In Naples, girls are shaping the future

22/04/2026

7 min.

Hackathon with the Micron Foundation

Closing the gender gap in science means creating real opportunities for discovery, experimentation and choice for students. It is from this commitment that the final hackathon of Coding Girls Power Up took shape in the Leopoldo Massimilla lecture theatre at the University of Naples Federico II. This project, promoted by Fondazione Mondo Digitale and supported by Micron Foundation, involved school classes in a practical challenge focusing on emerging technologies. The aim is to guide the younger generation, and girls in particular, along a path of informed career guidance, strengthening their confidence, skills and ambition. It is not just about introducing them to technology, but about creating the conditions for them to take a leading role in it. As Professor Giorgio Ventre emphasised, this is a true “winning combination”: an alliance capable of bringing together schools, universities and the world of research to make high-impact careers accessible – careers that are all too often perceived as out of reach.

The hackathon demonstrated how dialogue between schools and universities can become a lever for regional development. Not just knowledge transfer, but the creation of experiences that develop fundamental soft skills: collaboration, problem-solving and managing complexity. An educational model which, thanks also to the contribution of the Micron Foundation, strengthens the link between education and professional futures.

The interviews conducted during the day reflect the profound value of the experience:

Marina Minestrini, Mathematics and Physics teacher, Nitti Scientific High School: “I’m taking part with three Year 13 classes because I strongly believe in the educational value of these activities. I’ve been working with Fondazione Mondo Digitale for several years and my greatest satisfaction is seeing the students so engaged in something that opens the doors to the future in a joyful and committed way. I’ve had my team since the very first year of Coding Girls.”
Marilù Di Benedetto, teacher, Tito Lucrezio Caro Scientific High School: "I’ve been following Coding Girls for almost ten years now. The added value is that the topics aren’t just STEM, but cross-curricular. The best thing is seeing students from different classes working as a team; it’s not easy, but it’s one of the most sought-after skills in today’s job market. It’s also an excellent link for the PCTO pathways that the Foundation allows us to explore.‘
Paolo Borrelli, teacher, Ettore Majorana High School: ’The joy is truly immense. Once again, these students have demonstrated the tenacity and qualities that set them apart. A special thank you goes to the girls, for the idea and for the commitment shown today and throughout the preparation process at Ettore Majorana High School. We are delighted because the results keep coming, one after another.‘
Alessandra Rossi, lecturer and researcher in Computer Science, Federico II) ’This event serves to bring local young people closer to the university by speaking their language. Today we also have former students here who took part in Coding Girls in the past and are now studying computer science: they share the pros, cons and challenges of the journey. We want the students to understand that after their training, there is a real chance of finding work locally, improving their personal skills beyond the classroom.‘
Giorgio Ventre, Full Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology: ’This school-university relationship must be constantly improved, and the Fondazione Mondo Digitale has incredible experience in this.
The support of the Micron Foundation regarding the inclusion of girls is fundamental. To the girls I say: you must build your own future; don’t let anyone tell you that something ‘isn’t for girls’. There are Neapolitan talents everywhere, from the Chief Scientist at Salesforce in San Francisco to Columbia University; you can do anything, but you must believe in yourselves and choose a future that is, above all, fun.”

The challenge: AI and “Neapolitan identity”

The competition, coordinated by trainers from the ElectroInfo association, invited teams to rethink the role of artificial intelligence: not a threat, but an ally, an “extended arm” capable of amplifying human capabilities.

Over 70 students developed a Minimum Viable Product, working applications and platforms, using generative AI to showcase and celebrate “Neapolitan spirit”. From promoting cultural heritage to sustainability, right through to people’s well-being, the 21 projects developed during the hackathon offer a fresh perspective on technology: not an end in itself, but a tool for interpreting and transforming reality.

Some teams stood out for their originality, impact and ability to integrate artificial intelligence in a thoughtful way:

'O Mar Nuostr (Team: R3sum / Liceo Nitti): a single-page app developed in HTML, CSS and pure JavaScript that helps users choose the ideal beach in Naples. The system uses a scoring engine based on 12 quality parameters, ranging from water safety to facilities and accessibility, to filter options according to the user’s location and needs.

'O Mast (Team: Informatici / Liceo Ettore Majorana – Pozzuoli): an AI dedicated to preserving traditional crafts. It analyses the craft-related issues described by the user, corrects any technical errors and directs them to historic workshops in the old town centre, helping to keep the tradition alive.

Eco di Napoli (Team: Cipher / Ettore Majorana High School): an immersive app that transforms public benches into time portals. Thanks to geolocation, the user unlocks stories, voices and memories of the places, rediscovering the area through augmented storytelling.

PulecenellaDiceva (Team: gasm / Liceo Ettore Majorana, Pozzuoli): a web application that transforms folk wisdom into an interactive experience. Through progressive visual puzzles, users are challenged to guess proverbs and idioms, rediscovering cultural heritage in a playful way.

Tombola Viva Napoletana (Team: Le libellule / Ettore Majorana High School): an app that reinvents bingo as an urban scouting experience. Missions inspired by the Smorfia guide users to discover places, stories and traditions, transforming the game into a mapping of intangible heritage.

