Deadline: 13 January 2023

The Fall 2023 TechWomen application opens November 2022 and closes 09:00AM PST (GMT-08:00), Friday, January 13, 2023. Applicants will be notified of the status of their application (non-select or semi-finalist) no later than April 30, 2023. Semi-finalists will be contacted for an in-country interview no later than April 2023. Final decisions will be made no later than May 31, 2023. All applicants will be notified of the results of their application.

When and where will the program take place?

The TechWomen program will occur over five weeks from September – October 2023. The program will include project-based mentorships, workshops, and targeted meetings in the San Francisco Bay Area and Chicago, as well as special events and debrief activities in Washington, DC.

 Who will participate in the program?

The TechWomen initiative will identify up to 108 women from Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East who are emerging leaders in STEM fields for the Fall 2023 program. Eligible participants are women with at least two years of professional experience and who are engaged or rising in professional careers that require significant expertise and knowledge of STEM fields and/or innovative application of these skills, and who already are — or show promise of being — role models for women and girls.

 From which countries will the selected TechWomen participants come?

Participants will be selected from countries in Africa, Central and South Asia and the Middle East. These include seven program countries in the Middle East and North Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Territories and Tunisia; six countries in Central and South Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan; and seven program countries in Sub-Saharan Africa: Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Selection Process

TechWomen participants are selected based on the eligibility requirements below. Applications are reviewed by independent selection committees composed of industry leaders and regional experts. Semifinalists may be interviewed by United States Embassy personnel in their country of permanent residence.

TechWomen Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be women with, at minimum, two years full-time professional experience in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. Please note that internships and other unpaid work experience does not count toward the two-year professional experience requirement.
• Have, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree/four-year university degree or equivalent.
• Be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Be citizens and permanent residents of Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or Zimbabwe at the time of application and while participating in the program.
• Be eligible to obtain a U.S. J-1 exchange visitor visa.
• Not have applied for an immigrant visa to the United States (other than the Diversity Immigrant Visa, also known as the “visa lottery”) in the past five years.
• Not hold U.S. citizenship or be a U.S. legal permanent resident.

Preference will be given to applicants who:

• Demonstrate themselves as emerging leaders in their chosen professional track through their work experience, volunteer experience, community activities and education.
• Are committed to return to their home countries to share what they have learned and mentor women and girls.
• Have limited or no prior experience in the United States.
• Have a proven record of voluntary or public service in their communities.
• Have a demonstrated track record of entrepreneurialism and commitment to innovation.
• Demonstrate a willingness to participate in exchange programs, welcome opportunities for mentoring and new partnership development, and exhibit confidence and maturity.

TechWomen encourages people with diverse backgrounds and skills to apply, including individuals with disabilities.

Selection Timeline

The Fall 2023 TechWomen application closes 09:00AM PST (GMT-08:00), Friday, January 13, 2023. Applicants will be notified of the status of their application (non-select or semi-finalist) no later than April 30, 2023. Semi-finalists will be contacted for an in-country interview no later than April 2023. Final decisions will be made no later than May 31, 2023. All applicants will be notified of the results of their application.

AWARD DETAILS

Covered Costs

The following costs are covered by the TechWomen program:

• Roundtrip international airfare from participant home country to the United States
• Domestic airfare from San Francisco or Chicago to Washington, D.C.
• Housing in San Francisco, Sunnyvale, California, Emeryville, California or Chicago, Illinois during the mentorship period
• Meals and incidentals
• Hotel stay in Washington, D.C.
• Public transportation to the participant’s host company
• Local transportation to group program events in the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.

Participants are responsible for the cost of any non program activities such as independent sightseeing and cultural events, as well as any non program-related domestic or international travel.

Housing

TechWomen participants will be housed in San Francisco, Sunnyvale, California, Emeryville, California or Chicago, Illinois, depending on the location of the participant’s host company. Participants will share an apartment with a fellow Emerging Leader. Each participant will have her own private bedroom, while the living room and kitchen will be shared.

The TechWomen program is unable to accommodate participants’ spouses, children, or other dependents.

Please note that details are subject to change. Due to the fast-paced nature of the program, arrival and departure dates for selected participants are not flexible. TechWomen is also unable to adjust the host city or mentorship placement of participants for the program.

Click HERE to Apply

THE EXPERIENCE

From the moment the Emerging Leaders arrive, they are immersed in the innovative, constantly evolving culture of Silicon Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area or Chicago. Emerging Leaders work closely with their Professional Mentors to design meaningful projects while exploring the San Francisco Bay Area or Chicago with their Cultural Mentor and fellow program participants.

TechWomen Emerging Leaders will:

• Challenge themselves with new questions and concepts
• Collaborate with like-minded women in their fields on an innovative project
• Network with influential industry leaders
• Discover their own innovative leadership style
• Create meaningful friendships with women from all over the world
• Explore the diverse communities of the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.
• Inspire the next generation of women and girls in their home countries

Professional Development

Each Emerging Leader is paired with a Professional Mentor who works closely with her to carry out a project at the host company. Before the participant arrives in California or Illinois, she is in close contact with her Professional Mentor. Together, they work to design an exciting project of mutual interest. Emerging Leaders are based in the San Francisco Bay Area or Chicago depending on the location of their Professional Mentorship placement.

The Emerging Leader is hosted at the Mentor’s company four days per week for four weeks. The Professional Mentor offers guidance and support throughout the mentorship. The Emerging Leader also participates in professional enrichment activities that include seminars, workshops, tech talks, and networking events.

• Learn more about professional development during the TechWomen program
• Read about one Emerging Leader’s journey to transform internet shopping in Algeria

Cultural Enrichment

Each Emerging Leader also has the opportunity to explore the Bay Area or Chicago with Cultural Mentors who facilitate activities to deepen mutual understanding. Cultural Mentors take participants to local attractions, art exhibits, sporting events and local universities, among other local activities. Participants will also have the opportunity to explore San Francisco or Chicago and tour national landmarks while in Washington, DC.

• Learn more about cultural exchange during the TechWomen program
• Read about one Emerging Leader’s cultural and professional experience in the United States

Action Planning

In 2015, TechWomen introduced a new component to turn into action our participants’ passion to effect change in their home countries and foster continuity in TechWomen’s programming. Integrating knowledge and skills developed in TechWomen’s workshop series and leveraging collective experiences and ingenuity, Emerging Leaders form teams to design action plans to make an impact in their respective communities. Impact Coaches will strategically advise groups for success in terms of content and design, and they will help connect the dots for groups to meet criteria and understand what makes a successful plan for potential seed grant funding.

• Read about 2015 TechWomen seed grant winners
• Read about 2016 TechWomen seed grant winners
• Read about 2017 TechWomen seed grant winners
• Read about 2018 TechWomen seed grant winners
• Read about 2019 TechWomen seed grant winners