As well as the top 50 from all of Europe
Inspiring Fifty has just released its list of the 50 most inspiring women on the European technology scene.
And we’re delighted to note that some 17 of them are based right here in Blighty (listed below).
These women are those “serving as role models and standing as an inspiration to others”, the not-for-profit behind the initiative explains.
Inspiring Fifty’s index draws on a year’s worth of asking tech professionals, journalists and social media doyennes to make their nominations. The judging panel of entrepreneurs, investors and execs from Atomico, Amazon, CNN and Improve Digital then whittled the long-list down to 50 women across Europe.
“Many women in tech seeking female role models currently look towards the most visible, the headline-makers, like Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg and Yahoo’s Marissa Meyer,” says Janneke Niessen, co-founder of Inspiring Fifty and of European tech company Improve Digital.
“However, as amazing as those women are, we felt there was a need to showcase the many accomplished, and all-too-often overlooked women in technology closer to home.” Hear hear.
Here are the 17 most inspiring women in UK tech
We’ve added in their Twitter handles too, so you can tweet them congrats. You’re welcome!
Alice Bentinck, Co-Founder, Entrepreneur First; Code First: Girls – @Alicebentinck
Avid Larizadeh, General Partner, Google Ventures; UK Lead, Hour of Code – @avidl
Belinda Parmar, Founder, Little Miss Geek; CEO, Lady Geek – @belindaparmar
Joanna Shields, Investor and Digital Advisor to UK Prime Minister (below) – @joannashields
Judith Clegg, Founder and CEO, Takeout Consulting and The Glasshouse – @judithclegg
Justine Roberts, Founder and CEO, Mumsnet and Gransnet – @Justine_Roberts
Karen Hanton, Investor and Former Founder of Top Table
Kathryn Parsons, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Decoded (below) – @KathrynParsons
>> Kathryn’s predictions about how tech will change your world in 2015
>> All about her company, Decoded
Laura Jordan Bambach, Creative Partner & Co-founder, Mr President and SheSays – @laurajaybee
Martha Lane Fox, Philanthropist and Entrepreneur; Co-Founded Lastminute.com (below) – @Marthalanefox
>> Martha’s predictions about how tech will change your world in 2015
>> Baroness Martha Lane Fox CBE: Overcoming our digital skills deficit
Nancy Cruickshank, Founder, MyShowcase.com – @cruickshankn
Natalie Massenet, Founder, Net-a-Porter
Nicola Mendelsohn, Vice-President EMEA, Facebook – @nicolamen
Sarah Wood, Co-Founder, Unruly (below) – @sarahfwood
>> From 2012: Q&A: Sarah Wood, founder of Unruly Media, which just raised $25m
Sherry Coutu, Entrepreneur, Non-Exec Director, Investor and Advisor (below) – @scoutu
Sherry Coutu
>> Sherry Coutu: “Solving problems with technology is a beautiful thing”
Dr Sue Black, Founder & CEO, Savvify; Mentor, Google Campus for Mums – @Dr_Black
Wendy Tan White, Co-founder and CEO, Moonfruit (below)- @wendytanwhite
>> Q&A: Wendy Tan White on selling Moonfruit for £23m
And here’s the full list of 50 from across Europe
(Listed in alphabetical order of first name and by country)
| Most Inspiring 50 | Title & Company | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Sophie Vandebroek | CTO, Xerox and Xerox Innovation Group | Belgium |
| Camilla Ley Valentin | CCO and Co-Founder, Queue-it | Denmark |
| Linda Liukas |
Author & Co-Founder of Railsgirls | Finland |
| Amélie Faure | President, Augure | France |
| Anne Bouverot | Director General, GSMA | France |
| Catherine Barba | Founder, Catherine Barba Group | France |
| Céline Lazorthes | CEO and Founder, Leetchi | France |
| Geraldine Le Meur | Co-Founder, LeWeb | France |
| Jennifer Schenker | Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Informilo | France |
| Lindsey Nefesh-Clarke | Founder and Managing Director, W4, Women’s WorldWideWeb | France |
| Lara Rouyres | Founder and CEO, Selectionnist | France |
| Stephanie Hospital | Advisor, Board Member and Founder of One Ragtime | France |
| Claudia Helming | Founder & CEO, DaWanda | Germany |
| Colette Ballou | Founder & CEO, Ballou PR | Germany |
| Kerstin Günther | SVP Technology Europe, Deutsche Telekom Group | Germany |
| Stephanie (Steffi) Czerny | Managing Director, DLD Media | Germany |
| Stephanie Kaiser | Head of Studio, Wooga | Germany |
| Verena Delius | Co-Founder & CEO, Fox & Sheep | Germany |
| Elaine Coughlan | Co-Founder and General Partner, Atlantic Bridge Capital | Ireland |
| Louise O’Sullivan | Founder & CEO, ANAM Technologies Ltd. | Ireland |
| Barbara Labate | Co-Founder, Risparmio Super (Super Saver) | Italy |
| Paola Bonomo | Angel Investor and Independent Board Director | Italy |
| Corinne Goddign-Vigreux | Co-founder and Managing Director, TomTom NV | Netherlands |
| Marina Tognetti | CEO and Founder, Myngle | Netherlands |
| Neelie Kroes | Dutch politician & Former VP European Commission | Netherlands |
| Anita Krohn Traaseth | CEO, Innovasjon Norge (Innovation Norway) | Norway |
| Kristin Skogen Lund | Director General, NHO | Norway |
| Ola Sitarska | Co-Founder, Issue Stand and Makerland | Poland |
| Maelle Gavet | CEO, Ozon Holdings | Russia |
| Ana Maiques | CEO & Co-Founder, Neuroelectrics | Spain |
| Stina Ehrensvärd | Co-Founder & CEO, Yubico | Sweden |
| Gabriele Zedlmayer | Vice President & Chief Progress Officer, HP Worldwide | Switzerland |
| Demet Mutlu | Founder & CEO, Trendyol | Turkey |
| Alice Bentinck | Co-Founder, Entrepreneur First; Code Firs t: Girls |
UK |
| Avid Larizadeh | General Partner, Google Ventures; UK Lead, Hour of Code | UK |
| Belinda Parmar | Founder, Little Miss Geek; CEO, Lady Geek | UK |
| Joanna Shields | Investor and Digital Advisor to UK Prime Minister | UK |
| Judith Clegg | Founder and CEO, Takeout Consulting and The Glasshouse | UK |
| Justine Roberts | Founder and CEO, Mumsnet and Gransnet | UK |
| Karen Hanton | Investor and Former Founder of Top Table | UK |
| Kathryn Parsons | Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Decoded | UK |
| Laura Jordan Bambach | Creative Partner & Co-founder, Mr President and SheSays | UK |
| Martha Lane Fox | Philanthropist and Entrepreneur; Co-Founded Lastminute.com | UK |
| Nancy Cruickshank | Founder, MyShowcase.com | UK |
| Natalie Massenet | Founder, Net-a-Porter | UK |
| Nicola Mendelsohn | Vice-President EMEA, Facebook | UK |
| Sarah Wood | Co-Founder, Unruly | UK |
| Sherry Coutu | Entrepreneur, Non-Exec Director, Investor and Advisor | UK |
| Dr Sue Black | Founder & CEO, Savvify; Mentor, Google Campus for Mums | UK |
| Wendy Tan White | Co-founder and CEO, Moonfruit | UK |
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