United States · Ages 8 to 18 · Teams of one to five

Technovation Girls guide

Technovation Girls is the name most families know for a free global program in which girls aged 8 to 18 find a problem in their community, build a working tech solution for it, and pitch it on video. The organiser now runs it as the Technovation Challenge, with a Girls Track and, new for the 2027 season, a Co-ed Track. This guide reads the official 2026-27 pages closely: the divisions, every published date with US time zones, the new rule that any working digital solution counts, what goes in the 4-minute video and the written answers, and a 12-week plan.

Book the free first class Book a priority demo See the 12-week plan Ask on WhatsApp

Live teaching since 2020 · 10,000+ students · real apps, built by the student

In short

Technovation Girls is the Girls Track of the Technovation Challenge, a free program for ages 8 to 18 in which teams of 1 to 5 build a working digital solution to a community problem and submit a video of up to 4 minutes plus written answers. For the 2026-27 season, the season starts October 12, 2026, registration closes March 11, 2027, and submissions are due May 5, 2027 at 5pm PDT. Modern Age Coders teaches this live online for US students, in a batch or one to one, and the first class is free.

Build the project with a teacher

Three courses for a Technovation team member

Technovation asks for a solution that really works and has been tested with real users. These courses teach a girl to build one herself.

Princess Coders course thumbnail

TG / 01

Princess Coders

Our coding course for girls, from first program to real projects.

Open the syllabus →
App Development for Teens course thumbnail

TG / 02

App development for teens

Ages 13 to 18. Mobile apps that judges can install.

Open the syllabus →
AI and Machine Learning for Teens course thumbnail

TG / 03

AI and machine learning for teens

Ages 13 to 18. AI features, built and tested.

Open the syllabus →

The name

Technovation Girls, the Girls Track and the new Co-ed Track

The program people search for as Technovation Girls is now officially the Technovation Challenge. Here is how the parts fit for 2026-27.

How the Technovation Challenge is organised for 2026-27 (official pages, read 17 October 2026)
QuestionWhat the official pages say
Who runs itTechnovation, which describes itself as a 501c3 nonprofit organization in the United States
Who can compete"The Technovation Challenge competition is free and open to all youth 8-18."
TracksTeams are placed automatically into the Girls track or the Co-ed track by team composition
The Girls TrackFor teams of girls; the official Get Involved page sets out exactly who the track includes
The Co-ed TrackNew for the 2027 season; finalist numbers to be set after submissions close in May 2027
The old nameThe curriculum page still calls its short course a condensed version of the Technovation Girls curriculum

What stays the same for girls

The Girls Track keeps the full award structure: Judges will select 15 Finalist teams from around the world, and the final round is judged at World Summit, where one Grand Prize Winner per division is announced.

The curriculum, the honor code and the submission rules are the same for both tracks, so a girls’ team prepares exactly as before.

Local groups are optional

Technovation runs through local Chapters, Sites, Clubs and Classes, often at school districts, nonprofits and universities. The home page says joining one is not mandatory.

A team of friends can take part virtually on its own, which matters in US towns with no local chapter.

Sources: Competition, Submission Guidelines and Get Involved pages, read 17 October 2026. Modern Age Coders works independently of Technovation; we teach the coding and AI skills.

Divisions

Beginner, Junior or Senior: the 2027 divisions

The division is set automatically by the age of the oldest team member on August 1, 2027. The grade column is our rough US mapping; the rule itself is age.

Technovation 2027 divisions (official ages) with our approximate US grades
DivisionAge on August 1, 2027 (official)Typical US grade (our mapping)Curriculum (official)
Beginner8 to 12About grades 3 to 730+ hours: ideation, coding, AI, pitching
Junior13 to 15About grades 8 to 1050+ hours, adds entrepreneurship
Senior16 to 18About grades 11 to 1250+ hours, adds entrepreneurship

The oldest member decides

The guidelines state the size rule simply: "A team can have between 1-5 members." Age is where teams get caught out. A team of three 12-year-olds and one 13-year-old competes in the Junior Division, because the rule is "based on the age of the oldest member of your team". Families mixing ages should check this before forming a team.

