(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/Yarygin)

The renowned Anita Borg Institute (ABI) is inviting women to a female-exclusive hackathon with the aim of creating technology under the rallying tagline of: "This is your chance to help make our world a better place." 

Female coders will join talented women from various computing and technology backgrounds to work on projects which could have a positive social impact. The hackathon will be conducted over two rounds with the first stage launching in five different cities - Bangalore, Hyderabad, Madurai, New Delhi, and Pune.

It is the must-attend event for women technologists at various phases of their technology careers

Participants will be tasked with solving technical challenges presented from the hackathon's partners - all of whom are social organisations working to make the world a better place. The managing committee will conduct a random draw to allocate projects to formed teams in order to ensure all problems "get equal attention from India’s best women coders like you." 

Top finalists of the first stage will move onto the grand finale and present their projects at the largest technical conference for women in India – the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing India, which takes place in Bangalore during 2nd - 4th December, 2015. 

“In 2014, we witnessed a major turning point in awareness of the diversity in technology issue and we expect to see that continue in 2015,” said Telle Whitney, president and CEO of the Anita Borg Institute. 

She continues: “This important annual celebration is the destination for women technologists and the organizations who employ them to come together for honest discussion about diversity in the technology workforce. It is the must-attend event for women technologists at various phases of their technology careers to connect with, inspire, and guide one another.” 

First-stage events: 

City	Date	Venue
HYDERABAD  Registrations open: July 6, 2015  Registrations close: July 24, 2015	August 1, 2015	Microsoft India R&D Pvt Ltd,  Building 3, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500032, India.
PUNE  Registrations open: July 8, 2015  Registrations close: July 30, 2015	August 8, 2015	Allscripts (India) Pvt. Ltd  Cluster D,EON Free Zone,MIDC, Kharadi Knowledge Park, Pune – 411 014, Maharashtra, India
MADURAI  Registrations open: July 16, 2015  Registrations close: August 8, 2015	August 16, 2015	Thiagarajar College Of Engineering,  Madurai 625 015  Tamilnadu, India
NEW DELHI  Registrations open: July 22, 201  Registrations close: August 14, 2015	August 22, 2015	Details to come soon
BANGALORE  Registrations open: July 29, 2015  Registrations close: August 21, 2015	August 29, 2015	Details to come soon

Head over to this link in order to register for the hackathon of your choice. The application will then be reviewed and confirmation of whether or not you've been accepted will be sent a week prior to the first round of the hackathon in your selected city. 

Do you think hackathons like "Tech for Good" helps to retain women in STEM fields? Let us know in the comments.