The app Interpret won Best App in Latin America in the beginners category of “Technovation Girls”
The students who created the Interpret app received an honorable mention in the international Technovation Girls competition, which brings together apps developed by girls from around the world. They were the only representatives from Brazil in the beginners category semifinal, for girls aged 8 to 12. Another 15 projects from Brazilian students also reached the semifinals.
Designed to help teenagers decipher texts in a playful way, the Interpret app was developed by four girls during the Technovation Summer School for Girls (Techschool): Estela Herold, Larissa Zaniboni, Lorena Zini, and Mariana Balieiro dos Santos. With the app, users can read and listen to stories and answer questions that encourage text comprehension, created with the support of artificial intelligence tools.
Estela, Larissa, Lorena, and Mariana are among the 750 girls aged 8 to 18 from all over Brazil who have already participated in Techschool. Focused on app development, the school covers programming, entrepreneurship basics, management, and marketing. In addition to technical training, the initiative provides a collaborative space for students, enhancing skills such as teamwork, objective communication, project management, and contact with the world of science and technology.
The school is one of the initiatives of Grace (Group of Female Students in Exact Sciences) from USP’s Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science (ICMC) in São Carlos. This was its seventh edition. “This experience provided by Grace was really cool and unforgettable. It’s a world I had no idea I could enter, but once I did, I fell in love,” says Mariana.
The extension group is part of the Brazilian Teaching Network in Engineering and Exact Sciences (Rebeca), which seeks to connect and boost projects aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion in exact sciences and engineering. The network was created by ICMC professors Lina Maria Garcés Rodriguez, coordinator of Grace, and Kalinka Castelo Branco, deputy director of ICMC. Through a special call from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the network secured R$ 1.27 million, which is being used for scholarships and initiatives across all regions of Brazil over the next three years.
Who were the Techschool semifinalists?
The apps Raízes and TinyBites were semifinalists in the senior category of the competition, aimed at those aged 16 to 18. Raízes teaches the Tupi-Guarani language, aiming to value indigenous diversity and preserve Brazil’s linguistic cultural heritage. Three girls developed the innovation: Alice Maria Françoso, Ana Clara de Oliveira Silva, and Nathalia Yumi Mori Meyaguskui.
“Reaching an international semifinal was very special, because not only was the opportunity incredible, but the achievement also reinforced that all the effort was worth it. It was definitely an experience I’ll carry with me,” says Nathalia.
TinyBites was developed to combat childhood obesity and malnutrition. The app offers a practical and educational alternative for preparing balanced meals, suggesting nutritious dish options based on available ingredients and preparation time. It also includes adaptations for children with allergies. The project was created by Isabelle Milena Pereira Rodrigues, Laís Bembo de Freitas, Lindicy Jheiny Souza Chagas, Luana Assunção Vitorino, and Taís Daniely Stefani.
“This experience reinforced my interest in technology and innovation. It also contributed to my personal, technical, and collaborative growth. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with the initiative, which goes far beyond technology by promoting empowerment and transformation,” says Isabelle, who also took part in Techschool in 2024.
Upon being selected for the semifinal, she was moved to see how the dedication of her colleagues and mentors paid off, and she realized the importance of teamwork. “In 2025, the experience was even more meaningful, which is why I intend to continue in 2026, this time as a mentor, with the goal of helping other girls follow similar paths,” says the young participant.
How apps are developed
The girls at Techschool start their work by mapping social problems, categorized according to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Once the issues are defined, the teams move on to the app ideation phase, supported by volunteer mentors from different fields of knowledge.
To produce the apps, the girls are divided into the same three categories as the international award: beginner (ages 8 to 12), junior (13 to 15), and senior (16 to 18). In the final stage, the students present a pitch video explaining how the app works, accompanied by a technical video and the product’s source code. They must also describe their learning journeys and, for the senior category, develop a business plan. After submissions, Techschool offers its own awards to the best projects.
“Each team member focused on what they felt most comfortable with, dividing the work among the business plan, video editing, and programming. I think we all managed to learn more about each of these areas and about the system development process in a more hands-on way,” explains Luana.
“This year was the third time I participated in Techschool and I will definitely participate again, because every time the team was always willing to help and the classes are great,” says Estela.
All girls who participate in the school are encouraged to submit their projects to Technovation Girls. In the competition, five teams from each category are finalists in the international and regional awards. This year, Brazil did not have any teams in the international final, which took place on September 19, remotely.
Check out the semifinalist app presentations:
Interpret: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI5gFBmn92c&t=1s
Raízes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LSLd7bWVws
TinyBites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDDzJhT6Hiw&t=1
More Information:
Technovation Girls: https://technovationchallenge.org
Brazilian competition website: www.technovationbrasil.org
Grace: https://grace.icmc.usp.br/ e www.instagram.com/grace.icmc.usp
Written by Sabrina Gomes, intern at the Communication Advisory of ICMC-USP under the supervision of Denise Casatti.
English version: Nexus Traduções, edited by Denis Pacheco
