Natal Net wins women's hackathon at Google HQ

An app that allows women in rural areas to connect with health care workers from Plan International won a hackathon for women at Google headquarters in Kitchener, Ont.over the weekend.

"It's a really innovative solution that allows women not only to text health care workers, but provide photos or videos through the SMS platform," explained Yael Magid to The Morning Editionhost Craig Norris on Monday.

• Doctors and developers: Bringing 'lots of brains' together at health hack-a-thon

"[It] allows women who are illiterate to still communicate and connect with health care professionals," said Magid.

The Break Inequality Hackathon was organized by thewomen's partnership program, headed by Magid, with Developers without Borders a group that focuses on providing useful technology for people in developing countries.

60 per cent women

The goal of thehackathonwas to come up with solutions that can help women and children in developing countries andget more women involved in web developing and technical careers.

Magid said last yearonly about 30 per cent of the participants were women. This year, she wanted to try something different and made the event for and by women. It worked.

"Our goal going into this hackathon was to have 60 per cent women and we were able to fulfill that goal without having to put specific parameters in place," explained Magid.

She said participant tickets were open to men and women, and they were thrilled at the turnout.

Second place went to developers of Red Tracker, that lets women and their doctors jointly track menstruation cycles and ovulation, an app that also won the hackathon's innovation award.