From boosting the financial independence of women to reducing the impact of climate change, technology has the potential to positively impact almost every aspect of how we live our lives. Our 2021 everywoman in Tech Award winners and finalists are at the forefront of this important work, so we ask them: what tech development are you most excited by?
Bee Hayes-Thakora
Senior Director of Marketing and Partnerships, Kigen
FINALIST – Digital Transformation Leader Award
The Internet of Things (IoT). We don’t need a fridge that can tell us if the milk is going bad, but we do need it to operate and consume electricity efficiently, and let the manufacturer know if it is about to stop functioning! But finally, more real-use cases that go beyond the hype are emerging.
Colette Mullan
CTIO Fibre Network Delivery, Openreach
FINALIST – CTO/CIO of the Year Award
I’m most excited about ‘invisible tech’ (loosely the eco-system of IOT, data, cloud and voice interfaces working together); technology that is in the background seamlessly making a difference rather than very visibly manifesting itself in a device. From a consumer perspective think: voice-activated lights, heating, communication and collaboration in the home – it’s something I have and I love how it means we interact as a family face-to-face more and with less devices in hand.
Joy Foster
Founder & CEO, TechPixies Limited
FINALIST – Tech For Good Award
What I am most excited about is how technology can boost the financial independence of women. With the pandemic, we’ve seen companies who never would allow flexible working or working from home change their tune. I think this will be a major shift in the right direction for women and it is all possible because of technology.
Louise Richardson
Engineering Director, American Express
WINNER – Team Leader Award
2020 showed us what a Digital Workplace really meant and I am most excited to see how future tech solves for seamless connectivity — such as 5G in the homes of every person that needs it — in order that relationships, collaboration and productivity are easily created and maintained. I hope tech never replaces the need for face-to-face human interactions – but where that isn’t possible, let’s use the very best of technology such as enhanced virtual reality to help people connect.
Marie Weijler
Investment Manager, Cottonwood Technology Fund
FINALIST – International Inspiration Award
I am amazed by the range of (potential) applications of photonics. In healthcare, light-based technologies are used for pace-makers, very early detection of diseases, synthetic bones and micro cameras used for surgery. Photonics also contributes to a higher quality of lighting while saving energy, and more powerful internet connections. I’m currently looking into contactless sensor technology — another application of photonics.
Neha Mehta
Founder, FemTech Partners
FINALIST – International Inspiration Award
The increased usage and application of Blockchain. Around 1.7 billion people worldwide do not have a bank account and most of these people come from underdeveloped and developing nations. But as the world is marching towards digitalisation, Blockchain technology can be a game changer as it has the potential to accelerate and boost financial inclusion.
Prisha Bathia
Digital Marketing Apprentice – EMEA Google Store, Google
WINNER – Apprentice Award
The ability of technology to reduce social inequalities, for example, in countries where they have limited education opportunities but can utilise YouTube and a whole host of online resources to learn new skills. Additionally, I’m excited about the use of AI in health and using new technologies such as gene editing to treat incurable diseases or to understand complicated chronic illnesses.
Sarah Fatchett
CEO and Founder, 365 Response Ltd
FINALIST – Tech For Good Award
One of the biggest challenges I see within the healthcare sector is the difficulty in predicting patient flow. This can have a huge impact on both the system and on patient care as, incorrectly calculated, it can lead to a lack of available resources such as ambulances, beds, ventilators, nursing staff etc. The ever-growing computational capacity of AI to carry out these planning calculations and predictions is the thing that really excites me for the future of technology.
Sofie Blakstad
CEO and Co-Founder, Hiveonline
WINNER – International Inspiration Award
It has to be the evolution of next-generation Digital Ledger Technology. This is going to be fundamental to building the distributed economy for people with the greatest needs, helping them to build robust and sustainable communities. As well as helping build stronger economies for the most disadvantaged, it will help people everywhere through automated micropayments, fractional investments, funding of assets in developing nations, and the tokenisation of natural and social capital to bring the environmental economy into the ‘real’ economy. It will be instrumental in giving rural women entrepreneurs in developing economies access to finance and more efficient markets.
Summer McNamee
Student, LaSWAP Sixth Form
FINALIST – One to Watch Award
AI excites me the most because of the vast ways it is being used around the world to make it better. In the near future, AI will be used in our autonomous cars to drive us around and reduce traffic deaths by eliminating human error. It can also reduce car emissions as fewer car accidents mean less congestion, which results in a reduction of harmful emissions. But the ethical issues of autonomous cars also fascinate me. If a child runs into the road, would an autonomous car carrying a family of four swerve and endanger their lives? What would make one life more important to save than the other? These kind of issues play a key role in any tech trend.
Tamika Kalule
Software Engineer, JP Morgan
FINALIST – Rising Star Award
I’m most excited about the broad potential of AI and its usage in medicine. Computers have already become increasingly effective at diagnosing diseases and in a recent study AI outperformed doctors in diagnosing breast cancer. So it’s fair to assume mass use of AI in medicine can only continue to be massively beneficial. In addition to this, breakthroughs in computing and analytics have enabled us to sequence the entire human genome at an affordable rate. This has lent itself to advancements in genomics and the possibility of eradicating certain cancers by ‘correcting’ DNA mutations a reality. I’m mindful, however, of the ethical implications associated with gene editing.
Victoria Usher
Founder and CEO, GingerMay
FINALIST – Entrepreneur Award
As a huge environmentalist, I’m beyond excited by some of the advancements happening within enviro-tech. From carbon capture and storage to using hydrogen as a fuel source, industries across the globe are leveraging tech to address the world’s biggest environmental challenges. With global carbon emissions needing to fall by around 45% by 2030, these developments in tech are both vital and inspiring.
