Today is International Women’s Day. To celebrate that, we are going a bit further than just fintech. To the extent that every company will eventually be a fintech company according to Andreessen Horowitz, we actually are always in fintech territory… Today, we recognise the achievements of business leaders and innovators across a range of industries. What they have in common is their passion and understanding of blockchain technology. Some of them are tech leaders, cryptocurrency traders, or pioneers. Others are community builders, supply chain specialists, or even startup investors. We asked them to tell us a bit more about who they are, and what they do with the technology. And on this day, to speak about what it’s like to be a super-achieving woman in blockchain. But it goes beyond their gender. These are 21 thought leaders in blockchain that you should know about.
And keep an eye on them as they go on and achieve even greater things…!
Special thank you to The Bigger Pie and to Caroline Hoffmann from MarketOrders for helping us source many of these incredible women.
Teana Baker-Taylor, General Manager, Crypto.com, United Kingdom
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am a champion and advocate for crypto, fintech, and enabling greater access to financial services. Enabling more choice and frictionless experience in creating and managing their financial health and wealth. I am the General Manager of the U.K. for Crypto.com. We serve over 10 million users on our platforms, which provide alternatives to traditional financial services. Our business ethos is built on a solid foundation of security, privacy, and compliance, supporting our vision to put “cryptocurrency in every wallet“. I was attracted to Crypto.com vision and our compliant approach. That’s because they aligned with my personal dedication to growing the crypto market ecosystem in a responsible and sustainable way. I lead our U.K. market strategy, operations, business development, product commercialisation, and regulatory affairs.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
I was the woman wandering around a large, conservative global bank talking about bitcoin. It was awkward! I was bemused by how few traditional financiers truly understood or appreciated blockchain and tokenomics. Both the technology and the opportunity potential. And it seemed then like it was going to be a long way off until they did. As I learned more about the technology and the use cases, I knew I needed to work in this industry. I believe it will one day truly disrupt and upend how consumers access and use financial services.
Coming from traditional finance, I was accustomed to being one of or the only woman in the room. I expected that working within the blockchain ecosystem would be similar. Whilst we have a way to go to achieve gender parity, I find that today I work with more women and diverse teams than I ever have previously.
In the grand scheme of things, crypto is a brand-new industry. It is both in need of and welcoming of transferable skills from other industries. So it’s a great place to use your talents in a new way. The crypto ecosystem also supports a culture that fosters an alternative mindset to the status quo. If you haven’t quite found your tribe elsewhere, and you’re passionate about technology and the evolution of money, I recommend it!
Elaine Bannerman, Founder, Pan African Tech Foundation, United Kingdom
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am a serial entrepreneur, a Pan-Africanist, and the founder of Pan-African Tech Foundation (PATF). It is an independent, not-for-profit, non-governmental organization established to provide education, legal, regulatory and technological support in the establishment and implementation of blockchain and other emerging technologies in Africa. PATF inspires technology actions and espouses non-exploitation of people, resources, and the environment at its core. We work towards creating and executing initiatives for equitable and empowering opportunities for Africa and its youth. Moreover, we bring together a multidisciplinary team of industry experts to facilitate the establishment of infrastructure for new emerging technologies in Africa. PATF’s mission is to prepare the platform for African entrepreneurs to access mentorship, business strategy, and development. That is to enhance their technological innovations for the benefit of the broader society and to establish a level playing field for international competition.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
My journey into the blockchain industry was one of curiosity spurred by a keen interest to understand and participate in the technological revolution, as I saw it. I was determined to learn. I was resilient, and when I got it wrong I made sure I went back to the drawing board. To ensure that I had a grasp of the concepts of digital ledger technology. Furthermore, I attended many conferences, networked with many experts in the field, and built some lasting relationships through my networking. There is room for women in blockchain and I would encourage women to learn, network, and build relationships across the industry. The future of blockchain and digital ledger technology holds promise for women who have become experts in the field.
