Every year,
Technovation invites teams of girls from all over the world to learn and apply
the skills needed to solve real-world problems through technology.

Since 2010,
more than 23,000 girls from 100+ countries have participated in Technovation.
With the help of volunteer mentors, they’ve produced mobile app startups that
have helped address problems in local and global communities the world over.

Technovation
offers girls around the world the opportunity to learn the skills they need to
emerge as tech entrepreneurs and leaders. Girls work in teams to build both a
mobile app and a business plan to launch that app, supported by mentors and
guided by the technovation curriculum.

Technovations
curriculum takes students through 4 stages of launching a mobile app startup,
inspired by the principles of design thinking:

On Saturday
last, 3 teams of students from local secondary schools in Claremorris,
Ballinrobe & Tuam consisting of 2 junior groups (12-15yrs) and 1 senior
group (16yrs+) attended Microsoft in Dublin to submit their work. Although the
end product is the mobile app, there are many other vital skills learned along
the way, including:

• Problem
  Statements
• Design
• Coding
  Concepts
• Market
  Research
• Database
  Handling
• Storyboarding,
  Ghantt Charts, Wireframing
• Logo
  Design & Branding
• Business
  Plan
• Demo
  / Pitch Video

After the submission of all work from the various teams of girls throughout the country, the winners were announced. Taking the prize of the overall winner was a group of first year students from Mount St Michael secondary school in Claremorris who created the mobile app “Help 4 Homeless” (H4H). The App is a service that can be used by anyone, from a barber offering free haircuts for an hour on a certain day, to someone at home willing to donate food. The biggest challenge that was overcome in creating the app was the integration with google maps to highlight the multiple locations of homeless services throughout the country. Each team member received a new laptop and they now go on to the world semi-finals later this year in Europe. Check out a demo of the app here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UzGi10ecJo&feature=youtu.be

The second of the junior groups came in the top 3 and have also qualified for the world semi finals later this year. The group consisted of second-year students from a mix of schools who designed the mobile app “Euphoria”. The app was centered around the wellbeing and mindfulness of students. Within the app, there are motivational quotes, stress-relieving activities, health tips and much more wonderful idea’s. Check out a demo of the app here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2qOGlvzZng&feature=youtu.be

The senior group also consisting of a mix of students from the various schools submitted their work and mobile app ‘EpicSENK’. The app was built around exam tips to help out students while studying, while there was also a scheduler to help students keep track of any upcoming deadlines for assignments. Check out a demo of the app here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqoY_37YnmA&feature=youtu.be

The teams came together every Thursday evening for 12 weeks in Cloghans Hill National School in Galway for the Technovation challenge organised through Teen Turn. Under the guidance of lead mentor Iseult Mangan, the groups were also voluntarily mentored by our own @CBE Ltd colleagues Pauline Rattigan and Elaine McHugh. We would like to congratulate all the teams and mentors on their achievements and wish them the best of luck in the upcoming world semi-finals later this year.