Thank you for your continued support of Waffle’s mission.

Spring is in full bloom, and April was a remarkable month for us. From a Davos debrief to Waffle Club, to an international exchange with Technovation Girls’ Nigeria chapter — we had a packed schedule. We also welcomed a new board member and launched a brand-new entrepreneurship program powered by AI. Here’s a look at everything that happened — and what’s coming up next.

Waffle Club April Recap: Building a flip-card digital profile

On Sunday, April 5, we held a special spring-break online edition of Waffle Club, with 15 middle and high school students joining a hands-on programming workshop: “Click to flip! Build your own digital profile card.”

Participants designed card layouts in HTML and CSS, then added an interactive flip animation using JavaScript — so that clicking the card reveals the other side. After the lesson, everyone split into breakout rooms to customize and refine their cards alongside a mentor. The front of each card showed “the everyday me,” while the back was filled with each student’s favourite things: anime, music, food — each one a one-of-a-kind window into their world.

Here’s what some participants had to say:

“Seeing everyone’s designs was so inspiring — I had no idea you could build things that way.”

“I got to try something I don’t usually touch, and it was so much fun!”

“I learned how to change colours freely, and how to tweak the logic using JavaScript — that was a real ‘aha’ moment.”

“Watching the mentors patiently help students who were stuck really stayed with me.”

It was clear that every student felt safe to take on challenges and ask for help — exactly the kind of environment we aim to create.

Event Recap: “AI Education at Davos 2026 — The Choices Before Us”

On Thursday, April 16, Sayaka Tanaka, CEO of Waffle, held an online debrief of her participation in the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos. The session — titled “The Future of AI Education as Seen at Davos: The Choices Before Us” — was attended by participants from across Japan.

At the Forum, global leaders engaged in wide-ranging discussions about education and talent development in the age of AI, drawing on policy approaches and on-the-ground initiatives from various countries. In the debrief, Sayaka shared concrete topics from her time in Davos: AI education initiatives in the UAE, the growing importance of critical thinking and resilience, and concerns about over-delegating thought to AI. The session offered practical hints about the choices our society needs to make going forward.

International Exchange: Japan Meets Nigeria Through Technovation Girls 2026

On Saturday, April 25, we hosted an online international exchange between Japanese participants in Technovation Girls 2026 and students from the Nigeria chapter of the programme. Nigeria is one of the most active Technovation Girls countries in the world, with over 10,000 participants nationally last year alone.

It was a truly precious opportunity for participants to learn about each other’s work and cultures, and to share the vision of using technology to change society — at a global scale.

International Girls in ICT Day: Alumni Stories Now Live

To mark International Girls in ICT Day on April 23, we published two alumni spotlights featuring Technovation Girls graduates — young women who have taken that first step into technology and are now forging their own paths.

Article 1: “There’s something only I can do.” — A high school student who uses a wheelchair, and the story of how she set out to change society through technology. 

Article 2: “If there’s a chance, I’ll take all of it.” — A high school student with a humanities background, chasing her dream of entrepreneurship through tech. 

We hope their words will be a source of courage for middle and high school students who are thinking about taking their own first step.

Coming Up: Mark Your Calendars

【June 20】Technovation Girls 2026 Japan Official Pitch Event

The culmination of Technovation Girls 2026 is almost here. On Saturday, June 20, the Japan Official Pitch Event will be held in Tokyo, with a simultaneous YouTube Live stream open to viewers across the country and beyond.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Technovation Girls in Japan — a milestone worth celebrating. From a programme that began with just a handful of participants a decade ago, Technovation Girls Japan has grown into a national movement, with 78 teams and 408 participants taking part in the 2026 season.

On the day, the 10 finalist teams — selected from entries nationwide — will present their apps and business plans before a panel of judges and a live audience. In the morning, a “Challenge Stage” will also take place, featuring teams ranked 11th through 20th, with the top team earning a place in the afternoon Final Stage.

A key highlight this year is the introduction of AI-related evaluation criteria. Judges will assess how each team used AI in their development process, including documentation of the prompts they used and how they considered AI ethics. This reflects our commitment to nurturing a new generation of innovators who can balance the power of technology with ethical responsibility.

The event will be streamed online via YouTube Live, and anyone is welcome to watch.

