The InspiringFifty initiative aims to “provide diverse role models” and to inspire the “next generation of leaders and tech talent across the ecosystem,” according to EQL:HER.
Nearly 600 nominees from across Europe applied. Names to make the list included; Abadesi Osunsade, founder and CEO of Hustle Crew; Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, founder of Stemettes; Dr Gioia Rau, research scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre; Baroness Joanna Shields OBE, CEO of BenevolentAI; Melissa Di Donato, CEO of SUSE, Nicola Mendelsohn, VP of global business group at Meta; and Sonali De Rycker, partner at Accel.
Discover the full InspiringFifty list
Elka Goldstein, CEO of EQL:HER, said: “We are delighted to announce our InspiringFifty winners today and give some of the incredible women in our ecosystem the credit they deserve.
Our judges had no easy task whittling down our final InspiringFifty and I hope that highlighting these women’s achievements will inspire budding young leaders from all walks of life to know they can – and will – reach their goals even when the odds don’t seem in their favour,” said Diverse Journeys in Cybersecurity.
Judges included Jacqueline de Rojas CBE, President of techUK, and Janet Coyle, Managing Director of Business Growth at London & Partners.
De Rojas, said: “Role models and representation are integral to ensuring that diverse talent can see itself reflected in the organisations that are seeking to recruit them However, it is one thing to argue that companies offer equal opportunities and demonstrate diversity, but it is quite another for colleagues to feel like they belong.”