Times are changing, because although the world of tech is still an industry dominated by men, the women who have made it in are changing things from the top down. They are bringing issues to the fore that have never been considered before and applying their unique understanding to solve problems, break down barriers, make changes and empower other women around the world.
Thankfully, the industry itself has begun to put programmes and initiatives in place to help support women to do this. Take Samsung’s Women@Samsung where around the world, employees of the cutting-edge tech company are already benefiting from a commitment to creating a more inclusive workforce. It brings together the UK’s most influential technology thinkers and advocates of women in technology to discuss and address the issues facing female talent across the industry, as well as giving women training opportunities to help close the gender gap within the workforce.
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Female founders help find new solutions
“Being female founders, we are the people who are best placed to [find solutions]. Because we’re in a male-dominated space, these problems have never been considered,” Eshita Kabra-Davies, founder of designer clothing rental service By Rotation, tells GLAMOUR UK as part of the GLAMOUR Women of the Year Awards 2022 in partnership with Samsung.
The app differs from other fashion rental companies of its kind due to its community-focused approach, which it likens to building a social network; in fact, it has often been dubbed the “Instagram of fashion rentals”.
This encapsulates a large part of how tech can be so empowering for women. It can equip us with the ability to make changes in our own life and give us the information needed to make informed decisions that save us money, boost our confidence and inspire a feeling of safety and connection.
Especially Smartphones that not only excite but liberate, such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, which allows you to capture a selfie for your growing following and create video content to share with the world as you travel, without even having to open your device. And when it comes to one-to-one connection, catching up via video call has never been easier thanks to the hands-free capture on the Galaxy Z Flip4 in Flex mode.
This sense of building community and empowering women to follow their dreams without abandoning their goals is something that sits at the heart of Samsung’s latest developments, too. SmartThings, for example, is their open, multi-device experience platform that lets you convert your surroundings to your needs – like a café into your office meaning you can work efficiently from anywhere, at any time, without missing out on life’s key moments – or you can use the Galaxy Z Flip4’s ability to control your home’s heating, electricity and appliances via your phone, to help you save on bills and invest your money where it might thrive instead.
We hope that Heeral’s words on the importance of community, together with tech giants’ focus on connecting and supporting females within the industry, will sound out to us as a call-to-action to stand side-by-side, as women, supporting one another to excel in the tech industry, and other male-dominated industries. As Eshita says, “We have a unique perspective, so we are best situated to solve these problems anyway.”
Heeral agrees, reinstating that powerful message of connection, “With technology and innovative tech, we can open up spaces and bridge gaps,” she says. An ethos that tech companies such as Samsung also subscribe to. Its mission is to devote its talent and technology to help create superior products and services that contribute to a better global society, aiming to become one of the most ethical companies in the world.
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Tech is changing the world of motorsports, too
It isn’t always about finding a problem to fix – sometimes, stepping forward as a woman in a male-dominated industry is spurred on by finding a challenge that sets your soul on fire. And that was certainly the case for motorcycle racer, Jenny Tinmouth.
“I decided to get racing, because I think I didn’t know many females doing it. It was sort of ‘Challenge accepted’ into just have a go and see how far I could take it,” she explains during her own chat as part of the Women of the Year Awards 2022 in partnership with Samsung.
And this move towards normalising women in motor racing is one which F1 presenter Ariana Bravo believes is desperately needed. “Whenever I tell people that I present Formula 1 specifically, there’s always this shock,” she says.
“I’d definitely like to see more women on the track. And the women that are on the track to get the exposure, so that that can inspire other girls to do it,” Jenny comments, adding that technology is already helping increase fan “involvement”.
“I think that’s why we’re also seeing a more diverse audience and people coming into the sport from different backgrounds. It’s the start of something really exciting,” Ariana agrees.
In essence, women like Heeral, Eshita, Jenny and Ariana, getting visible, standing proudly beside their ideas also helps other women feel it is possible to – at the very least – dream big and explore the options. And existing tech can also help you take full advantage of this empowering revolution, from easy-to-use website design software to FlexCam, Samsung’s innovative camera feature that allows creators the ability to shoot content, edit easily and upload in the right ratio for social media without the help (or expense) of a professional.
Inspired? We thought so. Still experiencing imposter syndrome? It’s normal, but as Heeral says, “No one is you, and that is your superpower.”
