GirlsCode Mobile App Challenge 2023: A Triumph of Innovation, Empowerment, and Collaboration  

Girlscode is a Sarawak’s homegrown unique STEM program. It is a virtual mobile app challenge open only to female students from 10 to 12 years old for the Junior Category and 13 to 17 years old for the Senior Category. The challenge requires the participants to create mobile apps that solve community problems.

The purpose of this challenge is to empower female students to participate in STEM activities. Additionally, this challenge can develop their abilities in design thinking, coding, entrepreneurship, and pitching.

It is also to nurture local female talent and prepare them for global competition through Technovation Girls. This challenge helps and equips the participant to be ready for the Technovation Challenge aside from growing the crucial skills. 

For this hackathon, a team of 2 to 5 students and 1 teacher worked together to create a mobile app to solve community problems. All the participants undergo learning/workshops on topics such as Problem and Solution, App Development, Pitching, and Business Plan.

The Participants Journey

The GirlsCode 2023 began on 18 August 2023 for the first briefing. Then 7 September was the last day of registration. Last year was the first time GirlsCode went national and welcomed participants from all over Malaysia. As a result, we had 399 participants and 118 teams across Malaysia for the 2023 challenge.

There were 3 stages for the GirlsCode. Stage 1 was elimination (8 to 22 September), followed by the semi-final (28 September to 3 November) and final submission (10 November to 23 November). Lastly, the finale. All the workshops and training were conducted virtually and the final was conducted physically at Curtin University Malaysia.

Throughout the hackathon, the participants have gone through lots of stages and learning. They have learned new things through the online courses, learned to create a mobile app, created a video technical and presentation, and many more.

After going through all the stages, 6 finalists from each category were nominated to proceed to the final stage (8 December to 9 December). The finalists are 12 outstanding teams from Penang, Johor, Sarikei, Mukah, Kuching, Sri Aman, and Miri. In the final stage, the finalist presented their app to the judges, and on the same day, they registered for the Technovation Challenge 2024.

The GirlsCode Closing and Award Ceremony 2023

The Closing and Award ceremony was held at Curtin University Malaysia on December 9, 2023, with the finalists, judges, and mentors.

The event was honored by the presence of Mdm Anielia Anak Siam, the deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development, Sarawak, who highlighted the significance of technology as a problem-solving tool. She encouraged the young participants to continue identifying challenges, leveraging technology, and seeking feedback for continuous improvement.

In her closing remarks, Mdm Anielia commended all the teams for their solutions to real-world problems, emphasizing the Ministry’s commitment to STEM education. She encouraged the participants to equip themselves with the skills needed to become tech entrepreneurs, highlighting the value of diversity in problem-solving.

“ Engaging in STEM is not just about numbers, formulas, or gadgets. It’s about becoming problem solvers – whether it’s in maths, science, engineering, or technology. Said Mdm Anielia in her closing speech.

Teacher Teo Yuang Teck from Realfun Learning Centre, co-organizer and Technovation Chapter Ambassador for Malaysia, also shared insights into the profound impact of the Girls Code Mobile App Challenge and the critical thinking exercise it incorporates. Reflecting on the competition’s growth since 2021, he emphasized the critical role of entrepreneurship, urging participants to consider the broader implications of their solutions beyond coding.

“ This competition is not merely about coding; it incorporates crucial elements of entrepreneurship, encouraging participants to consider the problems they aim to solve, the targeted beneficiaries, and the unique value their solutions bring to the table.” Said Teacher Teo in his opening speech during the closing ceremony.

The event concluded with a celebration of the achievements of Girlscode 2023 and anticipation for a future where the innovative spirit of these young minds continues to flourish.

The GirlsCode Mobile App Challenge 2023 Award Lists

Junior Category

Senior Category

Moving Forward

The year 2023 was the first time Girlscode extended its territory and has participants throughout Malaysia, it is to show how far we have come and the impact it could have on empowering girls in STEM from an early age. This challenge gives the opportunity for girls to participate and make contributions to the world of STEM and develop their interest in these subjects from an early age. Hopefully, we could reach even more girls to participate in this challenge this year and increase female talents in STEM.

Last but not least, we are very grateful to all the partners and sponsors for supporting and making this challenge possible. We hope to continue organizing this challenge and grow our young girl talent for future-ready and innovative solutions.