Garage48 Empowering Women Hackathon
kood/Garage48 Empowering Women- explore coding, develop your business idea and build your future
Are you interested in tech and entrepreneurship? If the answer is yes, we have a perfect program for you- completely free of charge. You don’t have to have a prior experience in coding or entrepreneurship- just the curiosity to learn more and the willpower to set your own course in life 😎
About kood/Garage48 Empowering Women Program
kood/Garage48 Empowering Women is a collaboration between kood/Jõhvi and Garage48. It is designed for women in the Ida-Viru region, aimed at boosting their confidence by polishing their tech skills and giving them hands-on experience in starting their own businesses. This truly practical program kicks off with a beginner-friendly introduction to coding, followed by a hackathon focused on developing your first business idea into a working prototype, and an acceleration program that supports the implementation of those ideas in real life. The whole cycle runs twice- Winter/Spring 2026 and Fall 2026 /Winter 2027.
Upcoming events in the Series
❣️ Garage48 Empowering Women Accelerator (April-May 2026)
APPLY to the accelerator (deadline extended until 09/04/2026) here: https://form.typeform.com/to/mpSGen66
Best hackathon teams are invited to apply for the acceleration program, which offers workshops, mentoring, and expert support in product development, marketing, funding, and other essential entrepreneurial and tech skills. The goal is to take the hackathon idea to the next level. The acceleration program will end with a Demo Day, where all participants will present their progress, pitch their ideas, and meet potential investors interested in supporting the next steps of their product development.
PS! You can join the hackathon even if you did not attend the coding bootcamp, and attending the bootcamp does not obligate you to join the activities later. Each activity is voluntary and can be joined independently.
The entire program is free for all selected participants.
Why join?
Develop your tech-curiosity! Learn the basics of coding in a supportive, beginner‑friendly environment
Get a real feel for what working in tech and building digital products is like
Who is invited to apply?
- Women considering a career change, returning to learning or becoming an entrepreneur
The whole program will be carried out in English.
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Past Events in the Series
❣️Garage48 Empowering Women Hackathon (20-22 March 2026)
3-day hackathon aimed to help the participants to develop their first business idea to a working prototype. Participants can come either solo or with a team, with or without an idea. Participants are welcomed with all sorts of ideas as long as it has a tech component to it:)
Registration is open until 19 March- register HERE! ❣️ kood/Empower Coding Bootcamp at kood/Jõhvi 17-20 February 2026
4-day coding bootcamp designed for beginners, offering a practical, supportive introduction to coding. Participants will experiment with creating small solutions and game-like prototypes, gaining hands-on experience, and get a first insight into what it means to work as a developer.kood/Empower bootcamp is part of the kood/Women program, supported by Swedbank.
This project is co-funded by the European Union under the Just Transition Fund.
Additional support to organize the kood/Empower bootcamp is provided by Swedbank.
Garage48 Empowering Women Hackathon 20-22/03/26
What? 3-day hackathon to develop your idea into a working prototype
When? 20-22 March 2026
Where? At kood/Jõhvi
Garage48 Empowering Women Hackathon is a 3-day hackahton for women living in Ida-Viru County who are curious about starting a business. It’s aimed to help the participants to develop their first business idea into a working prototype
You don’t need to have a team or a full idea, just the motivation to learn and explore. It’s a fun, supportive environment where you can try something new, meet inspiring people, and take the first steps toward entrepreneurship.
What happens during the hackathon?
During one energising weekend, you’ll work side by side with other inspiring women like you who want to build something meaningful. Together, you’ll explore real problems and brainstorm ideas that could grow into future products or services. You don’t need to be a developer; you just need curiosity and the willingness to dream a little bigger. With the help of mentors and experts, you’ll turn your idea into something real and tangible - a simple prototype or first version you can actually show. At the end of the event, the jury will give you feedback to help you understand your next steps and the potential of your idea. And the most promising teams will be invited to join our accelerator program running from April to June 2026, where mentors and experts will help you take your idea even further and move closer to your first real customers
Why join?
Who is invited to apply?
We’re looking for women from the Ida-Viru Region who are curious about starting their own business.
Whether you dream of becoming an entrepreneur full‑time or want to explore a business idea alongside your current job or studies, this is your place to start.
- Women considering a career change and want to explore entrepreneurship for the first time
This project is co-funded by the European Union under the Just Transition Fund.
kood/Empower Coding Bootcamp 17-20 February 2026
As part of the joint kood/Garage48 Empowering Women program, the kood/Empower bootcamp supports women as they take their first steps into coding, offering a focused and inclusive space to learn, grow, and connect. Program kicks off with a 4-day kood/Empower bootcamp at kood/Jõhvi where women take their first steps into coding in a focused and inclusive space to learn, grow, and connect. Bootcamp graduates are encouraged to move on to the next stage of the program, but participation remains optional.
Free of charge!
What you’ll get in kood/Empower?
- Hands-on programming in a supportive environment – no prior experience needed.
- Gain an overview of the various roles and opportunities in the tech field.
- Get a taste of the unique, self-driven learning method practiced at our coding schools.
- Meet like-minded people and gain valuable connections.
- Collaborate with others, share roles, and learn together.
- Estonian and Russian-speaking tutors on-site
- Not just coding, we also have fun - think board games, discovering Jõhvi, Just Dance sessions, and much more.
Accommodation, lunches, and one dinner are included.
This project is co-funded by the European Union under the Just Transition Fund.
Additional support to organize the the kood/Empower bootcamp is provided by Swedbank.
kood/Empower coding bootcamp
Week #1:
09.04.2026 18:30-20:30 Accelerator kickoff + Business Model Canvas
Week #2:
14.04.2026 18:00-20:00 Product optimisation
15.04.2026 18:00-20:00 From prototype to production
#1 CHECKPOINT with the leadmentors
Week #3: 21.04.26 18:00-19:30 Group mentoring
Week #4:
27.04.2026 18:00-20:00 Branding
28.04.2026 18:00-20:00 Marketing & Go-to-market strategies
Week #5:
05.05.2026 18:00-19:30 Groupmentoring
#2 CHECKPOINT with the leadmentors
Week #6:
11.05.2026 18:00-19:00 Pitch training
12.05.2026 18:00-20:00 How to open the company? Bookkeeping, bank account
13.05.2026 18:00-20:00 How to finance your project?
Week #7 Groupmentoring
#3 CHECKPOINT - pitchdrills with leadmentors
Week #8: Demoday (exact date and location to be confirmed!)
