March is Women’s Month, so let’s talk about some female entrepreneurs who are changing the world. Despite being a growing number in the business world, women are still overlooked, and entrepreneurial women still face more issues getting their companies funded. How many female entrepreneurs can you name, off the top of your head?
Anne Wojcicki and Linda Avey
Wojcicki and Avey are the women behind genome testing company, 23andMe. The company has numerous several health tests approved by the FDA and has done wonders for the diagnosis and research of genetic diseases, on top of ancestral uses. Wojcicki continues to work closely with the U.S. government to develop new, reliable tests and gather research to improve healthcare.
Yeva Hyusyan
Hyusyan is one of the founders of SoloLearn, a digital platform allowing users to learn programming languages for free, increasing accessibility to employable skills. Providing a free resource allows underprivileged people or people n underserved areas to have access to education that allows them to improve their hireability and create the life they want. At the same time, people who can’t justify taking entire courses in coding can still learn the basics so that they can design or edit programs to improve their efficiency.
Reshma Saujani
Saujani is the founder of non-profit Girls Who Code, an organization that encourages women to join the computer science field. Considering women are underrepresented in STEM, her organization is making important headway in ensuring that all minds are invited to the table to share their ideas. Girls Who Code runs camps and has become affiliated with Microsoft, Google, and AOL to increase the number of opportunities offered to participants. Alongside running the nonprofit, Saujani has dedicated time and effort to campaigning for better reporting on gender diversity in technology.
Josefin Landgard
Landgard built Kry, a Swedish platform connecting patients with doctors via telechatting. The platform has improved access for patients who are homebound for various reasons, or simply do not have the time to run to the doctor for minor ailments. While telehealth is not an option for everyone, if nothing else, the accessibility for mental health issues can be life-changing.
Melanie Perkins
Anyone working in content creation or graphic design has heard of Canva, one of the most popular cloud platforms for basic graphic creations. Perkins is one of the founders and one of the youngest female CEOs in the world for such a widespread tech startup. Canva is now used by over 20 million people and is invaluable to small business owners who have a tight marketing budget.
Emily Kennedy
Kennedy is a social activist who created Marinus Analytics, a platform that uses AI to fight sex trafficking. The tools have aided law enforcement in fighting the atrocities committed on victims and in curtailing sex trade around the world. She also dedicates a significant amount of time towards empowering women to change the world by obtaining funding and building companies based on their ideas.
Women are changing the world and various industries – take a moment to do some research on people overlooked among the Bezos and Buffetts of the world!