Why We Exist: Empowering Technologists for Social Good

At Femmecubator, we believe in the power of civic engagement through technology. That’s why we’re excited to relaunch Open Sprints this year with the support of our sponsors, the Tides Foundation and Perforce Software.

As a grassroots organization, we’re passionate about co-designing with the community and fostering collaboration.

• We bring together a vibrant mix of researchers, designers, and engineers, students and mentors who are eager to build Open Source Software (OSS) that benefits society.
• We’re partnering with Data + Women and Superbloom Design to facilitate the Equitable Mapping Design Challenge
• We are organizing a civic tech hackathon aimed at providing students with the chance to work on open source software projects. This program gives participants hands-on experience with real-world projects, as well as mentorship from industry professionals, all while furthering Femmecubator’s mission of bridging the gap in tech for marginalized groups.

What we’re building

Each project will focus on building something that makes a tangible impact:

• Equitable Mapping Prototype: Designing tools to create more accessible and inclusive maps that serve communities.
• Hiring Culture Research: Researching ways to improve the job-seeking experience through inclusive hiring practices.
• The Bridge Labs project: GenAI Conversational platform to support families of children with Autism.
• Equity UI Component Library (Virtual): Building frontend components for the EQUITY Design System to support a centralized and efficient toolkit for building digital experiences.

Prototype Funding

With generous support from Perforce, Inc. and The Tides Foundation, we’re excited to offer funding for early-stage open-source projects that need research or technical support to move forward.

Here’s how we support selected projects:

• Stipends for Cohort Captains who guide teams through key challenges and ensure steady progress.
• Coverage of prototype costs, including monthly subscriptions for essential web services.
• Incentives for industry mentors who dedicate a minimum of 8 hours to support each project.
• Free admission for up to 20 Hackathon Fellows, giving them full access to the sprint experience.

Our Vision: Civic Engagement Through Technology

Open Sprints is a platform that empowers technologists to grow their skills while contributing to causes that matter. Our vision is to build a thriving ecosystem where aspiring technologists can upskill, collaborate, and make meaningful contributions to civic technology—beyond the hackathon.