Technovation

Technovation is a global technology education non-profit organization dedicated to empowering girls and young women to become leaders and innovators. Founded in 2010, its mission is to inspire girls to solve real-world problems through technology, fostering skills in coding, entrepreneurship, and collaboration. Technovation's core program, Technovation Girls, challenges teams of girls aged 8-18 to identify a problem in their community, develop a mobile app solution, and launch a startup business. This program emphasizes design thinking, project management, and presentation skills, culminating in regional and global pitch competitions. While not a traditional venture capital firm or accelerator in terms of direct equity investment, Technovation acts as a powerful incubator for young talent, providing mentorship, educational resources, and a platform for these aspiring entrepreneurs to develop their ideas. Their geographic focus is global, with programs and chapters operating in over 100 countries, reaching hundreds of thousands of participants. Notable aspects include their strong emphasis on social impact, encouraging girls to build solutions that address the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They stand out by focusing on pre-seed, foundational skill-building and fostering a pipeline of future female tech leaders and founders, rather than investing in established startups. Their impact is measured in the skills learned, the community problems addressed by their participants' apps, and the increased interest in STEM fields among young women.