Technovation Girls 2026: Empowering Girls in Tech Through App Development

Technovation Girls 2026: Application Now Open

Waffle, a non-profit organization based in Minato, Tokyo, is excited to announce the commencement of applications for the prestigious international app development competition, Technovation Girls 2026. Starting today, individuals interested in participating from Japan can register through the official Japanese regional website.

What is Technovation Girls?
Technovation Girls is one of the world's largest tech education programs for girls, organized by the American STEM education non-profit, Technovation. A key aspect of this program is that it welcomes beginners with no prior programming experience, alongside support from role models—established professionals in the tech industry. Through the development of apps aimed at solving societal issues, participants will acquire valuable skills in IT and entrepreneurship.

Waffle serves as the official ambassador for Japan, providing unique support programs for participants from the region.

Unique Support Programs in Japan

Technovation Girls is committed to increasing opportunities for girls to engage with technology and cultivate a diverse future generation of leaders. In many rural areas, opportunities to encounter role models and engage with IT are limited, hindering interest in STEM fields among high school students. To address these challenges, Waffle has designed a tailored support program for Japanese participants.

Participants will form teams of up to five members and spend the next six months exploring how to tech solutions to self-defined social challenges. As a result of this process, teams will create both an app and a business plan for submission to the global competition held in the U.S. Furthermore, Waffle is dedicated to providing participants with opportunities to interact with successful female tech entrepreneurs, engineers, and business professionals throughout the program.

In addition to the global competition, Waffle will host an official pitch event in Japan in June 2026. Teams selected through a pre-qualification process will present their apps and business plans to judges from sponsoring companies, similar to presentations made by startup entrepreneurs to investors and accelerators.

Participants in the Japan-specific program will receive the following support:

- Business Development Workshops: Learning the fundamentals of business and supporting entrepreneurial experiences.
- App Development Workshops: Opportunities to learn the latest technologies, including programming and generative AI.
- AI Application Workshops: Expert mentoring for implementing AI technologies.
- Guidance and Support: Training from leading business professionals and teaching assistants/mentors.
- Equipment Lending: Borrowing of necessary devices for program participation, offered to those without access at home.

Application Guidelines (For latest updates, please check the official Japanese regional website)

Program Overview:

- Name: Technovation Girls 2026
- Organizer: Technovation, U.S.
- Official Ambassador in Japan: Waffle
- Program Sponsor: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- Participation Fee: Free
- Application Deadline: November 23, 2025, 23:59 JST
- Pre-Information Sessions (Online): October 19, 25, and November 2, 16.

Participation Requirements:

- Aspiration to contribute to global change and a willingness to grow.
- Must be a high school girl aged between 13 and 18 years as of December 1, 2025, and under 18 as of August 1, 2026.
- Participation in a 7-day app development workshop and a 4-day business development workshop (approximately 30 hours in total) from December 2025 to mid-February 2026.
- Availability for about 5 hours per week for online activities from January to May 2026 (if selected as a finalist for the Japan pitch event, activities will continue until mid-June).
- Residing in Japan and comfortable speaking Japanese (nationality and ethnicity are not constraints).
- Open to women and gender minorities.
- A strong motivation to build a business with peers from across Japan and eventually launch it in Tokyo is highly encouraged.

New Features and Enhancements for the 2026 Program

1. Full-scale AI Education Implementation

In 2026, a new AI Application Workshop will be established within the app development course, featuring specialized mentors to support participants' AI integration processes. This initiative aims to provide Japanese high school girls with more opportunities to engage with the latest AI technology, following Technovation's addition of AI learning to their global evaluation criteria from 2025.

2. Expanded In-person Empowerment Opportunities

While the program primarily allows for online participation, Waffle plans to organize in-person feedback events across the country for all participants, enhancing learning experiences for girls in rural areas with limited access to tech activities and role models.

3. Strengthening Continuous Growth Support

For teams wishing to continue app development beyond the program, Waffle will offer support until the actual app release, fostering participants' growth into tech leaders.

Results from the 2025 Program

The Technovation Girls program in 2025 engaged a total of 440 participants across 44 prefectures, forming 88 teams, under the guidance of over 130 volunteer professionals from various industries. Developed apps tackled numerous themes, leading to significant developments such as students transitioning from liberal arts to STEM fields and previous participants mentoring new members.

Themes from 2025 Program Participants (Selected):

- AI-powered diary app for dementia prevention (Recipient of the Minister of Education Award)
- App supporting visually impaired individuals in safe navigation using voice commands.
- Family-involved app for heatstroke prevention.
- Game-based multilingual quiz app for tourism etiquette in Fujinomiya.
- Sex education and communication app tailored for youth.
- Women-only taxi app connecting female passengers and drivers.
- App matching disaster-affected individuals in need of water with secure water supplies.

About Technovation Girls

Technovation Girls is an educational program initiated by the American STEM non-profit Technovation, aimed at fostering the next generation of female IT entrepreneurs through competitions in ideation, pitching, technical skills, and entrepreneurial spirit. In 2025, approximately 33,000 participants from 117 countries engaged in the program. In Japan, Waffle partners with various educational NGOs to support participants in the global competition, achieving a historic engagement of 440 participants and 88 teams from across the nation in 2025.

About Waffle

Waffle aims to create a society where everyone can thrive in technology, focusing on empowering women and transforming societal structures. They offer various educational programs, including a free web development course and support for Japanese participants in Technovation Girls, collaborating with corporations and hosting various events. As a testament to their impact, Waffle received the SDGs Partnership Award at the 2020 Japan SDGs Awards.

For more information on Waffle, visit their official website or reach out to [email protected] if you are interested in becoming a corporate sponsor.