Let's help make more female innovators and leaders
Business. Culture. Fashion. Music. Marketing. Film.
Sports. Social Causes.
What connects all these industries?
TECHNOLOGY!
Why should I attend?
- Amazing talks from female leaders and innovators in the tech industry
- An opportunity to network with tech trailblazers and other leading women
- FREE General Assembly workshops
- Cutting edge live demos including AI, VR and wearable tech
What is it?
A unique event that will expose you to some of the most exciting careers of the future by bringing together inspiring female tech entrepreneurs and trailblazers who will share their very personal stories of what inspired them to pursue a career in tech, how they got to where they are today, the challenges they faced on the way and their WOW (Words of Wisdom)…all in 7 minutes!
And of course, in true WOW Talks fashion, there will be entertaining live performances intertwined throughout.
Here's what you'll get:
- Learn about the amazing variety of career opportunities waiting for your that are affiliated with tech
- Hear the very personal stories of inspiring women who are passionate about their jobs in tech
- Get hands-on experience discovering and demo-ing some of the coolest tech – from Artificial Intelligence to Virtual Reality to Wearables
- Have the opportunity to network with successful female entrepreneurs and executives who can answer your questions about what it means to work in tech
Speakers:
Learner, maker, systems thinker, innovator & technology enthusiast, Luciana currently heads Business Development & Partnerships for London Sports Innovation Award Winner app Racefully, and is a prominent UKVR and Women in VR Evangelist.
Combining 4+ years’ experience in startups, digital marketing, web development and operational management, she’s driven by big ideas, a global mindset & empowering tech entrepreneurs in London, SF, Lisbon & Manchester – especially next generation #ladyhackers.
Former Cambridge Law, Harvard and International Business grad turned tech super-geek, she’s a dedicated member & organiser of Code First Girls, SheWorx, Women of Wearables, EmpowerHack, VR Manchester, UKVR Hackathon and Women in VR, as well as a panelist and speaker on #womenintech, cyber security and virtual reality. She was selected as one of Code First Girls ‘25 Ones to Watch’ 2016, and founded SE3 Solutions, seeking to accelerate new and emerging tech’s voice in the e-health/learning space.
Luciana is co-partnering on an AVR Innovation Centre & Academy set to open Q4 2016 in central London, a hub and incubator for thought leadership in the VR/AR industry.
Luciana Carvalho Se
Learner, maker, systems thinker, innovator & technology enthusiast, Luciana currently heads Business Development & Partnerships for London Sports Innovation Award Winner app Racefully, and is a prominent UKVR and Women in VR Evangelist.
Combining 4+ years’ experience in startups, digital marketing, web development and operational management, she’s driven by big ideas, a global mindset & empowering tech entrepreneurs in London, SF, Lisbon & Manchester – especially next generation #ladyhackers.
Former Cambridge Law, Harvard and International Business grad turned tech super-geek, she’s a dedicated member & organiser of Code First Girls, SheWorx, Women of Wearables, EmpowerHack, VR Manchester, UKVR Hackathon and Women in VR, as well as a panelist and speaker on #womenintech, cyber security and virtual reality. She was selected as one of Code First Girls ‘25 Ones to Watch’ 2016, and founded SE3 Solutions, seeking to accelerate new and emerging tech’s voice in the e-health/learning space.
Luciana is co-partnering on an AVR Innovation Centre & Academy set to open Q4 2016 in central London, a hub and incubator for thought leadership in the VR/AR industry.
VR, AR & New Tech
Evangelist
Lara is a tech enthusiast with a passion for communications and advertising. Now a Global Solutions Partner in Facebook, London she consults some of the world’s largest advertisers on how to achieve business success on the platform.
After graduating from Dublin City University with a BSc in Multimedia, Lara began her career in Yahoo! but left the security of that role to work with her parents’ small publishing firm before then moving countries to work with PR company Beattie Communications in Scotland.
Lara motivated in both her work as well as home life; she has flown a 1930’s tiger moth plane and sailed a tall ship in the past 12 months.
Lara Glover
Lara is a tech enthusiast with a passion for communications and advertising. Now a Global Solutions Partner in Facebook, London she consults some of the world’s largest advertisers on how to achieve business success on the platform.
After graduating from Dublin City University with a BSc in Multimedia, Lara began her career in Yahoo! but left the security of that role to work with her parents’ small publishing firm before then moving countries to work with PR company Beattie Communications in Scotland.
Lara motivated in both her work as well as home life; she has flown a 1930’s tiger moth plane and sailed a tall ship in the past 12 months.
Global Solutions Partner,
Facebook
Jude is the CEO and Founder of Playmob, a platform connecting games to charities. A serial entrepreneur, startup-mentor and an Entrepreneur in residence with Angel Academe, Jude has a passion for games, profit with purpose business models, startups, problem solving and innovation. Through these passions, Jude is curating a book, Startup Secrets (www.startupsecrets.club).
She recently has been awarded an MBE in the 2015 New Years Honours list. Jude has been voted top 100 women in Tech in Europe, Top 100 women in Games in the UK and in the Creative England Top 50 2015. More recently she won the Talent Unleashed award, judged by Richard Branson, as the ‘One to Watch in 2015’ and shortlisted for the Veuve Clicquot ‘New Generation’ award May 2015.
She is also a BAFTA games judge and judges for the Burberry Breakthrough Brit awards and speaker at various events such as Mashable Social Good Summit, SXSW, MADE Festival, Pocket Gamer, Mobile Games Forum, Women in Games, Browser Games Forum, Games for Brands, London Games Conference, Social Games Summit and Tech@State (US White House).
