To bring the big picture into focus, let's start with some data. Only 19% of Information Technology specialists and approximately one-third of graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are women, according to the European Commission's Women in Digital Scoreboard 2021 report.
Thus, in 2022, the need for gender equality in technology-related jobs remains prominent. Girls are often discouraged from pursuing studies and careers in the field. According to the same report, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, and Italy have the lowest scores for women's participation in the digital economy and society compared to other European countries.
However, 31 girls from Romania have shown that they can break stereotypes. They reached the semifinals of the international Technovation Girls programming and entrepreneurship competition, with 5 of them becoming regional winners.
Who are the girls who impressed the judges of the Technovation Girls programming competition?
The TERAA team, regional winners in Europe, created the YPS (Your Panic Support) app, which provides assistance to those experiencing a panic attack and are alone.
To create a relevant project, the girls consulted with a psychologist who provided them with the techniques used in therapy.
"Many people, when they go through something like this, don't want to bother their loved ones because, although mental health is talked about more now, the subject is still taboo.
We all have at least one acquaintance who has gone through something like this, but many don't know what to do or who to turn to.
We managed to collaborate with some absolutely wonderful mentors, and we are grateful to them. We learned much more about technology and got much closer to computer science through this experience."
In 2022, over 5,500 girls from 61 countries developed nearly 1,700 IT solutions for real-world problems in their communities or the world. To support these girls, nearly 3,000 mentors from around the world joined the Technovation Girls program, and their support, encouragement, and feedback were crucial to the success of the girls.
- 61% of teams used MIT App Inventor or Thunkable for programming their projects,
- 15% of teams submitted projects involving Artificial Intelligence,
- 20% of the projects addressed climate change,
- 43% of the projects addressed health-related issues.
The girls from Romania have been among those who have caught the jury's attention in each edition.
The regional winners of Technovation in Europe
- The TERAA team, consisting of 5 students from Bucharest, with the project YPS (Your Panic Support). The students are: Alexia Florete, Anastasia Tindeche, Andreea-Ruxandra Florescu, Theodora Oprescu, Eliza Manoliu.
The semifinalists in the Technovation senior division
- The team Ginger Beer and Info, consisting of 5 students from Suceava → with the project Edumap. The students are: Anastasia Tofan, Catinca Rauliuc, Diana Oniceag, Bianca Ioana Mireuta, Elena Strimbeanu-Iacoban.
- The team Nemesis, consisting of 4 students from Râmnicu-Vâlcea → with the project Asteria. The students are: Cosmina Mihaescu, Antonia Maria Barbu, Daria Ștefania Barbu, Teodora Iacob.
- The team No shame, consisting of 3 students from Câmpulung, Argeș → with the project You Are Not Alone. The students are: Teodora Bitan, Anca Bizon, Lois Necula.
- The team Swoosh, consisting of 5 students from Satu Mare → with the project JoyXchange.
- The team Unimind, consisting of 4 students from Bucharest → with the project Go Pill.
The semifinalists in the Technovation Junior division
- Team LadiesFirst, consisting of 5 students from Neamț → with the project Woman's Life Matter. The students are: Milu Amalia, Daria Mihai, Marcu Mirabela, Gheraescu Alexia, Rebeca Fecheta.
What is Technovation Girls?
Technovation Girls encourages them to learn how to create a mobile app or an artificial intelligence program that solves a real-world problem. The competition offers a unique learning experience, allowing participants to start from scratch and acquire leadership skills in the field of IT by the end.
The semifinalist teams from Romania in Technovation 2022
For the competition, the team "Ginger beer and info" developed "Edumap", an application that sends notifications about interesting, cultural, and traditional places in Romania when the user is in proximity to them. The information is presented in an appealing way for teenagers and young people.
The "Nemesis" team developed an application that provides resources and assistance to domestic violence victims, as well as information about shelters and psychological counseling for Ukrainian refugees. The app also has a section for those who want to donate, provide legal assistance, medical services, and job announcements for domestic violence victims and refugees.
Unimind created the Go Pill application, which functions as a medical treatment guide, providing the user with a treatment calendar and the status of medication stock.
The Swoosh team reached the semifinals of the competition with the help of the JoyXchange project, an application designed to prevent object waste. It includes a map where users can place items they want to donate and locate a collection point.
You are Not Alone is the project through which the No Shame team offers moral and informational support for young mothers, along with advice from doctors and psychologists.
The LadiesFirst team represents Romania in the junior division with an application that can provide medical support for women by allowing them to schedule appointments based on the tests they need, as well as having a discussion category.
Who can participate in Technovation Girls?
Organized in Romania by the Adfaber Association, the Technovation Girls competition takes place every year. It is dedicated to female students who want to learn programming, create a business plan and marketing strategy, and launch their own business in the IT industry or pursue a career in the field.
In 2022, Adobe Romania once again joined the Adfaber Association to mentor some of the participants and also served as a sponsor for one of the teams.
"As a mentor for Technovation, I had the opportunity to help participating students realize that a career in technology is possible, that programming is simple and rewarding, and that any problem can be solved with enough dedication."
Elinnore Niculcea (Software Development Engineer, Adobe Target)
At the competition, female students aged 8 to 18 can participate, and the registration period can be found on the website of the Adfaber Association.
Every year, the Technovation competition culminates in the World Summit, where the Technovation Girls community celebrates the achievements of each participating team, as well as the volunteers who have assisted along the way.
