TechNova is the University of Waterloo’s premier hackathon dedicated to empowering Women+ in Tech. Held annually in September, this three-day event brings together over 300 participants to collaborate, innovate, and create impactful tech solutions. The hackathon provides a platform for individuals who identify as women and gender-diverse people, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for exploring technological challenges.

The focus of TechNova is to bridge the gap between technology and global issues, encouraging participants to develop projects that tackle real-world problems. With mentorship from experts and opportunities for networking, the event highlights creativity, technical skills, and social responsibility in the tech space.

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Our Mission: TechNova aims to create safe, inclusive and empowering spaces for women and non-binary individuals to start, grow and thrive in the technology industry. We value fostering an inclusive community, connecting students with career opportunities, and empowering hackers to create.

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Participating in TechNova (2021)

In 2021, I began my journey with TechNova by participating in the hackathon as a high school student. I worked in a team of four students, and we designed the ‘Figma’ model for an app that is focused on recommending tea options and supporting user well-being + mental health.

Our product won an award at the hackathon! Check out our project here: Levi’s Tea Shop

Organizing TechNova (2023 and 2024)

Upon starting my undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo, I wanted to continue my journey at TechNova as an organizer! I was largely involved in the planning of TechNova 2022 and TechNova 2023 as a logistics, engineering, and finance coordinator.

I worked very closely with the entire team to coordinate for the hackathon. Some exciting aspects of the event, I was involved in were…

• organizing and optimizing the online platforms that users were interacting with, such as Discord, Devpost, and Hopin, to ensure seamless interaction and engagement for participants.
• led webinars for hackathon judges, guiding them through the online platforms and procedures they would use during the event, ensuring they were well-prepared and confident.
• planning the financial budget, and overseeing purchase of swag and food items.
• facilitated communication between students, mentors, and community members
• contributed to the design and development of the hackathon website using HTML/CSS, React.
• on-the-ground support during the event, helping to coordinate logistics and ensure everything ran smoothly for participants and volunteers alike.