Hi friend 👋
Welcome to another edition of Marketing At Scale, where we provide actionable insights and practical guides within marketing and tech - that can all be consumed in your coffee break!
Today on March 8th we observe International Women's Day. I deliberately choose not to say celebrate, because although International Women’s Day is a day to recognize the achievements of women in terms of equal rights, this day also serves as a reminder of the fact that we, in 2024, still have a long way to go. The harsh reality is, that no country in the world has achieved gender equality.
When it comes to the business world, some industries have accomplished a higher degree of equality than others, and the tech industry is one where progress is lagging behind. So today, I wanted to highlight some of the extraordinary women who are reshaping this field. There are plenty of inspiring female tech leaders, and celebrating them is a powerful way to inspire aspiring women in tech 🦾.
In this issue:
✅Deep dive: These women are reshaping the tech industry
✅It’s all in the numbers – the state of (in)equality in tech
✅In case you missed it – must-see tech headlines
Let's dive in 🏊♀️
🔎 Deep dive
Photo by Ross Findon on unsplash.com
These women are reshaping the tech industry
International Women's Day on March 8th is a day to both recognize progress and to acknowledge the work that still needs to be done in achieving gender equality. In the business world, this is especially true for the tech industry. For example, female founders receive less than 3% of VC funding.
But, did you know that the first programmer was actually a woman? Ada Lovelace, recognized as the first computer programmer, set the stage for future generations. Today, countless women are not just part of the tech industry; they are leaders and innovators. Here are some of the influential women who are shaping the tech landscape today.
Melanie Perkins - Co-founder and CEO of Canva
From a college student in Perth, Australia, to a billionaire tech entrepreneur. Melanie Perkins co-founded Canva, a graphic design platform that democratized design, making it accessible to everyone. Melanie conceptualized Canva in 2007 when she was just 19 years old. Under her leadership, Canva has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar company, empowering users worldwide with user-friendly design tools.
Mira Murati - CTO of OpenAI
Mira Murati is an Albanian engineer and tech executive known for her significant contributions to AI.
As the CTO of OpenAI, she is at the forefront of developing and overseeing innovative AI technologies. Her work, which includes pivotal projects like ChatGPT, DALL-E, and GPT-4, is shaping the future of AI. Mira Murati has been a vocal advocate for AI regulation, stressing the need for governmental involvement in establishing safety standards for AI deployment.
Ida Tin - Founder of Clue, Pioneer of 'Femtech'
Ida Tin is a Danish entrepreneur and the founder of Clue, a period-tracking app and menstrual health resource with 10 million users in 190 countries. Clue helps women understand their cycles and their bodies, and also gathers data that can be used to push women's science forward. In 2016, Tin was credited for coining the term "femtech" to refer to technology designed for women's health.
Yamini Rangan - CEO of HubSpot
As CEO at HubSpot, Yamini Rangan is redefining digital marketing and customer engagement, showcasing how female leadership is pivotal in evolving global tech companies. With over 25 years in the tech industry, she is known for leading high-performance teams with empathy and curiosity. San Francisco Business Times recognized Yamini as one of the Most Influential Women in Business.
Julia Hartz - Co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite
Julia Hartz is an American entrepreneur, investor, and the co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite, a global ticketing and event technology platform. She is known for her leadership of Eventbrite during the COVID-19 pandemic and for empowering women in the technology industry. She has been recognized in several prestigious lists such as Fortune's Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs and Inc.'s Female Founders 100.
Helena Samsioe - Founder and CEO of GLOBHE
Swedish entrepreneur Helena Samsioe is the visionary behind GLOBHE, a company leveraging drone technology for humanitarian and health purposes. Her work exemplifies the use of technology for social good, illustrating the significant positive impacts tech can have on society. Helena has been named in the World's Top 50 Women in Tech by Forbes and has been featured as the Drone Queen on BBC.
These women are just a few examples of the countless inspiring female leaders in tech. However, the journey towards gender equality in this domain is far from complete. Women in this field face unique challenges, including gender bias, underrepresentation, and the struggle for equal opportunities and pay. Not to mention the struggle for equal funding opportunities. These leaders serve not only as success stories but also as reminders of the barriers that still need to be dismantled.
💬 Do you have a female role model in tech? Hit reply and let me know!
💡It’s all in the numbers
The state of (in)equality in tech
Women only represent 33% of the workforce at large tech companies (Deloitte)
50% of women in tech leave their jobs by age 35 (Accenture)
In technical manager positions, only 52 women are promoted for every 100 men (McKinsey)
The ratio of men to women in tech firms is about 3:1 (Deloitte)
Women make up just 14% of the total software engineering workforce (Built In)
Source: Statista
📢 In case you missed it
Must-see tech headlines
Sora: OpenAI launches tool that instantly creates video from text
The new model, nicknamed Sora after the Japanese word for “sky”, can produce realistic footage up to a minute long, based on a user’s instructions on both subject matter and style. Read more
What a bunch of A-list celebs taught me about how to use my phone
Nobody has to think more carefully about their technological lives than celebrities. And a few of them have figured out the answer. Read more
The smart ring era is here
Tech companies will soon be fighting for your finger. The reason? Subscription revenue. Read more
How fake AI images can expand your mind
A recent viral image of Pope Francis wearing an unusually hip white puffer jacket was both a fake created by generative AI and an omen that marked the accelerating collapse of a clearly distinguishable boundary between imagination and reality. Read more
🥳 Just for fun
The history of the Google Doodle
The first Doodle was a simple out-of-office message, but in the past 25 years, Doodles have grown into a global phenomenon celebrating heroes, events, culture, places, and more.
The very first Doodle was published in 1998 as a quick way for Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin to let people know they would be out of office for Burning Man.
The team behind Doodles consists of in-house artists (called "Doodlers"), engineers, designers, program managers, marketers, and cultural consultants. They have created over 5,000 Doodles over the decades!
The first AI powered Doodle was published in 2019, celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach. Players are first prompted to compose a two measure melody of their choice. With the pressing of a button, the Doodle then uses machine learning to harmonize their custom melody into Bach’s signature music style. Try it yourself here.
Dive into the history of the Google Doodle
That’s it for this edition!
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