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When it comes to gender equality in the tech industry, the numbers probably wonโt surprise you. Onlyย 17% of venture-backed companiesย are founded by women, and women make up justย 7% of partnersย at 100 of the top venture capitalist firms.
Although many attempts are being made to encourage women into tech, we are still far from gender parity in the industry. What would the world look like if there were equal numbers of men and women in the sector? We asked three women in tech, from CEOs to developers, for their thoughts.
More female-led tech companies would change the way women are treated in society
Iโm a strong believer in a connection between a companyโs internal values and the final product or service. There are many examples of tech companies where their internal attitudes towards women are reflected in their products.
For example, there have been multiple stories about alleged sexual harassment relating toย Uber, as well as the [leaked]ย โMiami letterโย [CEO Travis Kalanick sent staff guidelines about when it was appropriate to have sex with other employees at a company event in Miami]. It became clear whyย Uber had been never considered the safest service for womenย โ because its workplace wasnโt either.
If there were more tech companies led by women, I truly believe it would change the way women are treated in society โ in part as a result of the values shown in their companyโs services or products.
Valerie Stark, co-founder and CEO of friendship and dating app Huggle