[Register here]

【Applications Now Open】Waffle Empower Next Program — A Global Entrepreneurship Programme for Women and Non-Binary Students

Waffle has opened applications for the “Waffle Empower Next Program” — a new initiative supporting women and non-binary university and high school students who want to develop AI-powered apps or services and pursue entrepreneurship.

As of 2024, women are estimated to account for less than 10% of startup founders. The structural barriers preventing women from starting companies in tech remain very real. But in the age of AI, the tools to turn ideas into products are more accessible than ever — even without deep programming expertise. In this programme, participants will take a product from zero to launch, with the goal of releasing it and presenting it at a Demo Day.

Programme overview:

・For: Women and non-binary university and high school students interested in developing AI-powered apps or services and pursuing entrepreneurship

・Duration: August to December 2026

・Residential camp: August 7–9 (Friday–Sunday), Tokyo

・Demo Day: December 2026 (date TBC)

・Participation fee: Free

[Apply here]

【June 11】Authentic Women Leadership — From Boston: Finding Your Authentic Leadership Style

Kumiko Morita, Director of Waffle, is spending the month of May in Boston participating in the JWLI Fellowship, a women’s leadership training programme. On June 11 (Thursday) — the day after she returns — she will host an online session sharing her learnings fresh from Boston.

Topics will include resilient leadership, EQ measurement, and exploring your own authentic leadership style through what she calls the “Authentic Filter” — practical frameworks you can start applying the very next day. The session is designed to be easy to join even during a busy workday; audio-only participation is very welcome, and the content will be rich enough to reflect on and apply afterwards.

While the programme has a focus on women’s leadership, the session is open to anyone with an interest, regardless of gender or profession.

[Register here]

Waffle College Tech Career Course: Impact Report Now Live

We have published the impact report for the 2025 Waffle College Tech Career Course. The report shares — in both numbers and stories — how participants grew over the course of the six-month programme. We hope you’ll take a look.

[Read the impact report]

Announcements

New Board Member: Maiko Kojima Joins Waffle’s Board of Directors

We are pleased to announce that Maiko Kojima, President and CEO of Crafter, Inc., has joined Waffle’s board of directors. We look forward to the new perspectives and energy she brings to our organisation.

[Read more]

Towards Certified NPO Status: A Request for Your Support

Waffle is currently working towards obtaining “Certified NPO” status in Japan. Once certified, donations to Waffle will become eligible for tax deductions, making it easier for supporters to contribute to our work in a sustained way.
To qualify for certification, we need to receive donations from at least 100 individuals per year. If you believe in what Waffle is doing and would like to help us reach more students across Japan, we would be deeply grateful for your support.

[Donate here]

Inheritance and Legacy Giving: Consultations Now Available

Would you like to use your assets to help build a better future? We have partnered with a judicial scrivener firm to offer consultations for those interested in inheritance and legacy giving. Please feel free to reach out if you would like to learn more about leaving a gift to future generations through Waffle.

A special thank you to our volunteers

Waffle’s activities are made possible by the support of many people. For the April 25 online international exchange with Technovation Girls Nigeria, employees from MetLife Insurance K.K., Lenovo Japan, and J.P. Morgan joined us as volunteer supporters.

On the day, Japanese and Nigerian students split into Zoom breakout rooms to introduce the apps they had been building and share their hopes for the programme — all in English. For students who weren’t confident in English, or who felt nervous meeting peers from overseas for the first time, it wasn’t always easy. But the volunteers were there in every room, watching warmly and stepping in with gentle support at just the right moments.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped make this cross-border exchange possible. Thank you so much.

A Message from Waffle’s PR Team

— Kensaku Tsujita, PR, Waffle

Thank you as always for your warm support of Waffle’s activities.

In April, to coincide with International Girls in ICT Day, we published stories from Technovation Girls alumni — young women who reflected on who they were when they first joined the programme, and who they have become since. Their words, I believe, will be a real source of strength for the middle school, high school, and university students who are about to take their own first steps.

This year, Technovation Girls celebrates its 10th anniversary in Japan. What started a decade ago with just a handful of participants has grown into a national programme with 78 teams and 408 students taking on the challenge this year. As the culmination of that decade, the Japan Official Pitch Event will be held on Saturday, June 20. It will be streamed live on YouTube for anyone to watch — we hope you’ll join us in cheering on every team across the country.

Thank you for your continued support of Waffle. We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events.