Annual Google festival comes to Tbilisi

Calling all tech enthusiasts - Georgia’s capital Tbilisi has been chosen among more than 100 cities across the world to host Google’s annual developer festival, bringing together industry fans to create innovative projects, learn from Google experts and discuss all things digital.

The 2015 Google Developer Groups (GDG) DevFest Tbilisi will involve roughly 100 participants and feature workshops, talks, a female developers’ gathering and other events.

This will be the third time Tbilisi will host a local event, while globally the DevFest is expected to involve more than 30,000 tech enthusiasts.

Distinguished Google visitors will attend the November 6-8 DevFest Tbilisi, including Google Region leader Baris Yesugey, and 15 industry expert speakers who will lead presentations on a range of subjects.

Organised by GDG Tbilisi, the DevFest will be hosted by GeoLab – a digital development laboratory by Geocell communications company. The event will begin on Friday with a Hackathon competition, which challenges developers to create a web or mobile project using Google services within a 48-hour timeframe.

The Women Techmakers Tbilisi gathering will seek to promote women’s involvement in information technology. Photo by GDG Tbilisi/Facebook.

The Hackathon will involve teams selected by GDG Tbilisi organisers. Those interested in participating in the competition have until midnight tonight, November 3, to apply and can do so at the DevFest website.

Meanwhile on Saturday, the DevFest celebration will be formally opened by Google representatives at GeoLab and feature workshops on how to create Android applications, website elements and design.

Day two of DevFest will also feature the Women Techmakers Tbilisi event at Holiday Inn Hotel. The occasion will feature seminars, speaker panels and activities to promote women’s involvement in the information technology, facilitate sharing of ideas and support their professional development.

A range of other competitions will be held throughout the weekend, before the winners of the Hackathon are announced and event conclusion on Sunday afternoon.

The 2015 DevFest will be held in more than 100 cities and involve more than 30,000 tech enthusiasts. This will be the third year Tbilisi was selected to host this event.

The GDG Tbilisi, which was established in 2012, brings together more than 1,000 Georgian developers for year-long activities and awards. It has received top-five and top-10 nominations among 300 international GDG teams.

People interested in attending any of the DevFest free lectures, women’s Techmakers course or take part in the Hackathon or other competitions, must register at the DevFest website.