Boosting Women Entrepreneurship In The Tech Sector

The post covid recovery and the fourth industrial revolution provide an opportunity to enhance women’s involvement in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEAM) sector, especially as part of the move to knowledge-based economies in the GCC countries. On 24^th October, at EXPO2020, the event Women’s Path to Ikigai; Technology, Entrepreneurship, Self-Development, and Agility” will explore how the ‘Ikigai’ concept and innovation for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Sustainability (DEIS) are key to the next generation of women founders and how to initiate new partnerships between EU and GCC actors for new moonshots supporting the female talents.

The event will build on the Japanese concept of ‘Ikigai’ as a central theme in exploring the personal motivation of event participants in starting and establishing tech businesses. Inparticular, it will outline key factors needed for successful tech entrepreneurs and provide recommendations for a joint EU-GCC move towards a fruitful digital transformation.

In line with EXPO 2020’s theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, it will provide a platform to share experiences on the challenges and opportunities for European women to enter the GCC technology sector and possible solutions on how to address them. It will also offer unique networking and collaboration opportunities on technology between the EU and the GCC.

There is a clear rise in the rate of women studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STE(A)M) majors in the GCC and we see a need to discuss more the opportunities that these women can bring to the economy. Despitethis positive change, there is still a clear gap in the numbers of women who obtain an education in STE(A)M subjects and those who continue in career paths within those fields. At the Women in Tech Event, those women will be spotlighted and provide an opportunity to inspire us with their experiences.

Eva Fabry, Director of ECWT stresses in connection with the event that “The European Union is a key partner in harnessing human potential and unlocking opportunities for all. Youth and women play a crucial role in creating sustainable and inclusive societies.‘Every Woman Digital = SMART Growth’which we now in the Post COVID recovery can make a reality through more intensive EU and GCC collaboration and through involving e.g., also African countries in our future actions”.

The Women in Tech Forum will take place at the Dubai EXPO2020 during the morning session at the Swedish Pavilion (9:00 am – 2:00pm) and during the afternoon session at the Spanish Pavilion(2:30pm 6:00 pm).

Read more about the Women in Technology event and register https://skills4ikigai.com