Use the age on August 1, 2027, not today’s age. A student who turns 13 in July 2027 is already Junior for this season.

Profiles and consent

Every member completes a profile with name, age on August 1, 2027, location and a parental consent form; a media consent form is optional.

Members under 16 on that date need parental approval on file before any identifiable information, such as a full name, photo or location, goes into the profile or the submission.

The competition is not open to anyone older than 18, but the official Competition page adds that the curriculum is free for learners of all ages and genders, so an older sibling or a parent can follow along.

The calendar

Technovation 2026-27 season calendar

The season runs from October to the summer, and the dates below belong to the 2026-27 season and its 2027 competition. Next season’s calendar will replace them when Technovation posts it.

Technovation Challenge 2026-27 key dates, from the official Competition page (read 17 October 2026)
Date (2026-27 season)What happens
October 12, 2026The season officially starts and registration opens
February 10, 202712 weeks to submission: the latest the organiser recommends starting
March 11, 2027, 23:59 UTCRegistration deadline for students and mentors
May 5, 2027, 5pm PDTSubmission deadline
May 11 to June 7, 2027Quarterfinals, online or at Regional Pitch Events
June 14, 2027Semifinalists announced
June 15 to June 28, 2027Semifinals, judged entirely online
July 2027Virtual celebration; Finalists and Regional Honorees announced
To be announcedWorld Summit, where the Girls Track final is judged
The two deadlines in US time zones (our conversion)
Time zoneRegistration closes, March 11, 2027Submission due, May 5, 2027
Eastern6:59 p.m.8:00 p.m.
Central5:59 p.m.7:00 p.m.
Mountain, and Arizona all year4:59 p.m.6:00 p.m. (Arizona 5:00 p.m.)
Pacific3:59 p.m.5:00 p.m.
Alaska2:59 p.m.4:00 p.m.
Hawaii1:59 p.m.2:00 p.m.

Why the times shift: US clocks spring forward on March 14, 2027, three days after the registration deadline, so March 11 is still on standard time while May 5 is on daylight time. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not change their clocks. These conversions are ours; the official times are 23:59 UTC and 5pm PDT.

New for 2027

From apps to any working digital solution

The biggest change this season: teams are no longer limited to a mobile app. The official list of examples is below.

What counts as a digital solution in 2027, and what to hand in (official Submission Guidelines)
Solution typeCode or link to submit
Mobile app (App Inventor, Thunkable or other languages)An .aia file, a Thunkable project link, or a .zip file
Web app (interactive only)A .zip file and a live interactive URL
Browser extension or pluginA .zip file and a store link or hosted demo
Chatbot or AI assistantA .zip file and a live access link
SMS or voice-based toolA .zip file and a web sandbox or demo number
Data dashboardA .zip file and a live dashboard URL
Automated workflow or AI agentA .zip file and a live link or hosted interface
Scratch project (Beginner Division only)The Scratch project page link
Code.org App Lab projectThe studio.code.org project link
Coded robot, drone or gadgetA .zip file or a URL

The rule underneath has not changed

The guidelines say the solution must involve coding or AI, be tested with real users, and work. A website that only shows information is not eligible; it must be interactive.

What is new is the choice of format, and the team must now explain why the format it chose fits its users and its problem.

Choosing a format (our advice)

Start with the user. A problem for grandparents who text but never install apps suits an SMS tool; a problem for classmates who live on their phones suits a mobile app.

For a first season, choose the format the team can finish and test. A simple working tool tested by ten real people beats an ambitious one that never runs.

What to submit

The 4-minute video and the written answers

Every team submits a video, its technical work and written components. The rules differ a little by division; these are the shared essentials.

