Women Disrupting Tech

Fixing the "supply side" of the talent market is essential to increasing diversity in tech, say Gaurav Gupta and Iris Bloemsma from the Blockverse Institute. In Episode 85 of Women Disrupting Tech , they share their playbook for driving change, including: 🔍 Unlocking the untapped potential of women returning to tech after a career break 👩‍💻 Combining skills training with confidence-building for...

Are biases in AI and risk models more costly than we realize? Carla Canino shares her journey building Kindlee, a company on a mission to create financial inclusion through fair and unbiased AI. Discover: How AI and machine learning influence financial inclusion Why biases in risk models cost the financial industry $443 billion annually How AI systems amplify inequities by magnifying flawed assump...

Psychotherapy hasn't improved its effectiveness in 40 years, and therapists are burning out. But what if AI could change that? In Episode 83 of Women Disrupting Tech, Diana Oganesian shares how her family's decade-long search for therapy after an earthquake inspired her to create Sestive, a platform using AI to make therapy better for everyone. Discover:📊 Why therapy's effectiveness has stagnated...

In Episode 82 of Women Disrupting Tech, I sit down with systemic change expert Karim El Oteify to rethink how organizations approach Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Together, we uncover why a systemic perspective is essential for lasting, meaningful change. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 🔎 The Branding Problem of DEI: How to bridge the gap between communication and real-world impl...

In episode 81 of Women Disrupting Tech, journalist, writer and LGBTQ+ advocate Pim Blom is my guest as we discover the power of storytelling to create an inclusive workplace. In this episode, Pim shares how storytelling can reshape workplace culture, why LGBTQI+ representation matters, and the surprising ways inclusivity benefits everyone. He even pushes me to examine my own biases in a powerful,...

How do you create a sustainable travel business in an industry often seen as unsustainable? And how do you navigate entrepreneurship when your environment doesn’t support your dream? In Episode 80 of Women Disrupting Tech, Virginia Scheele, founder of Life of Gini and MATI, shares her inspiring journey from microbiology to entrepreneurship. Learn how she turned 65 rejections into motivation, built...

In the Netherlands, 60% of households are financially unhealthy. And the effects of financial stress can spill over into the workplace. But how do you help your employees reduce financial stress as an employer? In the Dutch-spoken episode 79 of Women Disrupting Tech , I sit down with Astrid Bruinsma-Eggink. She's the founder of Sofie , a social fintech startup on a mission to help 100 million Euro...

In episode 78 of Women Disrupting Tech, we're talking to Katty Hsu, a global changemaker on a mission to make entrepreneurship more inclusive. Born in Taiwan, raised in South Africa, and now shaping change in Rotterdam, Katty brings a unique perspective to the Women in Tech conversation. In this episode, you'll learn: 📊 Why good data is the backbone of driving diversity and inclusion 💬 How unive...

In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, Angela Ursem reveals how she turned her pandemic wake-up call into Food for Skin, a profitable beauty B Corp, using financial success as the foundation for lasting impact. Discover: 🥗 How edible ingredients are transforming the beauty industry 🌿 The secrets to scaling a brand without greenwashing 💡 Why profitability drives meaningful change for people a...

Imagine preserving your knowledge and personality in a digital form that future generations can access. It sounds like science fiction, but in episode 76 of Women Disrupting Tech, we discover how Stacey Engle's company, Twin Protocol, is making it a reality. Join us as we explore how her AI-powered digital twins redefine the future of knowledge sharing and the challenges of keeping them secure...

In episode 75 of Women Disrupting Tech, Lieke Hölscher shares how she built a transaction monitoring tech startup within Rabobank. Some key topics that we discussed: ​Scaling a team from 2 to 200 people while building a new product from scratch. ​Building a culture where ownership, excellence, and openness are at the core. ​The importance of having diverse perspectives on problem-solving. Special...

In Episode 74 of Women Disrupting Tech, I chat with Ingeborg van Harten, Chief People Officer at 7people, to discover how to build a unicorn-worthy team. We'll cover: How to make your organization as irresistible as the product you're building. How to attract the right talent for your company How to craft a vision-driven team. Plus, you'll learn why DEI is an essential component of a culture peopl...

