We've partnered with Witech, an association specializing in organizing youth and professional boot camps and workshops, to create a boot camp for middle-school-aged girls to discover the world of tech. The bootcamp concluded last week and we're excited to highlight the key achievements of the participants.
Read more about the Good Hack initiative: Breaking Women Into Tech: The Good Hack.
A week at the bootcamp
The bootcamp started with a sequence of immersive workshops carefully crafted to encourage innovation and teamwork. This initiative involved 20 girls, organized into 5 groups, engaging in project ideation, graphic design, and website page presentation.
Monday: During the first day of the Design Thinking workshop, participants brainstormed ideas in response to the question, "What solution do you dream of creating?" After voting on their favorite, they refined it by creating a user profile, considering constraints, and mapping the user journey. Finally, they focused on crafting compelling project storytelling to effectively communicate their ideas.
Tuesday: The focus shifts towards establishing the visual identity of each project, with participants diving into the realm of graphic design to create logos and select color palettes.
Wednesday brought forth a deep dive into web development, as participants honed their coding skills under the guidance of VivaTech experts, bringing their project visions to life online.
Thursday culminated in a pitch workshop, where teams collaborated with industry professionals to craft concise and impactful presentations.
Friday was the summit of the week, as all groups took the stage to present their projects before a jury, alongside VivaTech teams and the families of the participants.
It was truly impressive to see the project come to life and witness how the girls developed a strong sense of teamwork, gained a deeper understanding of the tech ecosystem, and explored potential career opportunities.
Bootcamp participant presenting her project. Photo credit: VivaTech
The Projects
Throughout the week, the girls worked on their group projects. Their ability to use imagination to find solutions to issues they face clearly showed. The five projects were:
Virtual Home: An AI system simplifying home furnishing with precise measurements, developed in collaboration with leading furniture brands.
Éduc'animaux: A comprehensive website aiding pet owners in better training their animals through advice, tutorials, and professional forums.
E-cake: Empowering pastry enthusiasts to sell their creations to individuals, complete with a geolocation and delivery system for seamless transactions.
Unique Creation: A platform enabling the customization of decorative items to suit individual preferences.
Lan Beauty: A website and app equipped with a skin analysis camera catering to young girls, offering tailored product recommendations.
Three girls presenting their projects. Photo credit: VivaTech
Heartfelt Testimonials
A young participant expressed her transformation due to the bootcamp, stating, "I was shy on Monday, but today I feel entirely different.”. A proud parent shared, "I'm delighted to see my daughter eagerly waking up at 6 a.m. during her vacation, with a smile on her face, ready to participate in the boot camp."
Another parent remarked, "It's a fantastic opportunity for these girls to explore beyond their neighborhoods, discover Paris, and catch a glimpse into corporate life."
We're happy to see these girls complete this project successfully and obtain a deeper understanding of the tech industry. Someday, some of these bright girls might present their concepts in a startup booth at VivaTech!