Submission essentials for 2027 (official Submission Guidelines)
ItemRule
Video"One video, maximum of 4 minutes", replacing the old separate pitch and technical videos
HostingYouTube or Vimeo, unlisted or public. "Private videos cannot be judged."
LanguageWritten items in English; the video may be in any language, with English subtitles required if it is not in English
Project descriptionAt most 100 words: the problem and the solution
EthicsTwo or more ethical issues considered, such as privacy, accessibility or bias, in at most 150 words
AccuracyHow information and any AI output were checked, with a specific example, in at most 100 words
Learning reflectionAt most 200 words
Senior DivisionA business canvas, and key business canvas elements in the video
Junior DivisionTwo user adoption answers of at most 300 words each

What the Senior and Junior video must show

Why the problem matters and the research behind it; how the solution works and why that format; evidence that target users gave feedback; what was built and with which tools; and "2+ iterations of your solution with specific examples of what improved".

It must also show the debugging process and the metrics or evidence that the solution actually worked. That is a lot for four minutes, so script it.

The Beginner video

Beginners show why the problem matters to them, how they approached it, one or two key features, how they built it, and the features they plan next.

For an 8 to 12-year-old, a clear screen recording with the team explaining in their own words is exactly what the rules ask for.

Fair play

The 2027 Honor Code: mentors, remixes and AI

Every team agrees to the Honor Code when it submits. Three of its rules shape how a student should get help, including from us.

Key points of the 2027 Technovation Honor Code (official Competition page)
TopicWhat the Honor Code says
Own workThe submission is created by the students on the team; remixing other materials or updating a past project is acceptable only with significant improvement
CitingTutorials, code libraries, templates and datasets are cited in the written components
MentorsMentors help students learn and find resources, but "the mentors do not create, design, develop, or write any aspect of the team's submission deliverables"
AI toolsAny AI use is disclosed: the tools, what they helped with, and how the team built on or checked the output; AI "should not replace the students' own thinking"

We hold our own teachers to the same standard. In class, a teacher explains a concept, such as how a button triggers a database write, using a separate example; the student then writes the code for her own project. We never write, design or edit a team’s app, video or written answers. Technovation’s official mentors are volunteers who register, pass a background check and give 30 to 40 hours across the season; our classes are lessons, not that role.

A worked example

Showing that version 2 is better, with numbers

Judges ask for user feedback, two or more iterations and evidence the solution worked. Here is how a team can turn a simple user test into that evidence, using our own sample ratings.

Our example: a Junior team builds a homework reminder app for their middle school. Six classmates try version 1 and rate it from 1 to 5. The team fixes the three complaints that came up most, then the same six testers rate version 2.

Python · summarise two rounds of user testingpython
# feedback.py (ours): turn user-test ratings into evidence
ratings_v1 = [2, 3, 3, 4, 2, 3]   # 1 to 5, six testers, version 1
ratings_v2 = [4, 4, 3, 5, 4, 4]   # the same six testers, version 2

def average(scores):
    return sum(scores) / len(scores)

print(f"Version 1: {average(ratings_v1):.1f} out of 5")
print(f"Version 2: {average(ratings_v2):.1f} out of 5")

better = sum(1 for a, b in zip(ratings_v1, ratings_v2) if b > a)
print(f"{better} of {len(ratings_v1)} testers rated version 2 higher")

Output: Version 1: 2.8 out of 5, Version 2: 4.0 out of 5, and 5 of 6 testers rated version 2 higher. Six testers is our small example; more testers give a more trustworthy result.

How the numbers go into the submission

In the video, one sentence and a simple chart: "After our second iteration, the average rating rose from 2.8 to 4.0 out of 5, and 5 of our 6 testers preferred it." That covers feedback, iteration and evidence at once.

In the written answers, name the three complaints and the exact change made for each. Specific examples of what improved are what the guidelines ask for.

What the averages hide

One tester did not rate version 2 higher. A strong team asks that person why, and reports the answer honestly; that is a third iteration waiting to happen.

This is the lesson we teach: a number means little without the question you asked, how many people answered, and what you changed because of it.

Twelve weeks

A 12-week plan to the May 5, 2027 deadline

The organiser names February 10, 2027 as the latest recommended start, 12 weeks before submission. Our plan fills that window week by week and assumes each girl gives it roughly three hours a week, one of them in class.

