Waffle.org(NPO)

What Waffle.org(NPO) does

特定非営利活動法人Waffle is a Tokyo-based non-profit organization focused on closing Japan's gender gap in technology. Founded informally in 2017 by Sayaka Tanaka and incorporated in 2019, it became a certified NPO (特定非営利活動法人) in August 2022. Waffle operates a portfolio of free educational programs for female and non-binary students in Japan: Waffle Camp (one-day coding workshops using HTML/CSS for middle and high school students), Technovation Girls Japan (the Japan chapter of the global social-impact app development contest, with 408 participants and 78 teams in 2026), Waffle College (a multi-month programming and tech-career program for university students, with measurable internship outcomes), Waffle Club (bi-monthly online workshops), Waffle Festival (an annual student tech conference), and the newly launched Waffle Empower Next Program (a five-month AI-focused entrepreneurship track). The organization also runs a policy advocacy function whose recommendations have been incorporated into Japan's Basic Policies on Economic and Fiscal Reform for four consecutive years, and its chairperson was appointed to a MEXT Central Council for Education sub-committee in 2025.

All Waffle programs are delivered free of charge to participants. The underlying technology stack is light and largely composed of off-the-shelf tools: HTML/CSS/JavaScript for Waffle Camp, the Thunkable no-code platform and ChatGPT and Whisper APIs for Technovation Girls, and standard online collaboration tooling (Zoom, Discord, Google Workspace) for program delivery. Waffle does not operate a proprietary technology platform; its competitive substance lies in curriculum, community, mentor networks, and policy access rather than in owned software infrastructure.

Waffle funds itself through three revenue streams: corporate sponsorships (MetLife Foundation, Kyndryl, Deloitte Tohmatsu, NTT, Salesforce, Lenovo, Capgemini, Microsoft Japan, AWS Japan, and many others providing cash, volunteers, mentors, venues, and in-kind donations), foundation grants (notably Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls, up to $2 million), and individual donations. The organization is pursuing Certified NPO status to make donations tax-deductible. It operates with 1–10 staff alongside an extensive volunteer mentor base, reaches all 47 Japanese prefectures, and in March 2026 signed its first international institutional partnership (Business and Technology University, Georgia), signaling the early stage of geographic expansion beyond Japan.

Name

Waffle.org(NPO)

Legal name

特定非営利活動法人Waffle

Website

https://waffle-waffle.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

特定非営利活動法人Waffle is a Tokyo-based certified NPO that runs free coding, app-development, and tech-career programs for female and non-binary students across all 47 Japanese prefectures, funded by corporate sponsors and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

akta.pro primary industry

Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

Keywords

• STEM education programs
• Gender equity initiatives
• Coding workshops
• Youth technology training
• Nonprofit education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorship: Companies provide financial support, volunteer mentors, and in-kind donations (PCs, venue, etc.) in exchange for association with the organization's mission and access to talent pipeline. Sponsors include MetLife Foundation, Kyndryl, Lenovo, NTT, Salesforce, and many others.
2. Individual Donations: Individual supporters contribute donations, with the organization working toward Certified NPO status to make future donations tax-deductible.
3. Foundation Grants: International foundations such as Google.org Impact Challenge provide grant funding. For example, Google.org Women and Girls Impact Challenge awarded up to $2 million.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Waffle.org is a Japanese NPO that delivers free IT and STEM education programs to girls and gender minorities. Its core offerings include Waffle Camp (one-day coding workshops for middle/high school students featuring HTML/CSS), Technovation Girls (a global app development contest supported with localized curriculum), Waffle College (tech career training for university students), Waffle Club (bi-monthly online workshops), and the Waffle Empower Next Program (AI-powered entrepreneurship training). All programs are delivered free of charge and funded through corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and individual donations.