CazzimmA.I. (Team: I quaranta / Liceo Nitti): a platform that uses AI to offer emotional support to young people, adopting a direct and authentic language. The aim is to transform ‘cazzimma’ into a positive lever for tackling difficulties and rediscovering real connections.La vera Napoli (Team: Pirotecnici / Liceo Nitti): a project on conscious tourism, proposing solutions to counter the city’s transformation into mere scenery, by promoting neighbourhoods, local communities and authentic activities.Eco partenopeo (Team: Tammarini / Liceo Nitti): an app against overtourism that suggests alternative and personalised itineraries. It incorporates quizzes, artistic references and a monument recognition system to offer a deeper cultural experience.See Naples and then die (Team: FC Ucraina / Liceo Nitti): a participatory digital guide that includes a section for user reviews, promoting a shared and dynamic discovery of the city.Tartufo App (Team: Tartufo / Liceo Francesco Saverio Nitti): an app dedicated to Neapolitan cuisine and nutrition, which adapts traditional recipes to different dietary requirements and helps identify restaurants compatible with one’s nutritional profile.Guide to the Secrets of Naples (Team: Digital Dreamers / Liceo Ettore Majorana): an interactive guide exploring the city’s mysteries and lesser-known aspects, offering an alternative narrative to traditional tourist routes.Vicoli Vivi (Team: M.A.R / Liceo Nitti): a portal that gives a voice to the Neapolitan alleyways, recounting their stories and identities to create an authentic tourist experience rooted in local daily life.

The winners of the challenge

Winning project: team “Le Stelle” with “Napoli Sotteranea” from E. Majorana High School (Losco Federica, Davini Ludovica, Giardino Greta, Goffredi Francesca, Alvigi Greta, Simeoli MariaGrazia
Most Visionary Project: team “Settimine” with “Napolife” from the Tito Lucrezio Caro School (Elisabetta Regina, Sabrina Tullio Cataldo, Alissia De Angelis, Giorgia Serafini, Caterina De Luca, Maria Teresa Serrao)
Project “’O core e Napule”: team “I quaranta” with “CazzimmA.I.” from Nitti High School (Davide Azzaro, Giuliano Brancaleone, Eleonora Labate, Filippo Antonio Peri, Raffaele Scandurra)

Further strengthening the link between education and the world of work was the presence on the judging panel of Marco Di Pasqua, Senior Project Manager at Micron Technology, who accompanied the day with an inspirational and career-guidance talk. By recounting his professional experience, Di Pasqua offered students a concrete insight into opportunities in the technology sector, sharing the skills, challenges and prospects of a global company such as Micron. This opportunity for direct dialogue made the transition from education to a professional future even more tangible, in line with the Micron Foundation’s commitment to supporting the next generation, and girls in particular, in STEM pathways.

The photo gallery

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Testimonials

Cecilia Stajano’s account

Naples, as always, lives up to expectations. It is a city that knows how to be reborn, innovate, renew itself and create new perspectives every day. In Naples, even what seems impossible often ends up becoming achievable.

One of the things that strikes me most, every time I return, is the deep bond that young Neapolitans have with their city. They know that in recent years Naples has become increasingly attractive, even to tourists, but they want it to be loved for what it truly is: for its authenticity, for the human warmth that permeates it, for the energy that can be felt everywhere, even in the musicality of its language. Coming to Naples is like receiving a hug, a kiss from a loved one. Naples welcomes you with its heart, with a smile, with a generosity that takes on a special power here. It is the same atmosphere we find every time we meet with school leaders, teachers and students.

For us, Naples is also a certainty. It is a place where education always finds a receptive ear, active participation and openness. There is a way of being together and facing challenges that leaves its mark: the ability to see the glass as half full, not to give up, and to value the journey as well as the result.

Meeting again with Marina Minestrini, deputy headteacher at Nitti, Marilú Di Benedetto from Lucrezio Caro High School and Paolo Borrelli from Majorana in Pozzuoli means encountering a school that truly knows how to educate: a school that acts as an educational bastion, a safe haven, and fertile ground for young people’s growth.

Together with them, the Foundation has successfully carried out many educational projects, fully grasping how important it is for education not to end at the school desk, but to accompany young people as they discover themselves, their abilities and their future. It is also thanks to these teachers and their headteachers that we are confident we can help more and more young people navigate the future with confidence.

We would also like to thank Alessandra Rossi, who is a valuable point of reference for us in the Naples area, and Silvia Rossi, who continues to provide us with concrete examples of women capable of establishing themselves with authority in the academic world.

Special thanks also go to Giorgio Ventre, with whom the Foundation has shared a relationship of mutual understanding and collaboration for years, and with whom it wishes to continue building pathways capable of inspiring the younger generations and encouraging them to believe in their own potential.

It was also a wonderful reunion with Pasquale Nocera, whom we met when he was just 16 and who today competently leads a team of fellow trainers. His story perfectly illustrates what it means to turn a passion into a way of life and to make the sharing of knowledge a mission.

It is also because of this wealth of relationships, experiences and shared visions that the Foundation has chosen Naples as the city in which to open, shortly, its next operational headquarters, following Rome, Milan and Turin.

For us, Naples is not just a stop on the job. It is a vibrant, generous place, capable of sparking energy, confidence and a future.

A national programme for the skills of the future

Coding Girls Power Up, developed with Micron Foundation, forms part of the wider Coding Girls & Women programme, supported by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, and contributes to a structural objective: increasing girls’ participation in technical and scientific fields. The starting point remains critical: less than 30% of researchers worldwide are women, with an even lower presence in the fields of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Taking action at school level means influencing future choices, working together on skills, guidance and role models.

In Naples, girls are shaping the future