Twelve weeks to a Technovation submission, 2026-27 season (ours)
Week ofGoalFinished when
February 8, 2027Form the team, register, pick a problemRegistered; the problem written in one sentence
February 15Research the problem as a systemCauses, who is affected and how factors connect, noted
February 22Interview real usersAt least five people asked what would help
March 1Choose the format and toolsA starter project running; registration done before March 11
March 8 and 15Build version 1The main feature works end to end
March 22First user testRatings and complaints from real users
March 29 and April 5Build version 2The top complaints fixed and retested
April 12Business canvas or user adoption answersDrafted for the team’s division
April 19Written componentsAll answers inside the word limits, sources and AI use cited
April 26Script, record and subtitle the videoUnder four minutes, unlisted on YouTube or Vimeo
May 3Submit earlySubmitted before May 5, 2027, honor code agreed

Beginner, ages 8 to 12

Scratch, App Inventor or Code.org App Lab, one or two features, and a parent or teacher nearby for the user tests.

Junior, ages 13 to 15

A real app or interactive web app, two rounds of testing, and the user adoption answers.

Senior, ages 16 to 18

A full solution, possibly with AI, a business canvas and metrics showing the solution worked.

Judging

How Technovation judging and awards work in 2027

Three rounds of judging, then honors. The Girls Track numbers below are published; the Co-ed Track numbers are to be set after submissions close.

Girls Track finalists and honors for 2027 (official Award Structure page)
AwardHow many, as published
Finalists, Beginner Division3 teams representing 3 different regions
Finalists, Junior Division5 teams, one per region
Finalists, Senior Division7 teams, one per region plus 2 without regional restriction
Grand Prize WinnersOne per division, chosen at World Summit
Regional Honors30 teams in 2027 across the five regions, by division and track

The five regions are Africa, Asia & Oceania, Europe, North America and Latin America, so US teams are judged within North America for regional places. Finalists and honorees receive educational stipends set out on the official Award Structure page, and Girls Track finalist teams travel to World Summit at the organiser’s expense.

Readiness

Four stages before a confident Technovation entry

Where a girl usually is when she first hears about Technovation, and what comes next.

Technovation readiness stages (ours)
StageShe can
1. CuriousDescribe a problem she has noticed and who it affects
2. MakerBuild a small working project with help
3. TesterPut her project in front of real users and record what they say
4. PitcherExplain the problem, the solution, the tests and the next version in four minutes

For parents

A team of friends with no local chapter can still take part online, and the curriculum is free.

If the team works with a mentor, agree early how that adult will help. Under the Honor Code a mentor guides and never builds.

For students

Choose a problem you have actually seen. Interviews and testing are much easier when you know the people.

Save every version of your project. Two clear iterations are part of what judges look for.

The catalogue

Nine courses for Technovation builders, ages 8 to 18

Live online classes with a regular teacher, grouped by Technovation division.

I

Beginner

Ages 8 to 12
II

Junior

Ages 13 to 15
III

Senior

Ages 16 to 18

Lesson times

Lessons that fit the Technovation season

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Weekdays

An after-school class, Eastern through Hawaii.

Weekends

Longer build time in the spring rush.

1-on-1

Paced to her part of the team project.

She builds it

Concepts taught, code written by her.

Any format

Apps, web, chatbots, Scratch.

Testing habits

Real users, real numbers.

Pitch practice

Four minutes, rehearsed aloud.

Honest AI use

Disclosed, checked, explained.

Group or solo

Batches of fifteen to twenty, or one to one.

Student work

Projects our students have built

Working apps and tools made by our learners. The student labs page holds many more.

NutriLife AI nutrition coach project screenshot

AI and ML

NutriLife

An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target.

by Bhavya · Open it

Misti AI chatbot for maths and coding screenshot

AI and ML

Misti

A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student.

by Harshit · Open it

GuardianX AI internet safety assistant screenshot

AI and ML

GuardianX

An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online.

by Vivaan · Open it

SkyCast weather forecast application screenshot

Web app

SkyCast

A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

by Krish

Fees

Fees

Technovation is free to enter. Our lessons are separate, billed monthly in US dollars, so a student can learn through the build season and finish when the project is submitted.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

  • A free first lesson
  • Bring the team’s problem
  • No card details
Book it

Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

  • Fifteen to twenty learners
  • One regular teacher
  • A batch that suits you
  • Monthly fees
Start here

One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

  • A teacher just for her
  • Built around the season
  • Her project, her pace
Enquire

What families say

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

Parents’ reviews from Google, quoted as posted.

