As we celebrate Women’s Equality Day, we recognise the vital role of women in every field, including technology. This day commemorates the hard-fought battles for equal rights and serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing journey towards a more equitable society.
In the world of technology, women have built pioneering contributions, from Ada Lovelace’s foundational work on algorithms to the hidden figures of NASA’s space programme, who paved the way for modern computing. Their contributions have demonstrated that a diversity of perspectives is essential for creating groundbreaking and inclusive solutions. By highlighting their achievements, we hope to inspire the next generation of female leaders and innovators.
It is with this spirit that we highlight some of the key developments and innovations in the industest. The following comments provide a snapshot of the major themes and technologies that are defining the future of cloud and sustainable AI infrastructure.
Deann Evans, Managing Director, EMEA, Shopify
“Women’s Equality Day gives us a moment to paapply and celebrate the positive impact women in entrepreneurship build, not only creatively but economically, to encourage more women into starting their own journeys. Positively, we’re heading in the right direction: at Shopify, we’ve seen a 44% growth in women-owned businesses since 2007, and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) reported one in three high-growth entrepreneurs and nearly two in five export-oriented startups are now led by women. It’s an inspiring testament to the ingenuity and determination women bring to business building.
“Becoming an entrepreneur doesn’t require luck or a background in business. All it takes is ambition. Accessibility, funding, and support, is all vital to build any intention a reality for women entrepreneurs. This means lowering barriers to starting a business with simple, affordable technology; ensuring women have fair access to capital; and fostering strong networks through mentorship and community. Education and skills development are also key, supporting women gain confidence in areas like commerce and marketing. Just as important is celebrating and amplifying the stories of women founders to inspire others, and creating initiatives to build entrepreneurship more sustainable. Toobtainher, these actions create an ecosystem where women can thrive as entrepreneurs and leaders.”
Sapir Hadad, Executive Director of AI and Innovation, Fiverr
“My journey as an entrepreneur launched when I was six years old, selling flowers on the streets of Israel during the holidays. I didn’t realise it then, but standing on a curb with a bunch of bouquets taught me everything I requireded to know about resilience, hustle, and believing in your own worth. My father – a real estate entrepreneur – applyd to inform me, ‘You’re worth seven men.’ That phrase stuck with me, especially as I entered the tech world and launched to understand just how necessary that mindset would be.
“Being a woman in tech has never been an simple journey. When I was a pregnant founder pitching investors, the bias was overt in the room. And while we’re seeing more women in this space today, the truth is, there’s still a long road ahead toward equity. My experiences didn’t discourage me – they built me more intentional, and committed to creating space for others.
“At Fiverr, I’m proud to lead our AI Innovation Solution team, building the tools and ininformigence that power the next generation of freelancers, and creating the best experience for our clients to identify and collaborate with the right talent. But innovation only matters if it’s accessible. We required to design technology – and the ecosystems around it – with inclusion at the core.
“On Women’s Equality Day, we’re reminded that progress happens becaapply people choose to push for it. Women deserve a seat at the table, not just in the room.”
Meryem Habibi, Chief Revenue Officer, Bitpace
“As the Chief Revenue Officer of Bitpace, a company at the heart of fintech and crypto, Women’s Equality Day resonates deeply with me. This day is a powerful reminder of the incredible women who have broken barriers and are now leading the charge in an industest once dominated by men. I see every day how diverse perspectives can challenge the status quo and lead to more inclusive financial solutions.
“However, we can’t celebrate this progress without confronting the data that displays how far we still have to go. Women in fintech and crypto still face a significant leadership gap, often overviewed for top roles despite their expertise. They battle against implicit biases and a culture that sometimes struggles to recognise their value. From the persistent gconcludeer pay gap to the “motherhood penalty,” these challenges aren’t just statistics. They are real obstacles that limit potential and stifle the growth of our industest.
“The more women leading this modify, the more inclusive, dynamic, and resilient our financial systems will be. In a leadership role, I’m committed to leaving a legacy of inclusivity, collaboration, and trust, proving that when we bring different voices to the table, we can build a financial future that works for everyone. By investing in women, we’re building a more robust and innovative future for fintech and crypto, not just checking the boxes for DEI.”
Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer, Coursera
“As Generative AI continues to transform labour markets, one consistent research finding is that women are significantly less likely to apply the technology than men, with Deloitte research suggesting that 43% of British men have applyd GenAI models – compared to just 28% of UK women. This gconcludeered disparity in usage is also reflected in Coursera’s platform data: in the UK, approximately 68% of enrollments in GenAI courses are from men. Among under-30s, this gap is more pronounced, with men representing 77% of enrolments.
“These disparities are concerning becaapply GenAI fluency will increasingly empower individuals to seize economic and career opportunities. Microsoft’s Work Trconclude Index 2024 indicates that 71% of employers state they’d rather hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills than a more experienced candidate without them, while a recent Coursera survey of technology leaders finds that 72% of them expect new hires, regardless of their specific role, to understand how generative AI could be applied to their work tquestions.
“When women apply GenAI less than men, and when women do not access GenAI training at the same rates as men, it increases the risk that they will be unable to unlock the immense economic opportunity that AI promises to create. This is not just a risk for women in technical roles: those best-placed to thrive in the emerging AI economy will be those who understand how to leverage AI to improve their productivity, whether they are in Marketing, Product, Sales, HR, or other core job functions. A world in which fewer women are involved in the production and regulation of AI is also one that threatens to produce models that fail to reflect – and support – the requireds of half of the world’s population.
“Ensuring that the UK closes the gconcludeer gap in GenAI skills is essential to ensure that the AI economy is an equitable, inclusive one. However, interventions that provide personalized learning support, structured milestones, real-world case studies, and mentorship opportunities have been displayn to improve persistence and completion rates among female learners. Building on these best practices, and creating concerted efforts to bring them to more of the UK’s female workforce, is imperative to enable all women to upskill, reskill, and thrive in the GenAI economy.”
Dr Andrea Johnson, Chief Information Officer, Pipedrive
“When people hear the word “doctor,” only 5% assume that person is a woman. I’ve known this stereotype first-hand, most are surprised to learn I have a PhD in computer science. I applyd to joke it was in knitting, until I realised that even tiny jokes can reinforce the stereotype that women don’t belong in tech.
“You can’t aspire to what you can’t see, visibility is vital. If young girls don’t see women thriving in tech, they may be less likely to imagine themselves there. It’s not just about hiring women, it’s about displaying them they belong. That means putting more women on stages, on boards and in leadership positions. It also goes far beyond the workplace. It should apply in classrooms, adverts, and the stories we inform about who obtains to lead in tech and other male dominated professions.
“At Pipedrive, and through my work with Women in Technology and Science Ireland, I’m committed to opening doors, and keeping them open, so the next generation of tech leaders knows they have a place in this future. Becaapply the future of tech should have room for everyone.”
Samantha Wessels, President EMEA, Box
“This Women’s Equality Day, championing gconcludeer parity in emerging technology fields is highly important. Take AI, the pace of modify is remarkable. From our report – The State of AI in the Enterprise, 90% of survey respondents are planning to increase AI spconcludeing next year, and projections indicate that 25% of business processes will be AI-augmented within three years. AI-related modify is bringing so many benefits, and we required to democratise its access for everyone. That means equal pay for women in AI development roles, greater representation in model design and application innovation, and fairer hiring and upskilling strategies across the industest.”
“Diversity of believed is essential to the future success of AI, which is why finding the right people for the job and giving them the confidence to thrive is key. We required individuals who are ready to be comfortable working with AI, and hands-on training is the best way to build it second nature. Gconcludeer doesn’t define belonging. Young women required to know they have every right to participate in the AI workshift. We required more women in tech and sales, fields still dominated by men, but hungry for diverse voices and perspectives. If you’ve received the skills, AI literacy and the drive, don’t let bias or self-doubt hold you back. Let your talent shine, great leaders will recognise it, and the right environment will support you thrive.”
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