Product overview

Waffle is an NPO operating a portfolio of educational programs targeting women and non-binary individuals at different stages: Waffle Camp provides one-day coding workshops for middle/high school students featuring website creation with HTML/CSS and career sessions; Technovation Girls is a global social impact app development contest supported with free business and app development courses; Waffle College offers university students programming education and internship placement support; Waffle Club provides monthly online workshops; Waffle Festival hosts annual tech conferences; and the Waffle Empower Next Program targets aspiring entrepreneurs with AI-powered app development. Policy advocacy work addresses structural barriers to gender equality in STEM. The organization also publishes career guidance books.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Waffle Camp: One-day coding workshops for middle/high school girls and non-binary students to experience IT and technology careers.
• Waffle College
• Technovation Girls
• Waffle Club
• Waffle Empower Next Program

Products and services

• Waffle Camp One-day coding workshop for middle and high school girls and non-binary students in Japan. Participants learn website creation using HTML/CSS and attend career sessions featuring female engineers and tech role models.
• Technovation Girls Japan World's largest social impact app development contest for teen girls and gender minorities. Waffle supports Japanese participants in developing mobile apps over 6 months, culminating in a national pitch event and potential advancement to the World Summit.
• Waffle College Community and programming learning program for female and non-binary university students in Japan pursuing tech careers. Offers entry-level courses and a Tech Career Course aimed at securing software engineering internships and employment.
• Waffle Club Bi-monthly online workshops for girls and non-binary students in Japan to learn programming logic and career skills from scratch through hands-on projects.
• Waffle Festival Annual tech conference for middle/high school and university students featuring keynotes, career talks, workshops, and networking opportunities with industry professionals.
• Waffle Empower Next Program Global entrepreneurship program combining AI, entrepreneurship spirit, and technology for women and non-binary university and high school students to develop AI-powered apps and services.
• Me x IT = Infinity: Guidebook for Girls and Gender Minorities to Succeed in IT Published book serving as a career guide for girls and gender minorities in IT, addressing common questions about women's aptitude for STEM and the male-dominated tech industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Programming interest increased from 77% to 92% after Waffle Camp participation (5-point scale average improved from 4.05 to 4.51)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core, gold, diamond, challenge stage gold, media, technical, learning support, flagship and minor.

