The importance of innovation is very personal to me, and I’m fortunate to have an unparalleled opportunity to put my own passion, purpose and persistence to work. As the Global Head of Innovation for KPMG International during a period of unprecedented social and environmental change, there couldn’t be a better time for me to focus my personal passion — and our collective energy — to create new approaches and initiatives that can help to sustain our planet.
So much has been said in the past several years around the pace of change, but it’s not only the pace. It seems that now more than ever, as more paradigms shift and barriers come down, what once were given truths now become debatable or obsolete assumptions. And nowhere is this more evident than in the rising contribution of women innovators and business entrepreneurs driving a new trail to make the world a better place. They do it with passion, purpose, and persistence.
The superpower of female entrepreneurs
In the 2021 KPMG Private Enterprise report “The Power of Women in Family Business”, several of the women in family businesses who contributed their views are founders and leaders of companies in industries that would historically be labeled as ‘men’s work’ – including steel and scrap-metal processing, cement manufacturing and the production of hardware products. For them, equity in not just a slogan. They have experienced how diverse ideas and experiences can add tremendous value to a team, generating higher levels of innovation.
I couldn’t agree more.
The great contribution of women entrepreneurs in the past decade has not only helped bring down more barriers, and disrupt past status quos, it has been one of the biggest drivers to global and local innovation.
Disruptors and innovators: welcome!
In my role, I’m in the fortunate position to meet many of innovators from all over the world, including more and more female entrepreneurs who are blazing the trail towards sustainability. They’re controlling their own destinies, and the destiny of our planet at the same time.
In 2021, KPMG Private Enterprise introduced the world to many of these disruptors and innovators during KPMG’s inaugural Global Tech Innovator competition. Hundreds of tech startups, who are tackling some of the world’s most pressing issues, pitched their latest technology innovations and solutions to panels of industry experts.
One of the things I feel makes this competition unique is the diversity of the participants. They come from every part of the world and every background. And while there are some wide gender gaps in the tech sector that still need to be closed, we were encouraged to find that so many of the world’s most exciting innovators and next-generation business creators are women founders and leaders. In fact, one-quarter of the companies that competed in the final global competition were created by female founders. And it is my true hope and belief that we will reach a balanced representation in the next several years.
Not only are they successfully capitalizing on the current climate of disruption, they’re also singlehandedly managing to disrupt many of the norms of the tech sector. They’re passionate and purposeful. And in most cases, they’re working hard to improve the social and environmental sustainability of our planet.
The 2022 Global Tech Innovator competition is about to get underway, and I can’t wait to meet the brilliant innovators who will compete this year and introduce them to the world! Keep an eye on our Global Tech Innovator webpage where details on how to apply will be announced shortly.
In the meantime, to recognize International Women’s Day 2022, I am very happy to introduce the stories behind some of the amazing women entrepreneurs and disruptive innovators KPMG Private Enterprise International Women’s Day 2022 we’ve had the privilege of meeting this year.
There is so much we can achieve collectively by supporting breakthrough solutions and the innovators who create them. I’m sure you’ll find the stories of these female innovation leaders KPMG Private Enterprise International Women’s Day 2022 as inspiring as I have. And I hope they’ll encourage you to pursue your own passions and purpose to keep creating change for the better.
These days, when we know that not all women can be empowered to be part of the tech and innovation space, it is more important than ever to support them. This is why International Women’s Day is such an important date in our calendars.