Dr Amber Ghaddar, Founder, AllianceBlock, United Kingdom
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am one of the founders of AllianceBlock, a blockchain startup building the framework of the world’s first globally compliant capital market by bridging TradFi and DeFi. I spent my early career in investment banking and was a trader at JP Morgan before starting AllianceBlock in late 2018. Furthermore, I am also an advocate of women in tech and blockchain, and sit on the board of BIBA. With Bridget Greenwood, we recently founded an initiative aiming to finance women-led startups in the UK and working towards adding £200 billion to the post-Brexit UK economy. I am a strong proponent of participative capitalism and believe that the current form of capitalism is unsustainable.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
Unconscious bias is present in any male-dominated industry, and it is present as well in blockchain. Out of the 200 largest crypto projects by market cap, only four are founded by women. You can therefore see that the road is still long. There are a few things we can do to decrease the gender gap in the industry.
Firstly, focus on funding. It is a well known fact that women founders attract less capital than men. Only 2.8% of total VC funding in the US last year. I would advise women founders to first seek women investors or VCs focusing on diversity investments, particularly for early-stage projects.
Secondly, join women networks. Leveraging women networks can be extremely helpful to connect with the right people from investors to media to new hires. One group that I quite like that is UK-based with global reach is ‘The Bigger Pie’ where you have a fantastic and helpful community of women in blockchain.
Pandwe Gibson, Principal Founder and CEO, EcoTech Visions, United States
Who are you, and what do you do?
By way of introduction: every time I look up at the surrounding lights I think of my Grandmother, Mamie Gibson, and her sister, my great aunt Evelyn Gaston. They worked on the Manhattan Project that led to the discovery and harnessing of atomic energy. My roots derive from female scientists who believe and prove innovators solve the world’s problems. As Black women scientists in the 1930s and 40s, I can only imagine the horrific daily pressures my grandmother and great aunt faced. Though I have accomplished a few things in my life, graduating from MIT, Harvard, and CGU with an MBA, MA, and PhD. As well as founding a Charter Management Organization that scaled to 16 schools under my leadership in post-Katrina New Orleans. And scaling several other businesses. I still have a huge legacy that I intend to step into.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
EcoTech Visions (ETV) is my vehicle to honour and continue the propulsion of my ancestor’s commitment to better humanity through disruption. EcoTech Visions is an end-to-end platform for green logistics enabling smarter distribution for energy efficient manufacturing and collective consumption of consumer-friendly eco-products. ETV guides entrepreneurs to grow smart manufacturing for smart cities through an on-demand marketplace powered by AI, IoT, and Blockchain technology. This B2B e-commerce platform allows buyers and sellers to connect to buy ethically sourced raw materials and products.
Bridget Greenwood, Founder, The Bigger Pie, United Kingdom
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am the founder of The Bigger Pie. When I first came into the industry in 2017, the lack of women in the space was noticeable. But those pioneering women who were already leading the way were incredibly smart, with multiple degrees, speaking multiple languages, and with impressive career CVs. They were also looking to hold out their hand to the next wave of people and women coming into the sector. I decided I wanted to spend time with these women in a meaningful way. So I set up The Bigger Pie to support the women in the sector, shine a light on these role models, coordinate with event organisers to have more women on stage, and make it easier for women to connect with each other. We build a global community of leaders and learners supporting diversity and inclusion in blockchain and emerging technologies.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
This is an exciting space for people to come in and really help shape our future across the world. As in any nascent industry, you need to be able to distinguish between hot air talk and genuine projects and people. There are a number of women in blockchain groups, like The Bigger Pie. Groups that will support you in your learnings, connections, skills, and insights. Reach out to us, we’d love to hear from you.
Sharon Henley, Chief Product Officer, Coincover, United Kingdom
Who are you and what do you do?
