How to better handle everyday tasks, counter bullying, or monitor our medication: these are the mobile app projects that won the heart of this year’s jury at the Technovation Montréal’s regional final on this week, on May 14.
For its fourth year in a row, the challenge brought together eleven teams of girls ages 10 to 18 to develop a mobile app that solves a community problem. Among their assignments, they had to produce a business plan, program a prototype, and present their project before a jury or real professionals, including people from Google and Yapouni.
On stage, they all successfully introduced the results of six months of work achieved during weekends essentially, with the help of professional mentors. Ambre Lizurey, associate producer, was at the event to encourage Dendros, the team she coached from November to April. Their app helps youth find their professional path through a series of quizes.
“Technovation Montréal is a great occasion for girls to discover technology and to concretely get their hands on it,” says Ambre Lizurey. “This year again, I was impressed by their ingenuity, their ability to adapt and their determination to ship a quality prototype. I’m really proud of my team, watching them grow with the project. It has also been a fulfilling experience for me, I grew up as well.”
“We are very proud to support this initiative aiming to inspire a new generation of technological entrepreneurs via Ubisoft Codex,” Nathalie Verge, external communications director, says. “With more employees involved as mentors, we could make more girls aware of our jobs and even generate vocations.”
After Montréal, San Francisco
Alongside the regional final, each team has to submit their project online to enter the Technovation international competition, which takes place in San Francisco in July. The best projects from around the world will be invited to the international final for a new round of presentations. In 2016, two 12-year-old Quebecers qualified to pitch their application, In Da Fridge, which aimed to reduce food waste.
Technovation Montréal is one of Ubisoft Codex’s partnerships. With 15 initiatives in collaboration with 20 partners, this program is dedicated to developing Quebec’s future techno-creative generations.
