2 days, 1 big idea: Girls build the future at the Girls Go STEM Hackathon

On 20 and 21 November, a room in Flanders will fill with something we never get tired of: young women with sharp questions, a problem to solve, and two days to prove that STEM belongs to them. The Girls Go STEM Hackathon is almost here, and registration is open now.

If you are a girl who loves to tinker, a teacher who knows a student who should be there, or a parent who wants to give a daughter a push toward technology, this post is for you.
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What is the Girls Go STEM Hackathon?

It is a two-day, hands-on challenge where girls team up to design technology solutions for real questions from agriculture and food: how to grow food with less waste, how data can help farmers, how robots can work alongside people in the field. No prior coding experience is required. What you need is curiosity and the courage to try.

The hackathon is part of the Girls Go STEM initiative of EIT Food and 28DIGITAL, and CollectiveUP is proud to host and facilitate it, together with ILVO, the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Liliana Carrillo will host the event and, together with Frederick Ducatelle, will be a mentor on both days.
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Learn from the people who work in the field

A hackathon is only as good as the people around the teams. Here is who is joining us, and we are grateful to every one of them.

Talks from ILVO give participants a window into where agritech is really heading:

• Liam Van Langenhove: AgrifoodTEF, testing, validating and optimizing tech solutions in the agriculture and food industry.
• Renee Kelem: Nutritwin, digital twins in pig production.
• Margot Imbo: Djust Connect, data sharing in agriculture.
• Sarah Blockx: the use of robots in precision agriculture.

Mentors will sit with the teams, ask the good questions and help turn ideas into prototypes: Laura Borge, Camilla Paris, Els Meyvaert (with us for the whole day), Johan Loeckx (day 1, who will also give a lecture for the agritech modules), Frederick Ducatelle and Liliana Carrillo.

The jury will judge the final pitches: Kirby De Jode of Iristick and Vera Hendriks of De Creatieve STEM. We are also delighted that Nele Van Beveren is joining the programme.
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A school is joining the challenge

We are thrilled to announce that an innovative secondary school, Sint-Lievenscollege, is joining the hackathon. Schools bring something no tool can replace: a community of young people and teachers who believe that learning happens by doing. We hope their example inspires other schools to open the door to STEM challenges. 
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Why this matters

Girls remain under-represented in STEM studies and careers across Europe. This is not about ability. It is about role models, confidence and chances to try. When a girl builds something that works in front of her peers, with a mentor who looks like her future, something shifts. That is the "participation" idea we work with every day at CollectiveUP: when people help shape solutions, they own them, and the solutions are better. Participation is the key for great co-creation.
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How to join

• Who: girls interested in technology, agriculture, food and data. Teachers and parents are welcome to register on their behalf.
• When: 20 and 21 November 2026.
• How: write to com@collectiveup.be and we will send you the registration details.
• Spread the word: share this post with a teacher, a school, a youth club or a parent group.

Child protection note: we do not publish names or photos of participating girls. All media on the day follow strict consent rules.
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Thank you

This hackathon exists because many people and organisations said yes. Thank you:

• EIT Food (LinkedIn, YouTube) for the Girls Go STEM initiative and for believing that food and technology need more girls at the table.
• 28DIGITAL (LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr) for the partnership that turns an idea into a programme.
• ILVO (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)  for opening your research to the participants through four speakers, Liam Van Langenhove, Renee Kelem, Margot Imbo and Sarah Blockx, who translate real research into challenges teenagers can work with.
• Our mentors Laura Borge, Camilla Paris, Els Meyvaert, Johan Loeckx, Frederick Ducatelle and Liliana Carrillo, for giving your days to the teams.
• Our jury Kirby De Jode (Iristick) and Vera Hendriks (De Creatieve STEM), for the time and the feedback the pitches will get.
• Nele Van Beveren, for joining the panel. 
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Join us, or help us spread the word

Registration closes soon, so do not wait. Write to com@collectiveup.be today, and follow us for the full line-up, behind-the-scenes stories and the thank-yous our speakers deserve.

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#GirlsGoSTEM #EITFood #EITDigital #28DIGITAL #ILVO #Agritech #WomenInSTEM #CollectiveUP

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