4th Edition of Women Tech Quest held online
Karachi – Women Tech Quest 2020, an initiative of 10Pearls University, is a platform for women to compete, network and showcase their tech talents. The 4th edition of WTQ was held online on June 13 & 14, 2020 for women across Pakistan. More than 500 women participated in the 2-day event, won exciting prizes and networked with inspirational tech women – all from the comfort of their homes.
WTQ, launched in 2017, is an event dedicated to inspire women to excel in technology careers and strengthen their role in the tech industry. The event highlights the work of women in IT and challenges stigmas by creating a platform where they can come forward and prove their mettle.
10Pearls’ Co-Founder Zeeshan Aftab explains the purpose behind Women Tech Quest: “We want to create an ecosystem that enables women to demonstrate their creativity and expertise, get due recognition and accelerate their careers. Women Tech Quest is one such initiative. It was held online this time to safeguard social distancing and yet give women across Pakistan the opportunity to compete, win prizes and learn from successful women in tech.”
In the competition, there were three categories – coding, testing and design. The best among each category were declared winners and got exciting prizes and exposure. The Coding competition required participants to use a programming language of their choice to solve complex business problems. The Testing Competition presented contestants with a set of objectives to test their database and automation concepts, while the Design Competition required participants to design a thematic poster using Photoshop or Illustrator. This time around, there were 5 winners in total – two from Coding, two from Testing and one from Design competition.
Winners List – WTQ 2020
| Coding | Marium Ali (Professional category), Eisha Tir Raazia (Student category) |
| Testing | Hoor Khan (Professional), Syeda Maryam Fatima (Student) |
| Design | Gulzar Fatima |
According to Marium Ali, Winner of Coding Competition, “Events like Women Tech Quest give women an opportunity to prove their mettle and experience a competitive environment. I thoroughly enjoyed participating and winning the competition!”
Apart from the Competition, WTQ also featured inspirational speaker sessions by esteemed women such as Jehan Ara, President of P@SHA and Co-Founder, The Nest I/O; Muazma Zahid, Senior Engineering Manager, Microsoft Azure Global and President, Pakistan Women in Computing; and Maheen Noor Soomro, Director, Mushawar UK & Mushawar Solutions.
In addition, an invigorating panel discussion on “Creating Your Own Beehive” was also held. The event was moderated by Faiza Yousuf, Founder, WomeninTechPK, and Panelists included Asma Khalil, Senior Director, Customer and Captain Care, Careem; Sadia Khuram, Vice President of Marketing, Jazz Business and Ammara Masood, CEO and President, National Data Consultants. The discussion centered around how to create and strengthen your professional network, connect with high-profile individuals, and achieve a steady growth!
The event was supported by various organizations including:
- P@SHA (Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT and ITES)
- #WomenInTechPK
- Circle Pakistan
- National Incubation Center Karachi
- WomenTechmakers Lahore
- GDG Islamabad
- FAST NUCES
- Bonanza Satrangi
The 2-day online event gave women from all over Pakistan an opportunity to participate and win in tech competitions, learn from inspirational women and engage with like-minded seniors and peers. 10Pearls is committed to pave way for talented women to claim their space in the technology sphere, and Women Tech Quest is just one of the ways we support gender inclusion and diversity.