I got my start in blockchain and crypto while Head of Marketing at the Royal Mint. This is where I was responsible for launching The Royal Mint’s blockchain venture. The Royal Mint Gold (RMG) was the world’s first gold-backed stable coin. More recently, I serve as Chief Product Officer for Coincover. We are delivering FDIC-like Deposit Protection and insurance back theft cover for crypto assets. My passion is bringing financial freedom to the masses and help deliver this while sitting as a non-executive director for Trustworks.io. Connecting business, money, data, and systems to the smart contract economy.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
When I first got into blockchain and crypto, it was really hard to find much information about the space. Yet, I was tasked to bring to market the world’s first gold-backed stable coin. I had to do a lot of googling, go to networking events, connect with like-minded people and join the dots. My advice is to just jump in, network, make connections and be prepared to study, learn, make mistakes and move on. But also know that being in this space is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so enjoy it. And if you ever get the chance to go to a blockchain hackathon – grab it by the horns – they are the most fun!
Eman Herawy, Founder, Arabs in Blockchain, Egypt
Who are you, and what do you do?
I’m a Devcon scholar Alumni at Ethereum Foundation. I was selected as one of the top ten scholars in the Devcon scholar program in Osaka 2019. Furthermore, I am a blockchain mentor and reviewer at Udacity, blockchain full-stack developer, and Ambassador for ConsenSys Quorum and Status Network with a professional master’s degree in cloud computing networks from Cairo University. In late 2020, I have founded Arabs in Blockchain. It is an open community to empower the Arab world in blockchain through organizing events & mentorship programs and increasing the Arabic content in blockchain.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
It’s like travelling to the future, examining its problem, and returning to work on the solution. Can you imagine the feeling?
As an Arab woman in blockchain, it’s something unique and special. But it comes with lots of responsibilities. You are paving the way for newcomers, especially women in conservative societies, to prove that women can shape the future. If I have a golden piece of advice, it would be “never lose hope, keep going and follow your heart”.
Sukhi Jutla, Co-Founder & COO, MarketOrders, United Kingdom
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am a tech entrepreneur, author, and co-founder of MarketOrders. It is an award-winning B2B platform that enables independent retail jewellers to buy gold and diamond jewellery directly and seamlessly from international suppliers. We are giving them access to global designs and assured product quality. We thus aim to provide cheaper prices and faster service using innovative technology. I am really excited about how technology like blockchain can be used to make the world a more inclusive place. It has the potential to democratise opportunities for everyone.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
I believe that technology is genderless and welcoming to women. There are so many ways in which to start a career in tech. So don’t be put off if you don’t code or have programming skills. Technology consists of more than that, such as design and business logic. My wish is for every woman to feel confident and brave in starting a venture in technology. Whether it be a startup or learning to code. Be part of the conversation to change the current narrative!
Genevieve Leveille, Principal Founder and CEO, AgriLedger, United Kingdom
Who are you, and what do you do?
Who am I, well that is a question that can be so deep and so faceted. I am a Haitian-American, living on the beautiful Isle of Jersey. I have moved at least every 10 years, and I get energy from my surrounding and making a fundamental difference in the world. That is by employing the power of technology whilst assuring that we enhance the lives who depend on it. An Island girl, I get pleasure from those types of communities and I love travelling but always coming back to my oasis.
Furthermore, I am a scientist, a biochemist by training. This thirst for knowledge and tinkering has seen me steadfastly through my career. That’s how I travelled the halls of great and seminal organizations. Looking on how we could either create better outcomes for our staff and our investors. I worked for many years in the realm of Finance and Banking and got the opportunity to see the workings from both the customer and the bank’s side. This allowed me to get a better understanding of the needs and desire of all parties and how to shape the technology to meet these.
Today, I lead a company called AgriLedger. We are looking to revolutionize how value is transferred amongst the participants of this value chain. This includes the producers, all the way to the consumer and assuring through trust efficiencies and reduction in waste and loss.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
I have been involved in Distributed Ledger Technologies since 2015. I started my journey by taking part in a project that was rather seminal in allowing me to see the value of the technology beyond the Exchange of Value. What my work in finance had taught me was that transactions were usually a result of a process and not always given. Therefore, reduction of cost would be achieved via Straight Through Processing (STP). Being a woman in this technology can be an advantage if we use our roles as influencers. We can help foster collaboration as it demands that all parties agree to the rules and expectation or there is chaos. Getting more women into the space is about education and creating for them safe havens where they can excel while still being able to carry the responsibilities that many have to their families and communities.
