Entrepreneur Ingrid Riley
That’s a question I’ve been asking myself alot especially these past 5 years since founding and hosting Kingston BETA, launching Caribbean BETA the annual tech entrepreneurship conference last November and traveling overseas to New York Startup Weekend and Caribbean Women Entrepreneurs Network in DC in March.
I know only a couple, add to that, I can say that of the over 80 startups who have pitched at Kingston BETA and Caribbean BETA, I’ve seen only 5 women tech entrepreneurs.
Yeah they were bloggers and social media people in the audience but still. Ugh!! Have to quickly add though this is just reflective of a global scenario, so we’re not unique. So as they too are focused on changing the low numbers of women in tech, so I’m in the Caribbean.
So bouyed by the connections made with some awesome entrepreneurs at the Caribbean Women Entrepreneurs Network, I came back to Jamaica energised even as I was the only women in tech of the 22 attendees.
Photo courtesy siliconcaribe.com
I decided to ask the question again …”Where are the Caribbean Women in Technology ?” and further explore how do we define this. I think at times others and also women, tend to see a career in Technology as being narrowly defined as either being a developer or entrepreneur…something totally geekie or techie as I often hear people label people in our industry.
So when I started the Caribbean Women in Tech Facebook Group I defined the group like this
“This is for Caribbean women in the technology industry-whether you are an entrepreneur, policy consultant, web developer, web designer, professional blogger and tweeter, social media professional, animator or corporate tech professional. Whether you are in the Caribbean or Caribbean Diapsora. Join the conversation. Share your stories, interesting links and Spread the knowledge. ”
Because in my mind, these are some of the areas that broadly define the Technology industry. We got 30 members in 7 days and I know we can get more. I’m gunning for at least 100. We’re about connecting women in technology and you know what happens when you get a bunch of smart people in a single space online or offline – yep, amazing things! Do Join us and refer us.
SiliconCaribe’s Women in Tech Series
I also decided to go further. I sent an email interview to a few women and worked with SiliconCaribe.com to start it’s weekly Women in Tech profile series. We need to see them, hear there stories. Do you know that the first Caribbean blogger who’s turn a blog into a book is a woman? Do you know of anyone we can interview, do you want to be interviewed. Email me ingrid@ connectimass.com.
As Fast Company Magazine said “Women who have succeeded in technology deserve recognition: They are an inspiration for everyone, demonstrating what can be achieved through creativity and hard work.”
Article from http://www.siliconcaribe.com
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