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By: Jenna Boles

It’s judging season! And while we may refer to our incredible volunteers as “Judges,” they do so much more than score projects based on a rubric. Their constructive criticism and encouraging comments provide valuable insight for learners around the world.

As a small but mighty team, Technovation staff would never be able to assess and judge the number of submissions we receive every year. We rely on a network of industry professionals to score, encourage, and celebrate our teams. Last year we had 5,300 Judges from 100 different countries help us with 3,200 submissions.

What being a Technovation Judge is really like

To shed light on the process, we asked a few of our standout judges to share their thoughts about judging and the impact it has on their own personal and professional lives. While many of our judges learn about our program online or through local chapters, a significant number return year after year from some of our incredible corporate partners.

For example, Aparna Bhat joined us as a judge from EY, one of our longstanding and deeply involved corporate partners. She explains that the “judging process for the global Technovation awards is both rigorous and rewarding. Overall, it’s a fantastic opportunity to support and celebrate young innovators while fostering a sense of community and encouragement among them.”

Judges typically agree to commit to around 5 hours of their time and to judge a minimum of 5 projects during two rounds of judging. After registering on our platform and completing a short training, their first submissions are assigned. After reviewing work from teams, Felice Ibba was impressed, noting that “the girls have formalized a real resourcefulness for the desire to solve problems where they live. Many projects were able to position themselves in a context of concrete and real application with a source of in-depth analysis and study of planning and organizations, worthy of real business cases.”

In addition to impacting thousands of girls in their learning journey, our Judges gain something as well. They build lasting connections with other judges, gain a greater sense of purpose, and cultivate hope for the future. Rahul Goel explains, “It’s inspiring to see young minds tackling real-world problems with creative tech solutions. I would tell anyone interested that it’s not just about scoring projects; it’s about encouraging and guiding the next generation of innovators.

Judging is a fantastic way to make a big impact with a manageable time commitment. We can’t wait to welcome you on board but be forewarned, once you’re here – you may just decide to do it every year.

Learn more about being a Judge for Technovation Girls, or if you’re ready to jump right in, sign up today!