It is important to change the expectations of what is effective outputs and not measure those in time increments but against measurements of quality.
Alexandra Levin, Esq., Founder, Womin.io, USA & Israel
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am the founder of Womin.io, a decentralized employment marketplace powered by blockchain technology. It provides a platform for employers and female freelancers to engage directly on a peer-to-peer basis, in real-time, in a growing gig economy. It was listed among the Top 25 Challengers in Sir Richard Branson’s Extreme Tech Challenge 2019. I’ve been recognized among the top blockchain influencers and was named one of the “Top 50 Most Daring Entrepreneurs of 2018” by Entrepreneur Magazine. By way of background, I have practised corporate, securities, and technology law for the last 20 years in London and New York. This was my entry into the blockchain space, when U.S. law was largely silent about it. As such, I saw an opportunity to help guide startups and investors to be compliant in a challenging regulatory environment.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
Being a woman in blockchain has been both challenging and rewarding. Early on I noticed a frat-boy or “bitcoin bro” type of environment in many conferences I attended. I therefore decided to try to change that. I understood that in order to encourage more women to join this space, it was important for them to see women on stage, leading the industry. So I began speaking regularly at conferences globally and mentoring or judging at academic and private accelerators. I also co-created Women on the Block, the first all-female speaker blockchain conference as part of New York Blockchain Week. The net proceeds of which were donated to sponsor girls at the 2019 CryptoChicks Blockchain and AI Youth hackathon in the Bahamas led by Rhonda Eldridge. As well as to support Code to Inspire, the first coding school for girls in Herat, Afghanistan founded by Fereshteh Forough.
At the last in-person Consensus conference in 2019, I organized the 3-day Womin’s Lounge on-site. This is where I interviewed Congressman Warren Davidson of the Congressional Blockchain Caucus and organized panels to train the audience on topics ranging from how to raise capital, how to become an angel investor, among many other topics.
Rhian Lewis, Software Developer and Author of The Cryptocurrency Revolution, United Kingdom
Who are you, and what do you do?
I have a B.Sc. in Economics from UCL, and I am an international conference speaker. I am also a writer about blockchain technology who wrote The Cryptocurrency Revolution (Kogan Page, 2020). Furthermore, I co-founded the London Women in Bitcoin meetup group in 2014. In 2016, I co-founded a decentralized proof-of-ownership concept based on Ethereum. It was chosen to participate in the inaugural NexusLabs accelerator, the first blockchain-specific startup incubator in Europe. I am a software developer at Unboxed and also an instructor for blockchain educators at B9lab Academy.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
I’ve been involved in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology since 2013. I have met some amazing women through these shared interests, some of whom have gone on to become wonderful friends. Not only that, but I have always felt very welcome in the space. Although in the early days it was much rarer to run into other women at meet-ups and so on. That is why I founded London Women in Bitcoin back in 2014 with a friend. So that other women new to the ecosystem had a welcoming place to come and ask questions and meet other enthusiasts.
Gail Cruz-Macapagal, Country Director, DynaQuest, Philippines
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am the Country Director of DynaQuest Technology Services, an award-winning provider of innovative blockchain solutions. I am a Certified Blockchain Expert. Furthermore, I am serving as a member of the Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (HIMAP) Board of Trustee and am also the organisation’s Corporate Secretary. I am also a sought-after speaker about Women in Technology and Women Empowerment Forum. I was recognized as among the 2019 Philippine Women Blockchain Influencer by BitPinas, among the 2020 Empowered Women of Blockchain, and the 2021 Women Disruptors in Blockchain. Likewise, I also contributed to the Pinay Lady Boss book by Spark School.