Why is raising funds still harder for women? In episode 73 of Women Disrupting Tech , Fleur van Leijsen and I explore why women still face more challenges raising funds than men. In this Dutch-spoken episode, Fleur shares how she investigated the problem and came up with practical solutions. We discover: Why equal funding isn't just about fairness; there's a solid business case behind it. How many...

In episode 72 of Women Disrupting Tech, Manisha Athukorala shares how she transitioned from a 9-to-5 corporate career to making an impact at fast-growing scale-ups. We discover her playbook for successfully changing industries while staying true to yourself: - How her move to Uber Eats was the start of a career spanning multiple roles, industries and continents. - How Manisha prepares for her new...

Join me as I interview Sergio Panday about how his company Roots Inspire unlocks the value of diversity by bringing ethnic diversity to corporate boardrooms. Timestamps: 04:20 Sergio's Corporate Banking Journey 10:15 Providing Career Guidance and Leadership mentoring 14:17 The impact of cultural and physical differences 21:45 Critical mass in representation 25:29 The business case for diversity 30...

Constantijn van Oranje , special envoy of Techleap, joins me on a special episode of Women Disrupting Tech to discuss a topic that's near to his heart and crucial for the future of tech: making inclusion the new normal. Key highlights : - The influence of Neelie Kroes and his late father on his leadership approach. - How small, targeted interventions can increase diversity awareness. - The need to...

Whether you're managing remote teams, resolving conflicts, or expanding into new markets, Cultural Intelligence (or CQ) is the key to unlocking startup success. In episode 69 of Women Disrupting Tech, I interview Ma Cherie Cortez to learn how to master cultural intelligence in seven steps. Listen to the episode to hear Ma Cherie talk about: 🧠 What Cultural Intelligence is, and how it differs from...

In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech , we sit down with Lieke Beelen, founder of Visual Contracts, to discuss her mission to simplify legal documents using visual design. Lieke shares her journey as a neuro-divergent founder, the challenges of innovating in a conservative industry, and her courageous decision to take a break and recharge. Whether you're a founder, innovator, or just curious ab...

In Episode 67 of Women Disrupting Tech , Mitra Gilasgar shares her inspiring journey into tech, from navigating the male-dominated environments of academia and corporate settings to becoming a role model for women at Role It Out. She talks about her experiences as one of the few female engineers in a male-dominated company and reveals what it took for her to pave her own path in the industry. Tune...

In this episode, I sit down with Kasia Pokrop, founder of Mamamoon (now Embrac3), to explore her inspiring journey from Philips Digital Health to creating a platform that supports women through the 3 M's: Menstruation, Motherhood, and Menopause. Kasia shares how her experience of giving birth in the Netherlands sparked her mission to educate and empower women, offering them choices in childbir...

In this episode, Jozien Boersma and I talk about how her startup, Vini Mini, tackles the rising epidemic of food allergies. Discover how early introduction of common allergens, like peanuts, cow milk, and nuts, can help build your baby's tolerance and reduce the risk of allergies. Jozien shares essential insights on the timing and methods for safely introducing these foods, the influence of climat...

In episode 64 of Women Disrupting Tech, I sit down with Nara Moripen, co-founder and CEO of Pal, to discuss how a deeply personal experience inspired her to redefine palliative care. Nara shares the emotional journey of becoming a caregiver for her mother and the challenges she faced navigating the healthcare system. We explore how Pal empowers family members to be active participants in their lov...

In episode 63 of Women Disrupting Tech, I interview Vedrana Rogoznica about how her tech startup, Rotoy, is unlocking hidden potential in children by teaching them to code their own robots. Join us as we discover her mission to shift education from teaching facts and formulas to teaching kids how to select and use technology effectively. By listening, you'll also learn about her extraordinary jour...

Join me as I interview the first man on Women Disrupting Tech, Ruben Brave. With his work at the Dutch New Narrative Lab, Ruben makes innovative entrepreneurship accessible to everyone, regardless of background. In episode 62, we explore Ruben's personal experiences with racism in the boardroom, the systemic barriers faced by those who don't fit the traditional mold, and the crucial role men play...

In episode 61 of Women Disrupting Tech, Wyke Potjer and Asceline Groot talk about what living a sustainable life means for them and their platform, hetkanwel.nl. We learn how they built their platform and how to: 🚀 Get started with a sustainable lifestyle. ♻️ Consume less in a growth-centered world. 🌟 Take inspiration from pioneers in sustainable living. Check out the show notes for more informa...