Teklafestival hosts girls workshops at Music Tech Fest

Music Tech Fest is championing women in technology and features inspiring arts-meet-science women at the forefront of all the different areas of the festival. The festival is also proud to support the next generation of brilliant women innovators.

Teklafestival originated after Robyn was awarded KTH’s Great Prize in 2013, which honors “a person who, through epoch-making discoveries and the creation of new values and by ingenious applications of findings gained on the practical aspects of life, promotes Sweden’s continued material progress.”

Robyn wanted to use the platform to inspire girls who might be intrigued about technology—an industry historically dominated by men.

The first Teklafestival was held at KTH on April 18, 2015. The event was attended by 200 girls and young women who listened to presentations and participated in workshops where they sampled different kinds of future technology in a fun and imaginative environment. The event was topped off with a performance by Robyn and guests. In 2016 the festival doubled in size, inviting 400 girls and young women to explore technology.

Teklafestival is a non-judgmental environment for creativity and curiosity that enables girls to discover and explore technology in all kinds of roles. The workshops explore a wide range of technologies from coding to chemistry and the best from the maker movement.

Teklafestival is an important part of KTH’s mission to recruit more girls to its programs, which strive to make the world of technology a more equal place and Music Tech Fest is the perfect environment to host a series of Teklafestival workshops - surrounded by an incredible array of creative innovation at KTH on the weekend of the 7th - 9th of September.

“The power of Teklafestival comes from its community,” says Sanna Cedergren, Teklafestival project manager. “Academic institutions, organizations, volunteers, artists, and partner companies work together to create an amazing program.

“When you take part in a Teklafestival, you understand the importance of creating a space for girls to explore technology on their own terms where they are challenged to take on roles that are normally reserved for boys. The creativity and confidence that shows in the girls during the day is amazing to see.”

Teklafestival's workshops for girls will form part of the Music Tech Fest in September, which features inspiring women in charge of each area of the festival. Imogen Heap, LJ Rich of BBC Click and others will lead the traditionally male-dominated music and technology sectors into new and much more inclusive directions.

Music Tech Fest founder Michela Magas says, "We're thrilled to be working with the brainchild of one of Sweden's most successful and creative artists inspiring the future of technology and innovation. Robyn's Teklafestival is a perfect match for both the ambitions and the ethos of Music Tech Fest."

#MTFStockholm runs from 3-9 September 2018 with a showcase open to the public from the 7-9 September at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. MTF is cross-genre, international, enriching, and inclusive. Watch out for more incredible women taking over in the coming weeks.