Technovation Girls — Global Technology-Entrepreneurship Programme Closing the STEM Gender Gap

Technovation Girls is a global technology-entrepreneurship programme for girls aged 8–18, run by the US non-profit Technovation, in which teams build technology solutions to community problems aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, supported by volunteer industry mentors. Operating in 120+ countries since around 2010, UNESCO's SDG4 Knowledge Hub describes it as the world's largest and longest-running technology-entrepreneurship programme for girls, citing over 370,000 participants.

The programme aims to close the STEM gender gap by building durable pathways for girls into STEM education and careers.

Teams of girls identify a community problem tied to the SDGs and build a technology solution with support from volunteer mentors.

In 2020, an independent survey of the first alumnae cohort by WestEd found that 76% were pursuing a STEM degree and 60% were working in STEM roles, compared with national baselines of about 21% and 29% respectively; 93% reported improved teamwork and collaboration, and 84% reported increased persistence. 2024 programme demographic data show 59% of participants come from low- or middle-income countries, 58% attend schools without coding instruction, and 19% lack regular internet access.

The 76%/60% figures describe only the earliest, smallest alumnae cohort, surveyed roughly nine years after participation, rather than the much larger recent intake; participation being opt-in and requiring mentor access and connectivity may still under-reach the most marginalised girls.