Sahar Fetrat

Iranian tech entrepreneur advancing women's participation in STEM through coding education

Sahar Fetrat (1990-) is the founder of CodeGirls, an Iranian NGO training 10,000+ women in coding since 2018. Growing up in Tehran during post-revolution gender restrictions, she pioneered an online platform offering free courses in Python, AI, and cybersecurity. Her 'Code for Change' initiative pairs female developers with NGOs solving local issues like water management and healthcare logistics.

Fetrat's model addresses Iran's 8% female tech workforce gap by creating safe learning spaces. The program's graduates have developed apps like 'MediTrack' (health monitoring) and 'EcoWise' (waste management system) used nationwide. In 2022, her work earned the UNESCO Gender Equality in STEM Award.

She collaborates with MIT Media Lab on AI ethics frameworks and mentors girls through her YouTube channel CodeGirlsIR. Fetrat's advocacy led to Iran's first national girls' hackathon in 2023, challenging regional stereotypes about women in tech. Read profiles in TechCrunch or follow her Twitter.