• Lenovo JapancoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Lenovo Japan is a Special Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026 Japan and provides the Lenovo Award at the pitch event. Supports Waffle's mission to promote girls in technology.
• NTT GroupcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026NTT Group is a Special Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026, providing the NTT Group Award at the Japan pitch event. Supports Waffle programs and participants.
• Salesforce JapangoldGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Salesforce Japan is a Gold Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026, providing the Salesforce Award and supporting the competition.
• Unity Technologies JapangoldGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Unity Technologies Japan is a Gold Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026, providing the Unity Award at the Japan pitch event.
• The Japan Research Institute (JRI)goldGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026JRI is a Gold Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026, providing the Japan Research Institute Award.
• Saison TechnologygoldGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Saison Technology is a Special Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026.
• Deloitte Tohmatsu GroupdiamondGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Deloitte Tohmatsu Group is the Diamond Sponsor of the Challenge Stage in Technovation Girls 2026, and provides judging support through its DEI Leader.
• Capgemini JapangoldGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Capgemini Japan is a sponsor of Waffle and hosted the Waffle Camp Tokyo event in October 2025, providing employees as career talk speakers.
• BIPROGYchallenge stage goldGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026BIPROGY is a Challenge Stage Gold Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026, supporting participants ranked 11-20.
• Uniadexchallenge stage goldGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Uniadex is a Challenge Stage Gold Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026, and supported the Waffle College Alumni Reunion event.
• TokyoDevchallenge stage goldGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026TokyoDev is a Challenge Stage Gold Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026 and provides judges for the Challenge Stage.
• Forbes JapanmediaGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Forbes Japan is a Media Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026 and featured a Technovation Girls 2026 team in an article about teenage nighttime loneliness and AI.
• FujitsutechnicalTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Fujitsu is a Technical Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026.
• Native Camplearning supportGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Native Camp is a Learning Support Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026, supporting participants' English learning.
• Business and Technology University (Georgia)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026In March 2026, Waffle signed a basic agreement with Georgia's Business and Technology University for cooperation on gender equality and women's empowerment in IT/STEM fields, marking Waffle's first international institutional partnership.
• Morgan StanleyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Morgan Stanley employees serve as volunteer mentors and judges for Waffle programs including Technovation Girls.
• KyndrylcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Kyndryl has partnered with Waffle for two years to address Japan's technology gender gap. Kyndryl employees provide career events, mentoring, and networking opportunities at their Tokyo office. Program participants have gone on to pursue IT careers at technology companies.
• CybozuminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a supporting partner company on Waffle's website, providing support for Waffle's activities.
• CyberAgentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a supporting partner company on Waffle's website.
• NulabminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a supporting partner company on Waffle's website.
• United Way JapanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporting partner company on Waffle's website.
• TechnoPro GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a supporting partner company on Waffle's website.
• Apple JapanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerApple featured Waffle's activities on the App Store Today tab on International Women's Day 2024, raising visibility for the organization.
• Japan Oracle (日本オラクル)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJapan Oracle provided venue support for the 2019 iamtheCODE Hackathon held at their Tokyo headquarters.
• iamtheCODEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaffle collaborated with the African STEM education NPO iamtheCODE to co-host the 2019 iamtheCODE Hackathon in Japan, promoting SDGs through programming for girls.
• Minna no Code (みんなのコード)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaffle partnered with Minna no Code, a Japanese programming education NPO, for the 2019 iamtheCODE Hackathon and other joint initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Progate: Japan-based online programming education platform offering free and paid coding courses. Operates in adjacent K-12/young adult coding education space in Japan, but as a for-profit platform rather than NPO; not a direct gender-focused competitor.
• Salesforce.org (Salesforce Japan Foundation): Philanthropic arm of Salesforce — a current Gold Sponsor of Technovation Girls 2026 Japan and partner of Waffle. Operates as ecosystem funder and stakeholder in the gender-in-tech space rather than a direct program competitor.

Direct peers

• Girls Who Code: US-based NPO focused on closing the gender gap in technology through coding education, clubs, and summer immersion programs for girls. Same mission, similar program structure, slightly older and larger scale.
• Black Girls CODE: US-based NPO providing technology education for Black girls and other underrepresented youth. Same demographic empowerment model, coding workshops, and pipeline-building approach as Waffle, though serving a different underrepresented group.
• CoderDojo Japan: Japan-based chapter network of the global CoderDojo movement, providing free coding clubs for children. Operates in the same Japanese K-12 coding education space with similar volunteer-driven NPO model.
• Technovation (Technovation Girls Global): Technovation is the global parent organization of the Technovation Girls app development contest that Waffle runs locally in Japan. Same target audience (teen girls and gender minorities), same contest format, same curriculum, directly comparable mission.
• Minna no Code (みんなのコード): Japan-based NPO providing programming education to children, with whom Waffle has previously co-organized events (iamtheCODE Hackathon 2019). Operates in the same Japanese K-12 coding education space with a similar nonprofit model.
• iamtheCODE: African-led global NPO promoting STEM education and coding for girls, with whom Waffle co-hosted the 2019 iamtheCODE Hackathon in Tokyo. Highly comparable mission targeting gender minorities in tech education internationally.

Broad incumbents

• Code.org: Largest US-based K-12 computer science education nonprofit offering free curricula broadly across schools. Not gender-targeted like Waffle, but a much larger incumbent in the same K-12 coding education space.

Regional players

• Asian Women in Tech: Regional community organization supporting women in technology across Asia, including Japan. Comparable gender-in-tech mission and target audience, though more of a community/networking organization than an education provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Waffle_org
• Facebookfacebook.com/Waffle.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/waffle_org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgJ4wkI3aZJ4L5eW4JSFCYQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waffle-org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waffle.org(NPO)