Impact Stories from Entrepreneurship Policy Area

STEM4ALL interviews Fellow

Fellow(s): Dinara Moldosheva (2022)

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

STEM4ALL Interviews Fellow

Fellow Dinara Moldosheva (Kyrgyzstan, 2022) was recently interviewed by STEM4ALL for her contributions as founder of Innovation Lab. STEM4ALL is a joint platform launched by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with the aim of promoting gender equality and increasing the representation of women and girls in STEM fields in Europe and Central Asia. Innovation Lab is an ecosystem involved in intellectual property, innovation infrastructures, startups, STEAM and gender development. In the interview, Dinara acknowledges that “the whole world is trending towards globalization, digitalization, exact sciences, engineering [and] mathematics.” She highlights that although hers is a landlocked and developing nation, they are rich with human resources. “Our potential is our people. This is an innovation. This is a creative solution. This is a creative economy. This is STEM,” she explains. “Because we have had STEM, one might say, in our families since ancient times.”

Report Date...: 2/13/2023

Fellow startup launches WellShift biofeedback app

Fellow(s): Abeer Albashiti (2022)

Country: Jordan

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow Startup Launches WellShift Biofeedback App

Larimar technology, a wellness, performance and productivity startup funded by fellow Abeer Albashiti (Jordan, 2022) recently announced the launch of its first technological tool, the WellShift app, available in Arabic and English. Larimar offers self-regulation tools designed to monitor and transform emotions, wellness, performance and resilience for both individuals and enterprises. The technology can be used in a standalone capacity or be integrated with existing smart wearables. Abeer credits her participation in TechWomen as a major contribution to Larimar’s social capital growth. “While in California,” she explains, “I visited HeartMath, the research center on which 60% of Larimar’s scientific research depends. [There, we] discussed the psychological backbone of my innovation and initiated a partnership.” Abeer is a wellbeing advocate and emotion AI builder who founded Larimar to help people utilize emotions and life experiences “as enabling data for actionable insights like boosting wellbeing, improving customer experience, gaming and security threat detection.”

Report Date...: 2/6/2023

Fellow(s): Pamela Azanfouet (2022)

Country: Cameroon

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Pamela founded NGO Nkwangtech Foundation to facilitate mentorship in STEM and encourage the pursuit of STEM careers and entrepreneurial applications.

Fellow Pamela Azanfouet (Cameroon, 2022) recently expressed gratitude to TechWomen partner organization Juniper Networks for having donated 20 computers to Nkwangtech Foundation, an NGO that she established in 2021 to connect students and job seekers with mentors, while inspiring them to pursue careers and creative entrepreneurial opportunities in STEM. Pamela has explained that the youths in the city of Bafoussam, capital of the West Region of Cameroon, face many roadblocks accessing employment and education, which can inhibit their ability to fully realize their potential and contribute to their community. Through Nkwangtech Foundation, they gain beneficial exposure to new skills, professional networks and opportunities to quickly advance their careers and professional goals. “By this donation,” Pamela shares, “Juniper networks gave us the strength to believe and to continue working hard to help the youths of the western region be part of the digital transformation effect and become opportunity creators.” Pamela credits the advocacy of Professional Mentor Rebecca Biswas with driving the donation from Juniper Networks. She also expresses gratitude to the TechWomen program, which “changed my life [and] perception of myself and gave me an opportunity to learn how to communicate and interact with others.”

Report Date...: 1/30/2023

Fellow(s): Darika Aldasheva (2022)

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow featured in KRJC’s 33 mini MBA success stories

Fellow Darika Aldasheva (Kyrgyzstan, 2022) was recently interviewed in a magazine feature by the Kyrgyz Republic Japan Center for Human Development (KRJC) of 33 success stories of mini MBA graduates from their program. Darika is both the CEO of Jeti Media, a social media marketing agency, and the Managing Director of Noosphere, a public relations agency. Speaking on her leadership style, she says “I don’t educate, but I talk with the team and I get feedback. This is necessary,” she emphasizes, “to keep employees who want to develop, establish collaboration between specialists and take responsibility.” She also shares that trying to choose between business and personal life “is a false dichotomy. You cannot devote yourself to one thing,” she explains. “Those who devote themselves [solely] to family begin to hate the family and the same goes for work. Work-life balance is necessary and it is quite possible.” The KRJC was established 20 years ago to support Asian countries with transition market economies and to promote cultural exchange with Japan.

Report Date...: 1/30/2022

Fellow named to BBC 100 Women 2022 list

Fellow(s): Ainura Sagyn Tursunalieva (2017)

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2017

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

Fellow Named to BBC 100 Women 2022 List

Fellow Ainura Sagyn Tursunalieva (Kyrgyzstan, 2017) has recently been named one of the BBC 100 Women 2022 in their 10th annual compilation of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world. Ainura is an ecofeminist, computer engineer, and CEO of start-up Tazar, an app that connects producers of waste —from the individual level to the corporate level—with recyclers, in an effort to promote sustainability and reduce the amount of refuse that ends up in landfills in Central Asian countries. Sagyn has also led coding and STEM workshops for over 2,000 schoolgirls in Kyrgyzstan. The BBC’s 2022 list includes a diverse group of women from around the world, including those involved in conflict and resistance in various countries, as well as notable figures in music, acting, sports, and literature.