I am currently focused on developing sustainable economic solutions frameworks for the Indigenous People of the Caraga province in the Philippines through the utilization of blockchain and digital identities. To date, I have helped our company, DynaQuest in transforming from a BPO Solutions provider to a globally-recognized blockchain solutions provider. This included being recognised as a Top 10 Identity and Access Management Consulting & Services Companies in Asia and the Pacific 2020 by Enterprise Security, Top 10 Blockchain Solutions Provider in Asia & Pacific of 2019 by APAC CIO Outlook and Finalist for Technology Company of the Year by Asia CEO Awards 2020.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
As a woman in blockchain, I can say that it is an empowering experience as it opens new doors to one’s career. It offers new opportunities to work on projects that are ground-breaking and world-changing. My advice for women is not to be afraid of learning something new. Don’t be afraid to take the next step. Blockchain knowledge will greatly enhance your career and your current skills. It will open up new opportunities in projects or new collaborations. I would like to see more Blockchain-related courses, seminars, and workshops in our local academe in nurturing the next generation.
Thessy Mehrain, Co-Founder Liquality/Consensys, Founder ‘Women in Blockchain’, United States
Who are you and what do you do?
I am the Co-Founder of Liquality/Consensys and Founder of ‘Women in Blockchain’. After creating trading products for JPMorgan and joining the Alternative Banking Group of Occupy, the Liquality project combines my professional and personal passions. Our mission is to enable all peers to interact with the decentralized economy in the most secure, easy, and accessible way. We created the Liquality multi-chain wallet for holding and swapping any cryptocurrency. Decentralized applications like this provide equal access and enable a shift of agency from institutions to individuals towards greater equality.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
When I heard of blockchain in 2015, I saw immediately its ability to empower peer-to-peer transactions. As well as to incentivize and reward collaboration. But looking around, like anywhere in tech, there were barely any women or minorities. So who’d be defining which behaviours to reward?
I founded ‘Women in Blockchain’ in 2016 with the goal to connect and educate women and under-represented minorities. So that we build products, communities, and economies that work for all rather than putting the legacy world on the blockchain. Collaborating with so many exceptional women and enthusiastic allies makes me excited for the future. What’s important to you? Join us!
Veronica Mihai, Angel Investor, Mentor, and Adviser, United Kingdom
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am just a simple person with an IT Management Consulting background that got interested in Bitcoin and blockchain back in 2015. I have tried it all, from crypto investing, to cryptocurrency mining, to equity investments and crypto hedge fund management. Overall, I have a keen interest in helping others and I frequently mentor other women in fintech.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
There is a pressure for women to prove themselves over and over again in any industry. The blockchain and crypto world is no different. Companies worldwide should start applying policies that allow for both men and women to have the right of being a parent and have a successful career. Let’s look back in the 60s when women like Dame Stephanie Shirley fought for her right to be an entrepreneur. She was signing her documents “Steve” in order to gain traction and be taken seriously. She also started an all women company, of which many mothers. That’s the attitude to adopt if we want to overcome the hurdles we face in business and work.
Blockchain technology at its current stage provides equal opportunity for all genders. It will change how the world will transact value, as it touches upon trade, commerce, finance, economics and more.
Alongside Akasha Indream, I manage WIBI, an international community for women in blockchain and cryptocurrency. We use our platform as a tool where women encourage, educate and support other women interested in the space. We want to make a contribution in creating a world that is never again denied the genius of women. Nor women denied the opportunity to fulfil their full human potential.
Elena Obukhova, Founder & CEO at FAS | Fintech Advisory Services & makeAvent, Global
Who are you, and what do you do?
I’m an entrepreneur, business strategist, tech enthusiast, and founder & CEO of FAS | Fintech Advisory Services, a global consulting ecosystem. Believing that SMBs are the key drivers of tech development I co-founded a company aimed to facilitate their growth. We provide business, financial, and marketing services in blockchain and fintech domains. Being a very young company, we already have professionals from 12 countries, 120 VC funds, and more than 1,000 companies in our network.
Before starting with FAS, I worked with Blockchain startups helping to access China and South Korea, VC fund, United Nations, and a marketing agency that helped me to get quite a diversified background. Recently, I started makeAvent, a SaaS platform that enables creative and memorable video meetings for your business and preparing it for the launch.