★★★★★

"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."

Ria Mukherjee

Parent

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."

Samriddha Mondal

Student

★★★★★

"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."

Vansh Agarwal

Student

★★★★★

"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."

Sonam Oswal

Parent of Dhairya

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."

Sonu Goyal

Parent

★★★★★

"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."

Ritu Kedia

Parent

Questions from families

Technovation Girls: common questions

Is Technovation Girls the same as the Technovation Challenge?

Yes. Technovation Girls is the name many families still use. The organiser now calls the program the Technovation Challenge, with a Girls Track and, new for 2027, a Co-ed Track.

Who can enter Technovation?

Young people aged 8 to 18. The official Get Involved page says the competition is free and open to all youth 8-18, and teams are placed in the Girls or Co-ed track by team composition.

How many people can be on a team?

Between 1 and 5 members. The team's division is set by the age of its oldest member on August 1, 2027.

What are the divisions?

Beginner for ages 8 to 12, Junior for 13 to 15 and Senior for 16 to 18, all measured on August 1, 2027 for the 2026-27 season.

When is the 2027 Technovation deadline?

Submissions are due May 5, 2027 at 5pm PDT, which is 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Registration for students and mentors closes March 11, 2027 at 23:59 UTC.

Does the project have to be a mobile app?

No, not any more. For 2027 any working digital solution counts, including web apps, chatbots, browser extensions, dashboards, SMS tools and robots. Scratch is allowed for the Beginner Division only.

How long is the video?

One video of at most 4 minutes on YouTube or Vimeo, set to unlisted or public. Private videos cannot be judged, and non-English videos need English subtitles.

Can a mentor or tutor help build the project?

They can teach skills and point to resources, but under the Honor Code mentors do not create, design, develop or write any part of the submission. Our teachers follow the same rule.

Can teams use AI tools?

Yes, if every use is disclosed in the written components, including which tools, what they helped with and how the team checked the output. AI should not replace the students' own thinking.

When are your classes?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

How does Modern Age Coders help with Technovation?

We teach girls to code and build the kind of solution Technovation asks for, test it with users and explain it clearly. The project, the video and the answers remain the team's own work.

Elsewhere on this site

Related pages

More for US girls and teens who want to build and compete.

Coding classes for girls

Our classes designed for girls.

Congressional App Challenge

The fall app competition by district.

Hackathons for high schoolers

Build and pitch in a weekend.

AI projects for high schoolers

Ideas for an AI feature.

Coding classes in the USA

All our pages for US families.

Student labs

Projects our learners built.

Coding competitions for high school students

US high school coding competitions for 2026-27, from the organisers' own rules.

Coding competitions for middle school students

Middle school coding competitions for 2026-27, grade by grade.

Machine learning competitions for high school students

ML and AI competitions for US high schoolers, 2026-27, from the official rules.

Start here

Book a free first lesson

Tell us the problem your daughter’s team chose, or that they have not chosen yet. The first lesson matches the problem to a format she can build and test in time.

Prefer to read first? How we teach describes a lesson from start to finish, and the course list gives every syllabus.

WhatsApp us · +91 91233 66161 · connect@modernagecoders.com

Our teachers are based in India and teach live online at times that suit US families. WhatsApp is the quickest way to ask a question.

First lesson free, and no card is needed.

Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo

A priority demo is a full class of about 45 to 60 minutes. After the class the mentor sends a written skill report and a personal learning roadmap on WhatsApp. If you enrol, the demo fee is adjusted against your first month's fee. Share your demo Order ID with us on WhatsApp and we take it off.

Book a priority demo

Keep exploring Modern Age Coders

Related courses and guides

Free resources

From the blog

Start here

Free classPriority demoCall us