When you make space for women, you make space for growth

Carine de Meyere (President and Founder at Women of the World) is known around the globe for her strategic investment strategies and her commitment to empowering entrepreneurs. 

She’s an expert communicator – not just speaking multiple languages, but also relating easily to people from varied cultural backgrounds. And Meyere’s ability to deftly adapt to the humans in the room allows her to recognise talent and potential in the places (and people) that others overlook. 

Her platform, Women of the World, is dedicated to inclusivity and diversity. And by creating more spaces in tech and investments for gender-diverse talent, Meyere strives to elevate global consciousness and create a positive impact on society. 

Why is it important to you that more female innovators find their place in tech? 

“Women use technology to solve a problem which is often close to their heart, such as healthcare, education, sustainability. And with that they want to serve a higher purpose – and want to contribute to making this world a better place.”

How can women or gender-diverse tech entrepreneurs be competitive in the industry but also embrace collaboration? 

“I am a strong believer in having more women in the tech industry, both on leadership level as well as on engineering level. Especially with AI becoming such an important part of our lives, we need more female engineers to respond to 51% of the global population. 

“However, leadership is even more important because women make different decisions than men. Women’s worst competitors are other women though! We need to promote the true sense of sisterhood within technology. There is still a lot of unhealthy competition amongst women which is detrimental to and backfires on the entire industry.” 

Does the tech industry need to change in order to become a more hospitable environment for women? 

“I know that in-company mentorship programs are key to safeguarding female leadership on all levels. When you have more women in leadership positions they will be able to appoint other women as well. And women in the C suite can change an entire mission of a technology company – female leaders transform industries from within.” 

What does it mean to you to be a role model for women in technology? 

“I am happy that I can be a beacon of light and hope, of inspiration, of positive energy, and be always available for women if they need my advice. I enjoy mentoring young women in the technology sector because I so often feel that because women are underrepresented they often work 100% harder, are more professional and are perfectionists. I want to be seen as a human mentor – telling my mentees to first of all be a human being and then a professional.” 

If you could go back to the very beginning of your career and tell yourself one thing you wish you’d known then – what would it be? 

“Setting goals is very good so you know where you are going and that you have a mission, but be open to change and date to pivot to new directions. Don’t take everything personally. Always stay curious and remember everyone is trying to do their utmost.”

Thanks to Carine de Meyere at Women of the World. Join us at #LEAP23 to learn more.