Support, interactivity, student engagement

All of these were used at the free tier — with smart constraints, clean logic, and zero tech debt.

🧠 Design Principles

These weren’t just random tools thrown together. I followed a few key principles to make it scalable and solid:

1. Every Tool Has a Job

No overlaps. One tool for each function. Notion for content. Forms for capture. Figma for layout. This kept things modular and easy to update.

2. No-Code, By Design

Kaya ML is for teachers — so the build needed to match the product’s spirit. Everything had to be usable, editable, and non-technical.

3. The Product Is the Content

There’s no backend logic or user data to manage. The lessons are the experience. That made the system lightweight and launchable.

4. Update in Real Time

Any change in Notion instantly updates the live site. No deployment. No dev cycles. Just create, test, ship.