TechGirl Festival hosts mentorship hackathon at Stamford Bridge

The 2026 TechGirl Festival, organized by the HotTopics C-suite community, took place at Chelsea Football Club’s Stamford Bridge stadium. The event brought together 75 young women, ranging from GCSE students to Master's candidates, to participate in a hackathon-style competition.

Participants worked in teams of three under the guidance of digital leaders and mentors. The challenges were designed by various business and technology executives from Chelsea Football Club, including the Director of Technology and the Head of Match Day Safety. The goal of the festival was to demonstrate the intersection of technology and business acumen, highlighting how technical roles are shaped by organizational needs.