Pak girls win global techathon campaign

LAHORE:Team Futuristan from Pakistan comprising Mahroosh Umer and Maryam Farhan were declared the global winners of International Women’s Day Global Techathon campaign (IWD2025). Their global project provided a solution for women undergoing menopause and how guidance and support can help them deal with it better.

The IWD2025 Global Techathon saw participants come together from more than 150 locations around the world from the UK and Europe, across Africa, and the Americas, to Asia and the Middle East. Nearly 2,000 participants came together, 55% of whom were girls, immersing themselves in a challenging, hands-on tech experience that allowed them to explore careers in AI, Data Science and Design Thinking; and learn how these emerging fields intersect with other industries.

Global organisations - Sage Foundation, and Red Hat organised ‘Teens in AI’ initiative from February to April 2025, closing with its Global Demo Day, on April 24. The teens aged 12 to 18 participated in the Global Techathon which was designed to collaboratively solve a real-world problem through the use of AI and Data Science. In a remarkable display of collaboration and innovation, the Pakistan team, guided by Noorulain Zafer, CEO and Founder, Mind Works International, reached the finals, marking a significant achievement in Pakistan.

This year, in addition to participating in a techathon in their native country, participants from around the world had access to selected core skills workshops such as AI Ethics, Design Thinking and Pitching, in English, French, German and Spanish. This year, the techathons were delivered in 24 languages across 41 counties.