ElleHacks is Canada’s first all-women hackathon, founded in 2016. Originally named The LadyHacks, the hackathon was rebranded to ElleHacks the following year. The name “Elle” translates to “she/her” in French, embodying the spirit of empowerment and representation for women in technology.
ElleHacks was the brainchild of Farzia Khan, then a Computer Science student at the Lassonde School of Engineering in her final year. After participating in several local hackathons, Farzia observed that these events were predominantly male-dominated. Often, she was the only woman in her project group and felt overlooked in gaining recognition for her contributions. Many male participants formed teams with pre-existing networks, leaving women like Farzia to feel excluded.
Determined to create a space where women could thrive and showcase their talent, Farzia began researching all-women hackathons. She also wanted to highlight York University’s newly established Lassonde School of Engineering and its $100-million Bergeron Centre of Excellence, a state-of-the-art building designed to inspire innovation. Finding none in Canada, she decided to organize one herself, despite having no prior experience in event planning and balancing a full-time job. With the support of Lassonde’s Office of the Dean and as the President of the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) group, Farzia rallied her club members to help bring her vision to life.
In her quest for sponsorship, Farzia personally approached companies, pitching the concept of ElleHacks. Her determination paid off, securing partnerships with industry leaders like Shopify, Deloitte, RBC, Hydro One, Microsoft, Index Exchange and GitHub among others. The inaugural event, The LadyHacks, was a resounding success and was rebranded to ElleHacks in its second year.
To ensure maximum participation, Farzia encouraged women to take part as attendees rather than volunteers. She introduced a unique approach by recruiting male ambassadors to volunteer and support the event. This approach ensured that women participants could focus on creating, networking, and learning. The event garnered widespread attention, with coverage in Metro News and attracted participants from across Ontario and even other provinces.
Now in its ninth year, ElleHacks continues to grow, having positively impacted thousands of women by inspiring and empowering them to innovate and lead in STEM. Each year, ElleHacks organizing team has built upon the success of their predecessors, making the event bigger and better with fresh ideas and enthusiasm.
ElleHacks has profoundly impacted the lives of its participants, many of whom secured internships/co-op and full-time opportunities with leading organizations. The event has featured inspiring industry guest speakers and provided a platform for attendees to connect with top employers.
ElleHacks has also been instrumental in fostering partnerships, such as the Shopify/York University Dev Degree program, and has catalyzed numerous co-op relationships between Lassonde and leading companies. Its success has been celebrated on blogs, university platforms, and other media outlets.
As a testament to its mission, ElleHacks remains a beacon for women in technology, encouraging them to break barriers, forge connections, and shape the future of STEM.
We're so excited to have you join us for the ninth edition of ElleHacks! Over the past 8 months, the organizing team has been working hard to bring this event to life, and we truly hope it sparks your creativity and inspires you to keep building and learning. We really hope you have a blast at ElleHacks 2025 and make the most of every moment!
- Luana, Triya, Bohina, & Rumaisa (Co-Chairs) 💚