Report Date...: 1/23/2023

New fellow wins Tech Sis of the Year Award

Fellow(s): Oluwatobi Otokiti (2022)

Country: Nigeria

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

New fellow wins Tech Sis of the Year Award

Shortly after returning home from completion of her TechWomen program, fellow Tobi Oluwatobi (Nigeria, 2022) was given the honor of the Tech Sis of the year award by the Art of Technology Lagos (AOTLagos). She is recognized as one of the top 10 female product management leaders in Africa, a product mentor at Google Launchpad, and the founder of ProductDive, the largest product management community and school in Africa. Her recent induction as a Techwomen fellow also contributed to the win. When I heard my name being called on the stage,” Tobi shared, “I was astounded by the love…I’m dedicating this award to any female whose ever desired to get into and thrive in Tech. You can become a Tech Sis, too.”

Report Date...: 1/16/2023

Fellow gains recognition as local data science trailblazer and mentor

Fellow(s): Fellows gain recognition as national trailblazers and mentors

Country: Zimbabwe

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow Henrica Makulu (Zimbabwe, 2022) was recently featured in a news story recognizing her rising profile as a pioneer in data analytics in her country. Titled “34-year old shining in tech world,” the story highlights Henrica’s recent nominations as a finalist for the WomenTech Mentor of the Year and WomenTech Community Award for 2022. “This is super-significant because Loveness [Nleya] and I are the first Zimbabweans to get this far in these global awards,” Henrica shared. Henrica credits her recognition to her work as founder of HM Digital data consulting, through which she has impacted over 3,000 people with training, mentorship and advising in digital literacy and data analytics. In November, Henrica accepted the role of Senior Specialist Consultant of Business Intelligence at Medscheme Holdings. She was also featured, along with fellow Wadzanayi Kimberley (Zimbabwe, 2022), on the cover of the inaugural issue of “25 Women in STEM Magazine,” which seeks to spotlight Zimbabwean women trailblazers in STEM. There, Henrica shared that she believes “stories are just data with a soul” and that she is passionate about providing data insights that inform business decisions in her community.

Report Date...: 1/9/2023

Fellow shares journey on Startups Arabia podcast

Fellow(s): Fellow Afnan Ali shares journey on Startups Arabia podcast

Country: Jordan

Cohort: 2011

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement

Fellow Afnan Ali (Jordan, 2011), a member of the inaugural TechWomen cohort and founder of Eureka Tech Academy, was recently interviewed on “Startups Arabia” to discuss her journey from electrical communications engineer to founder of one of the earliest programs in Jordan dedicated to engaging youth in tech innovation and entrepreneurship. Eureka Tech Academy has provided useful, basic technological education to thousands of children with the aim of sparking the next generation of engineers, innovators, inventors and tech entrepreneurs. Among other topics, Afnan discusses the founding of Eureka Tech Academy, adapting to a post-COVID world and meeting Queen Rania of Jordan during a program visit in 2017. She also recalls her acceptance of the UN’s UNCTAD award for best female tech entrepreneur in 2020 when she said, “starting a new project does not necessarily need a business plan, but having an unshakeable belief of the ‘why’ behind this project is a must.”

Report Date...: 1/9/2023

Fellows team up on women’s panel for Arab EmTech

Fellow(s): Fellows team up on women’s panel for Arab EmTech

Country: Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellows Diala Al Samarani (Lebanon, 2022), Roshaan Sheikh (Pakistan, 2022) and Rahma Tizzane (Morocco, 2022) recently collaborated with fellow Eman Herawy (Egypt) as panelists to support her “Towards More Women in Tech” event during the Arab EmTech & Startup at Arab Blockchain Week in November. Eman is a leading blockchain developer in Egypt and the founder of Arabs in Blockchain, which seeks to empower the Arab blockchain community through the transfer of knowledge, elimination of language barriers and global and local community connection in Blockchain. She also co-founded NoonDAO which is an Arab women-led decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) advocating for Arab women’s empowerment.

Report Date...: 1/9/2023

Fellow startup wins #WeAreTogether International Prize

Fellow(s): Fellow startup wins #WeAreTogether International Prize

Country: Pakistan

Cohort: 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow Nida Farooqui (Pakistan, 2020-2021) recently accepted the “Good Deed of the Year” award and #WeAreTogether International Prize in Medicine and Lifestyle at the International Forum of Civil Participation in Russia on behalf of startup Sehat Kahani, where she serves as Chief Technology Officer. Sehat Kahani is a woman-founded and led digital telehealth platform that connects medical doctors to patients in hard-to-reach and underserved areas of Pakistan. As stated on the website of the International Forum of Civil Participation, the #WeAreTogether prize is intended to “recognize and support the leaders of socially significant initiatives aimed at helping people and improving the quality of life in Russia and the world.” Sehat Kahani is recognized for making a significant impact during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing access to telemedicine professionals and prescriptions at a period when traditional brick and mortar healthcare centers were understaffed and undersupplied. Today, Sehat Kahani has hosted well over a million telehealth consultations with its portfolio of nearly 40 clinics in Pakistan and a network of over 7000 healthcare professionals worldwide. Nida accepted the historic awards as the representative of Sehat Kahani and spoke on several panels during the event

Report Date...: 1/2/2023

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