Apart from that, I am always excited to participate in different public events and mentorship activities to assist early-stage companies with their way to success.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
Knowledge and experience don’t come with gender. Therefore, everyone has to go through the same steps: learning, developing skills, gaining experience. I always consider myself a professional in blockchain and not a woman. I never felt different from others and there are no entry barriers for women in the space. From the beginning till now I’ve been working hard skipping weekends and holidays as most other entrepreneurs do. And I enjoy every moment of this as I’m building something I like and, importantly, something that the community likes. The Tech industry always needs talented people in different areas apart from coding like finance, business, law, marketing, etc. There’s a place for everyone who has desire and passion. Think as a professional, set ambitious goals, and go for them.
Lavinia Osbourne, Host & Founder of Women in Blockchain Talks, United Kingdom
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am an award-winning female tech thought leader in the Blockchain Space. I am also the host and founder of Women in Blockchain Talks, an award-winning educational and networking community platform. Making it the No.1 female-led blockchain educational and networking platform in the UK. As much as I am not into titles, it is an important distinction to make because representation matters. There are not many people who look like me in this space doing what I do.
Women in Blockchain Talks run monthly events, with the objective to shine a spotlight on the many dynamic women in the Blockchain ecosystem. We do this by interviewing diverse and inspirational women from around the world. Women who are working and building in the space, and in doing so we hope to attract other women into the space.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
There are 4 key prongs to Women in Blockchain Talks:
- Inclusivity and Diversity
- Blockchain Advocation
- Education
- Networking
And the community is open to ALL genders. I created this space because my observations coming into the Blockchain at the back end of 2017 was that even though it was open to inviting more women into the space there seemed to be a lack of creativity in doing so.
I had just started working for a blockchain startup, and I was their first female employee but not staff member. As I was employed in an operations’ role I made it my mission to recruit more women into the company. I was not realising that the lack of gender diversity was an industry-wide issue.
The event I put on was called Bitcoin, Babes & Blockchain! Even though it was a roaring success there were a number of women who refused to attend the event because of the title. But this is the thing. Sometimes, if you want the “everyday woman” who is looking at Blockchain, wondering if it is for her, you have to speak to her on her level. For many out there, when they see an event titled “Women in Blockchain”, it does not speak to them. Because they are currently NOT a woman in blockchain.
This lesson stuck with me, so my mission with Women in Blockchain Talks is to make the titles of my various events and the marketing around my community as inviting as possible, so that many women from all sorts of backgrounds will see Blockchain as a place she can belong. Sometimes, it is not simply about challenging the status quo of an industry. But also the status quo of our own imposed restrictions. I remind my community that Blockchain is permissionless. So one does not have to ask anyone else’s permission to stake their claim in this new and burgeoning space.
Myrtle Anne Ramos, Founder & Co-Ceo, Block Tides & Sinofy Studio, Philippines
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am the founder of Block Tides, the award-winning PR Firm of 2020 by Pitchdeck Asia. We are a team of well-experienced marketers and PR professionals heavily involved in blockchain technology. Block Tides has conducted over 27 successful fintech and blockchain summits in Asia. We have helped more than 50 blockchain projects for PR, Marketing, Social Media Management, Investor Relations, and raised more than $1,000,000 both locally and internationally.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
Crypto is traditionally male-dominated. Nevertheless, some women have already been making waves in the industry. Their efforts continue to break down the gender barriers rife within the industry. Without women, there is no balance. When people ask me, “Why do you think there’s not a lot of women in crypto?”, I say, “Actually, there are – they’re just not given the same level of exposure or recognition.” That’s why most of my events always have a segment aimed at empowering women and youth through blockchain.
It’s not hard to foster more diversity. If we want to see more women in power, let’s help each other create wealth. And then redeploy that wealth into helping other women grow amazing businesses and profiles. The takeaway – bringing more women into blockchain and crypto will balance the gender ratio so desperately needed. Allowing the industry we love to reap the benefits of hard work done by both, men and women.
