What does it take to transform the tech industry’s gender landscape?
Tara Chklovski, CEO of Technovation, provides a masterclass in creating pathways for women and girls in STEM through innovative education and mentorship.
Tara’s journey from aerospace engineering PhD candidate to founding one of the world’s leading tech incubators began with a pivotal realization – she wanted to build technology that solves human problems, not contributes to warfare. This led to creating Technovation, which has reached over 400,000 girls worldwide through its unique three-month accelerator where girls work in teams to develop technological solutions to community problems.
The conversation dives deep into why traditional approaches to bringing women into tech often fail. Tara explains that “interest is a dangerous term because we are usually interested in things we know we’ll be successful in.” This insight underpins Technovation’s comprehensive support model featuring teams and mentors who create safe spaces for girls to develop confidence alongside technical skills. The results speak for themselves – Technovation alumnae consistently pursue STEM degrees and leadership roles, transformed by the experience of building real solutions that help real people.
Perhaps most compelling is Tara’s perspective on today’s AI revolution and the unprecedented opportunities it creates for women. “It’s never been easier to build things and launch things,” she emphasizes, encouraging women to become power users of generative AI tools as both technical assistants and entrepreneurship coaches. Her message resonates throughout the episode: “Don’t wait for an invite… don’t be afraid.”
Whether you’re a woman considering a tech career, a parent supporting a daughter’s interests, or anyone passionate about creating a more innovative and inclusive tech ecosystem, this conversation offers both inspiration and practical wisdom from someone who’s been leading this work for two decades. Subscribe now to hear more conversations with groundbreaking women in technology who are reshaping our digital future.
