Women Disrupting Tech

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 women are still not being taken seriously in funding conversations.
• What the powerful role of bias awareness can be in leveling the funding playing field for female-led companies.

Plus, you'll discover what women want most from men when raising funds for their company. Spoiler: it's not money!

You can find more information on this episode, including Fleur's bio and links to connect with her in the blog post.

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 scale-up jobs and where intuition fits in that process.

- Her roadmap for navigating a fast-changing leadership environment.

For more information about the episode and opportunities to connect with Manisha, check out the show notes.

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

30:50 How to measure the benefits

35:00 The problem with the word Ally

38:36 Why management is the real problem owner of DEI

41:29 Making DEI in tech the new normal

You can learn more about Sergio Panday, Roots Inspire and his podcast The Muddy Middle via the links in the show notes.

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 promote entrepreneurship in education as a viable alternative to traditional employment.

Timestamps:

03:20 How Constantijn Became Special Envoy at Techleap

05:21 Organizing StartupFest with Airbnb, Uber, Google, and Apple CEOs

08:41 Concerns and Opportunities on AI in the Netherlands

10:44 His Leadership Role models

13:40 Neelie Kroes' influence and the importance of diversity

16:07 Building an Inclusive Environment at Techleap

21:11 The importance of inclusive recruitment practices

24:30: Bringing your whole self to the office

30:03: How his father inspired him

34:21: Changes in gender equality in the Dutch Tech ecosystem

39:00: The need for more entrepreneurship education

46:07: The role of men as allies in promoting diversity

49:02: Creating a cultural shift towards more inclusion.

More information about the episode

For more information about the show and links to connect with Constantijn van Oranje and Techleap, please check the show notes.

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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 IQ.

🚀 Why Cultural Intelligence is a critical skill for startup and scale-up founders who want to harness the power of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for global success.

🦄 How you can remain authentic while still being culturally intelligent

Plus, tune in for a chance to win one of five copies of her book "Mastering Cultural Intelligence in Seven Steps."

You can find more information about this episode, including timestamps, Ma Cherie's bio, and opportunities to connect with her on the Women Disrupting Tech blog.

If you have any questions, please post them in the comments. For more Women Disrupting Tech, please follow the show on Spotify.

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 about legal tech, this episode offers valuable insights into the realities of startup life and rethinking "legalese."

The episode is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. More information about the episode, including Lieke's bio, is available in the show notes.

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 for an honest, inspiring conversation on how role models can inspire the next generation of women in tech.

Listen to Episode 67 of Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. And don't forget to check out the show notes for links to connect with Mitra.

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 childbirth and beyond. We discuss the critical role of sleep in women's health, how partners can actively support new mothers and practical tips for self-care.

Tune in to discover how Mamamoon is helping women become superheroes at every stage of their lives.

Links:

Connect with Kasia on LinkedIn.

Learn more about women's health on the Embrac3 website.

Check out the full show notes on Women Disrupting Tech.

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 climate change on allergy prevalence, and the importance of proactive prevention. Tune in to discover how Vini Mini is helping parents protect their children's future health.

Check out the show notes for more information about and opportunities to connect with Jozien and Vini Mini.

This episode is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

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 loved ones' care, providing essential support during one of life's toughest moments. Nara also dives into the overlooked role of men in caregiving and how improving collaboration among caregivers can lead to better outcomes for everyone involved.

Beyond caregiving, Nara offers valuable insights into women in tech and the realities of fundraising, giving listeners an inspiring perspective on building a startup in the healthcare space.

To learn more about Nara and Pal, check out the show notes.