Thy-Diep Ta (“Yip”), Co-Founder Unit Ventures & DLT Talents, Germany
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am a mindfulness coach, tech entrepreneur, and sustainable development goals supporter. With Unit Ventures, we are building the stakeholder economy using the benefits of blockchain and token economics. We are shifting from shareholder capitalism to an economic system, in which contributors benefit from their contributions in a more fair way than is the case today.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
Building new systems creates a systemic approach, hence I’m very engaged in helping leaders of tomorrow onboard the economy of the future! Together with brilliant people from Frankfurt School of Finance Blockchain Center, for instance, we’ve built an accelerator program called DLT Talents for female leaders who are looking to become creators in the new economy. I find it utterly important that we make sure that women participate in the design and building of technology of the future!
Dr Jane Thomason, Founder Supernova Data, Global Blockchain for Social Impact Advocate (at large), Australia
Who are you, and what do you do?
I believe that we can create social impact at scale with fintech and blockchain. And I tell that story through speaking and writing, including Blockchain Technologies for Global Social Change and Blockchainging the World. I have worked with international organisations on digital transformation, sustainability, and ESG, including Commonwealth Secretariat, WHO, and Fondation Botnar. Furthermore, I am Co-Founder of the British Blockchain and Frontier Technology Association, and Section Chief Editor Blockchain for Good: for Frontiers in Blockchain. I convened London Fintech Week, London Blockchain Week, and London Digital Impact Week in 2019-2020. I am a regular blockchain hackathon judge and mentor social impact startups, currently in Australia.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
In 2016, I discovered blockchain and realised that it will be a powerful tool for social impact. It is possible now to conceive of a vision where everyone can have an identity, be connected to the economic system, where farmers get fair deals for their crops, and land registration is incorruptible. My surprising journey since then has catapulted me into being a global leader in the field of blockchain in a way that I had never dreamed. Since deciding to shut my eyes and leap into blockchain, I have experienced the most colourful, fun, inspiring, and impactful years in my career. We are all agents of impact – just do it!
Adrienne Valencia Garcia, Chief Senior Counsel, IBM Blockchain Solutions, United States
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am the first global lawyer for IBM’s blockchain solutions business, having started in 2017 when IBM officially launched the group. We are the recognized leader in enterprise blockchain technology. This means I have had the privilege of learning from some of the smartest people in the industry. This role also afforded me the opportunity to become a speaker on blockchain technology. As well as working on various IBM-led initiatives, and the often uncertain legal and regulatory landscape.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
As a passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity, I worked with some truly remarkable women in blockchain. I became a co-founder of the NYC Chapter for Diversity in Blockchain. It is a not-for-profit focused on making blockchain technology accessible to all. A huge advantage today versus when I started in 2017, is the vast amount of information available for anyone interested in learning about blockchain. It is also still a relatively new area, which creates a unique opportunity for women to get in and make their mark.
Zara Zamani, Head of Disruptive Technologies at Meta Bytes, Sweden
Who are you, and what do you do?
I am Head of disruptive technologies at Meta Bytes, Sweden. I am a blockchain architect and also a PhD researcher in the adoption of blockchain in small and medium enterprises. In Meta Bytes we build tech with damn good business impact. Building blockchain applications to boost businesses is then one of our expertise.
What is it like to be a woman in blockchain?
I strongly believe in leadership education in emerging technologies. To support business leaders to understand technology concepts and define use cases in their business. Being a blockchain solution architect, I don’t have a specific preference for any industry. I have worked with projects in fintech, healthcare, tourism, energy, and supply chain industry and look forward to gaining more experiences with more industries in the future. I also teach at the University of Halmstad in innovation sciences and mentor women and young ladies who want to enter the tech world. Furthermore, I worked in 12 countries and therefore, I absolutely value diversity and providing equal opportunities. I have always worked hard in empowering women in the technology world. And for that, I was chosen as one of the top 50 most influential women on LinkedIn in 2019.
Lastly, I am all a big fan of using the right technology for the right challenge and creating value while supporting other individuals in this journey.
Final thoughts
There are many more that could have made this list. And that is really fantastic news. Because that is the kind of positive story that will encourage others to look up and believe that it is not just possible on paper. There are many projects and companies in blockchain led by women. Onward and upward, sky is not even the limit.
Blockchain technology is showing that it has a lot of potential. In financial services and other industries. The next few months and years will most likely be interesting ones. Innovation, front and centre. Watch this space!