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 and the planet Plus, Angela reveals the next big step for Food for Skin, including their upcoming lau...
Nov 21, 2024•53 min•Season 4Ep. 77
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 from risks like hacking and deepfakes. Stacey also shares her experience balancing life as a tech found...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 76
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 thanks to European Women Payments Network and Mollie for their hospitality. To learn more about Liek...
Nov 07, 2024•57 min•Season 3Ep. 75
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 people love. Get inspired to build your own unicorn team. Click play to listen or check out the show note...
Oct 31, 2024•56 min•Season 3Ep. 74
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 ...
Oct 24, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 73
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...
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 72
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 rea...
Oct 10, 2024•48 min•Season 3Ep. 71
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...
Oct 03, 2024•55 min•Season 3Ep. 70
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 ...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 3Ep. 69
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 rethink...
Sep 19, 2024•51 min•Season 3Ep. 68
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 wome...
Sep 12, 2024•48 min•Season 3Ep. 67
In this episode, I sit down with Kasia Pokrop, founder of Mamamoon, 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 ...
Sep 05, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 66
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 ...
Aug 29, 2024•41 min•Season 3Ep. 65
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 in...
Aug 22, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 64
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 journey into tech and the story behind her TEDx Talk in Odense. You can learn more about Rotoy and conne...
Aug 15, 2024•50 min•Season 3Ep. 63
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 breaking down these barriers. Ruben also shares powerful advice for men looking to contribute to ...
Aug 08, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 62
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 information about hetkanwel.nl, Asceline Groot, and Wyke Potjer....
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 3Ep. 61
In episode 60 of Women Disrupting Tech, I interview Connie Bloem, the visionary founder of Mesh. Discover how Connie is transforming the investment landscape by eliminating inefficiencies and making finance more accessible and transparent. She shares her unique journey into finance, the challenges of building trust with regulators and customers, and the importance of a diverse team in developing innovative blockchain solutions. This episode is packed with practical advice and inspiration for wom...
Jul 25, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 60
Are you in for an inspiring story of innovation, resilience, and breaking barriers? In episode 59 of Women Disrupting Tech, I interview Sonal Rattan. She is the co-founder and CTO of eXate and the first female CTO of a startup on the show. Together with a diverse team, she is building the future of data protection. You can find more information on this episode and links to connect with Sonal in the show notes .
Jul 18, 2024•52 min•Season 3Ep. 59
Have you ever thought about what happens when we can't produce enough chips? What if we run out of skilled people to make them? And how we can prevent this shortage from becoming a crisis? That's precisely where episode 58 of Women Disrupting Tech begins. Tune in to hear Carola Salamat's fascinating journey as an engineer at NXP, a leading Dutch semiconductor company. Find out how many chips power an electric car, why diversity is a game-changer in deep tech, and why engineering role models are ...
Jul 11, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 58
Curious about navigating a career in AI as a woman? Tune into episode 57 of Women Disrupting Tech as Wafa M'Ribah shares her inspiring journey. Discover how she builds her AI career, manages remote teams, and supports women. Wafa also discusses how to get the most out of mentors and acquire essential tech skills. And she reveals a surprising secret to her success. For more information about the episode and Wafa M'Ribah, check out the show notes ....
Jul 04, 2024•43 min•Season 3Ep. 57
Join Autoscriber's CEO and co-founder Jacqueline Kazmaier to discover how AI is transforming the healthcare landscape by reducing doctors' administrative workload and enhancing patient care. Plus, Jacqueline shares why The Netherlands is a top spot for starting a business and offers inspiring career advice for young women looking to break into technical fields. Don’t miss out on this inspiring and insightful conversation! Press play to tune in or read more about the episode in the show notes ....
May 30, 2024•46 min•Season 3Ep. 56
🎮 Can gaming be the gateway for women into the tech world? You can discover the answer to this question by embarking on Lizzy Wilmer's personal journey. Tune in to hear from Lizzy: 🕶️ How the AR and VR training that she helps to design, helps companies optimize their businesses and reduce incidents. 👩💼 Why having role models like Lizzy on the team gives her employer a competitive advantage in hiring other women. 🌟 What schools and companies need to do to make tech a more welcoming place. P...
May 23, 2024•55 min•Season 3Ep. 55
How can we harness the power of financial inclusion to break biases in tech and beyond? To answer this question, we're joined by Kimberly Ofori of The Bold New Company. In episode 54 of Women Disrupting Tech, discover how to build sustainable businesses, include diverse perspectives, and view misunderstood problems as opportunities. Visit the show notes for more information on this episode, including links to connect with Kimberly and The Bold New Company....
May 16, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 54
Can a female solo founder build and fund an app empire? Veerle Witte shares how she did it in episode 53 of Women Disrupting Tech. Tune in to discover: 💡 how she found a business model that works for her B2C business, 💶 how she managed to secure funding as a female solo founder, and 🚀 how she works with a diverse and distributed team to build an app empire to document life's adventures. You can connect with Veerle, find the apps she builds, and learn more about the episode using the links in ...
May 09, 2024•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 53
Tune into episode 52 of Women Disrupting Tech to learn how Conceptual Technologists can uplift humanity with Kim Carson! As the founder of Parallax Futures, Kim sheds light on how Conceptual Technologists are shaping the future. Discover how they leverage biases to create inclusive AI systems, why AI isn’t just another productivity tool, and learn more about the startup founder turned male ally, who supports Parallax Futures. You can learn more about the episode and connect with Kim via the link...
May 02, 2024•35 min•Season 3Ep. 52
Join Alice Pavin and me on episode 51 of Women Disrupting Tech for a journey to a post-growth world. In this empowering episode, Alice and I discuss: How we can increase equality in investments when we acknowledge our values, biases, and challenges with gender stereotypes. What we need to fix in the education system to facilitate a balance between masculine and feminine values. Practical tools to increase the balance between feminine and masculine values in your business and personal life. She a...
Apr 25, 2024•40 min•Season 3Ep. 51
Join me on episode 50 of Women Disrupting Tech. I interviewed Linksight CEO Martine van de Gaar to discover how Linksight solves the privacy puzzle of collaborating on large datasets: Enabling companies to share sensitive data securely Prioritizing privacy from the product's inception Leveraging diverse teams for innovative solutions. To learn more about Martine and Linksight, check the bio in the show notes ....
Apr 18, 2024•36 min•Season 2Ep. 50
Join me on episode 49 of Women Disrupting Tech to learn about Arosha Brouwer's journey of building a company with grace and empathy. In a masterclass on personal and business growth, Arosha and I talk about Her software's role in supporting both customers and her team through tough times. A new partnership that taught her that entrepreneurship is also about building a network of people who can help you. Being a founder and being a CEO of a scale-up come with totally different requirements. And s...
Apr 11, 2024•45 min•Season 2Ep. 49
Join me on episode 48 of Women Disrupting Tech for an enlightening interview with Charlotte Hoekstra on how to shine as a female role model in tech without having to sell yourself. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: Change your perspective so you can best serve others while staying true to yourself 🔁. Connect with the people you work with in a way that is authentic to you 🫱🏼🫲🏾. Help female role models as a male ally 🚀. To discover what that advice is, listen to the episode by hitting t...
Mar 28, 2024•41 min•Season 2Ep. 48
