Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 31 May, the latest competitive season of Technovation Girls Uzbekistan 2025, the country’s largest STEM program for girls, came to a close.

The program is implemented by the non-governmental, non-profit organization Tech4Impact with the support of the Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Center for the Development of Digital Education, and Yandex Uzbekistan.

The season’s culmination was the Girls in STEM Day event held in the capital as part of the annual Women in Science and Technology Week. The event summarized four months of intensive work by the participants and their mentors.

This year, a key focus of the competition was the use of artificial intelligence technologies in project development.

The participants created mobile and web applications aimed at solving a wide range of social issues: ensuring women’s safety in public spaces, environmental initiatives (including combating air pollution and deforestation in Tashkent), educational platforms and games for schoolchildren, applications for preventing child exploitation, as well as services to assist people with visual and hearing impairments.

Additionally, the girls developed solutions addressing cybersecurity, parking, and other pressing topics.

A special highlight was the international exchange of experience: mentors and coordinators of the Technovation Girls program from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan took part in the event, sharing insights on the development of STEM fields and opportunities for girls in their countries.

For many participants, taking part in the program became the first step toward studying IT and deepening their interest in science and technology.

According to survey results, most of the girls noted an increase in self-confidence, the development of critical thinking, teamwork and leadership skills, as well as improved digital literacy, including basic knowledge in artificial intelligence.

“Today, special attention is being paid to the development of human capital in our country by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In this process, the role of girls and women is especially important. Acquiring digital skills becomes a key to expanding youth opportunities, opening pathways to international careers and launching their own startups.

The Technovation Girls program clearly demonstrates how educational and mentoring support transforms participants’ ideas into technological solutions capable of changing community life. The Ministry of Digital Technologies supports initiatives that develop in-demand competencies among youth, and we are confident that such projects prepare a new generation of digital transformation leaders,” emphasized Anvarhodzha Kadirov, Director of the Research Institute of Digital Technologies and Artificial Intelligence.

One participant from Tashkent shared her impressions of the competition in an interview with UzDaily:

“We developed an application to support people with hearing impairments. We conducted user needs research and included features such as a map, compass, sound recognition, text-to-speech translation, and emergency signals. This project taught us to work with empathy, make team decisions, and create real, useful solutions. We understood that technology is not just code; it is a tool to help people.”

Technovation Girls is an international competition held annually in over 100 countries. Its goal is to develop soft skills, engage girls in IT, and foster entrepreneurial thinking. As part of a 12-week educational program, participants receive training in programming, marketing, business plan preparation, video production, and public speaking skills.

In 2025, trainings were held in Tashkent, Andijan, Namangan, Nukus, Fergana, and online. All participants’ projects were aimed at achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“Thanks to partner support, this year we managed to reach participants from eight regions of the country. Eighty-eight teams presented projects addressing relevant social challenges. Many of these projects have the potential to develop into full-fledged startups. We thank the mentors and parents for their support and belief in the girls’ potential,” said Saida Yusupova, Director of the NGO Tech4Impact.

“Technovation Girls is a platform that gives girls the opportunity to reveal themselves in IT, gain confidence, and see how technology can change the world. This year, over 1,500 girls participated in the program, 329 of whom developed their own projects. At every stage, they were supported by 31 mentors from among Yandex employees. We also help participants take their first steps in the profession by supporting educational initiatives and the local IT community,” commented Izzat Shukurov, Head of Yandex Uzbekistan.

During the celebratory event on May 31, participants from Tashkent, Andijan, Gulistan, Namangan, Nukus, Samarkand, Urgench, and Fergana presented their projects at exhibition stands.

Fifteen top teams were awarded prizes from partners in thematic categories including AI use, safe cities, gender equality, ecology, healthcare, inclusivity, education, and culture.

All participants and mentors received prizes and certificates during the official closing ceremony of the Technovation Girls 2025 season.

On June 3, the international Technovation Girls jury will select the teams that will continue to the global stage of the competition representing Uzbekistan.

In 2023, the Tecnas team from Uzbekistan was among the 12 finalists of the global stage held in Silicon Valley (USA) with a VR laboratory project for schoolchildren and received the Social Impact Award for contributions to solving social problems.