9 teams will advance to semi-finals
May 12, 2018 (MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.) – Today, hundreds of middle and high school girls gathered at Technovation[MN]’s annual Appapalooza celebration to compete in an international app-building challenge. Participants spent three months imagining, designing and building mobile apps to solve community problems. Technovation[MN], a Code Savvy non-profit, is proud to announce the winning teams from Appapalooza 2018. In a record-breaking year, 74 teams presented mobile apps and 9 of those teams will move on to the semi-finals for a chance to compete at the global Technovation Challenge in San Francisco.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the tremendous amount of participation we saw this year from teams across Minnesota,” said Shawn Stavseth, co-founder and executive director of Technovation[MN]. “There were many great ideas presented at Appapalooza and we’re very proud of the hard work put forth by all teams, mentors, judges and volunteers.”
Appapalooza features two divisions in which participants can compete. The junior division is for teams of girls between the ages of 10 and 14. The senior division is for teams of girls between the ages of 15 and 18. This year, 6 teams from the junior division and 3 teams from the senior division will advance.
Junior division winners:
Black Blitz from Falcon Ridge Middle School
App name: Boxed In
App description: “Rebox & Recycle with Boxed In. Our app allows you to exchange boxes with others and find recycle centers in order to save trees.”
Cryptic Coders from Falcon Ridge Middle School
App name: Virtual Vault
App description: “Cyber protection app that oversees a teen’s entire cyber profile through prevention, authentication and notifications.”
Earth’s Best Friends Forever (eBFF) from Yinghua Academy
App name: CARe2Share
App description: “CARe2Share is an easy-to-use app that allows people to save gas, money, time and the earth by carpooling. The app encourages people, like parents, to carpool instead of just driving their kids alone to activities or events.”
GreenTech from St. Paul Academy and Summit School
App name: PlanetA
App description: “The goal of PlanetA is to help middle schoolers and teens find ways to help the environment without having to make huge lifestyle changes.”
The Hackers from Victoria Elementary
App name: CommUnity Connections
App description: “CommUnity Connections helps homeless people find resources to reduce the burden of their situation with links to shelters, food shelves, employment and more. This app also provides encouragement and inspiration to assure them they are not alone.”
Innovative Inventors from Lighthouse School
App name: SheHaven
App description: “Our app SheHaven is focused on helping women in crisis. This app draws attention to domestic violence in hopes that the public will get involved and empower women to make the right decisions.”
Senior division winners:
B.A.S.I.C. B.A.L.S.A. from Rochester Schools & BDPA
App name: Bridge
App description: “All people, no matter their nationality, should have equal opportunities to better themselves and others without the lack of resources preventing their success. Bridge helps provide immigrants with resources they need to improve their quality of life in a foreign community.”
Comida Club & Co. from DeLaSalle High School
App name: UnderStudy
App description: “UnderStudy is meant to connect students and tutors within the same student body in a cost-effective way to ensure their students are academically supported outside of the classroom.”
Computer Glitz from Eagan High School & Dakota Hills Middle School
App name: Hands On
App description: “Mission: Help students plan for their futures. Hands On empowers users to take hold of their future by providing info about community, trade and vocational schools. Users are guided through processes to choose a school & career.”
Technovation[MN] is grateful to its partners and supporters for championing the girls and making Appapalooza possible. Congratulations to all 2018 Technovation[MN] teams!
About Technovation[MN]
Technovation[MN] was formed to bring the global Technovation Challenge to Minnesota. Technovation[MN] enables Minnesota teen girls to dream up, design, code and pitch mobile phone apps by providing information, resources, and encouragement for Minnesota Technovation Challenge teams.
About Iridescent
Technovation, a flagship program of non-profit Iridescent, is the world’s largest global tech entrepreneurship competition for girls. The program offers girls around the world the opportunity to learn the necessary skills to emerge as tech entrepreneurs and leaders. Every year, Technovation challenges 10 to 18 year old girls to build a business plan and mobile app that will address a community problem. Since 2009, over 15,000 girls have participated from over 100 countries.
Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota
Contact: Tara O’Connor
Email: tara.n.oconnor@gmail.com
Web: technovationmn.org
Southeast Minnesota
Contact: Rich Bogovich
Email: richbogovich@gmail.com
Web: technovationmn.org
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