Jude Ower MBE
Jude is the CEO and Founder of Playmob, a platform connecting games to charities. A serial entrepreneur, startup-mentor and an Entrepreneur in residence with Angel Academe, Jude has a passion for games, profit with purpose business models, startups, problem solving and innovation. Through these passions, Jude is curating a book, Startup Secrets (www.startupsecrets.club).
She recently has been awarded an MBE in the 2015 New Years Honours list. Jude has been voted top 100 women in Tech in Europe, Top 100 women in Games in the UK and in the Creative England Top 50 2015. More recently she won the Talent Unleashed award, judged by Richard Branson, as the ‘One to Watch in 2015’ and shortlisted for the Veuve Clicquot ‘New Generation’ award May 2015.
She is also a BAFTA games judge and judges for the Burberry Breakthrough Brit awards and speaker at various events such as Mashable Social Good Summit, SXSW, MADE Festival, Pocket Gamer, Mobile Games Forum, Women in Games, Browser Games Forum, Games for Brands, London Games Conference, Social Games Summit and Tech@State (US White House).
Founder and CEO,
Playmob
Priya is the founder and CEO of CENTURY Tech, an artificially intelligent, big data analytics platform focused on education. CENTURY, which launched in October 2015 and will be available globally from September 2016, provides algorithm-based personalised learning journeys to students on a content agnostic platform and offers real-time insights and predictive analytics to educators.
Priya started her career as a barrister, specialising in libel, privacy and reporting restrictions for the press including representing a newspaper in the House of Lords at the age of 25. In 2008, Priya successfully launched a FMCG business and launched products into nationwide supermarket chains and independent retailers. Passionate about CSR and incorporating a ONE=ONE model, the company’s charitable arm provided millions of meals and 35,000 vaccinations to the underprivileged.
Priya has been a member of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills’ Entrepreneurs’ Forum, an advisory board member to several educational/skills organisations, including a founding entrepreneur of Gazelle Group Colleges. Priya authored childrens book, Zarin’s Perfect World, which was published in 2014 and was awarded Business Entrepreneur of the Year by the Chancellor in 2009 and Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2014.
Priya Lakhani OBE
Priya is the founder and CEO of CENTURY Tech, an artificially intelligent, big data analytics platform focused on education. CENTURY, which launched in October 2015 and will be available globally from September 2016, provides algorithm-based personalised learning journeys to students on a content agnostic platform and offers real-time insights and predictive analytics to educators.
Priya started her career as a barrister, specialising in libel, privacy and reporting restrictions for the press including representing a newspaper in the House of Lords at the age of 25. In 2008, Priya successfully launched a FMCG business and launched products into nationwide supermarket chains and independent retailers. Passionate about CSR and incorporating a ONE=ONE model, the company’s charitable arm provided millions of meals and 35,000 vaccinations to the underprivileged.
Priya has been a member of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills’ Entrepreneurs’ Forum, an advisory board member to several educational/skills organisations, including a founding entrepreneur of Gazelle Group Colleges. Priya authored childrens book, Zarin’s Perfect World, which was published in 2014 and was awarded Business Entrepreneur of the Year by the Chancellor in 2009 and Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2014.
Founder & CEO,
Century Tech
Dr Rebecca Fiebrink is a Lecturer in Computing at Goldsmiths, University of London, where her research and teaching focus on new ways of using computers in music and art. She is the developer of the Wekinator open source software that allows people to use machine learning to create new musical instruments, interfaces for people with disabilities, and games.
She has worked with numerous companies, including Smule, where she helped to build the #1 iTunes app "I am T-Pain.” Prior to moving to Goldsmiths, she was an Assistant Professor at Princeton University, where she co-directed the Princeton Laptop Orchestra.
Dr Rebecca Fiebrink
Dr Rebecca Fiebrink is a Lecturer in Computing at Goldsmiths, University of London, where her research and teaching focus on new ways of using computers in music and art. She is the developer of the Wekinator open source software that allows people to use machine learning to create new musical instruments, interfaces for people with disabilities, and games.
She has worked with numerous companies, including Smule, where she helped to build the #1 iTunes app "I am T-Pain.” Prior to moving to Goldsmiths, she was an Assistant Professor at Princeton University, where she co-directed the Princeton Laptop Orchestra.
Lecturer in Computing
Goldsmiths, University of London
Genevieve is a sci-fi fan with a love of technology. She founded readysaltedcode C.I.C to provide innovative digital creative computer science education, involving students, educators, industry and the wider community.
Genevieve is currently working on a project comparing chronic and biomedical engineering with classical ballet and the seconds classical ballet and data visualisation of Computer Science Theory. Her first ballet -[arra]stre- debuted September 2014. It was the first of 3 ballets in the series The Art of Computer Science. (Datadrivendance.org)
Genevieve Smith-Nunes
Genevieve is a sci-fi fan with a love of technology. She founded readysaltedcode C.I.C to provide innovative digital creative computer science education, involving students, educators, industry and the wider community.
Genevieve is currently working on a project comparing chronic and biomedical engineering with classical ballet and the seconds classical ballet and data visualisation of Computer Science Theory. Her first ballet -[arra]stre- debuted September 2014. It was the first of 3 ballets in the series The Art of Computer Science. (Datadrivendance.org)
Founder, Producer
& Artist
Gemma is a Scottish creative science nerd obsessed with tech, design, Irn Bru and pi. She is a Tech Innovation Strategist, consulting on future technologies and speaking regularly at innovation, science and technology festivals (e.g. TEDx, Cannes Lions, SXSW and WPP Stream). Gemma is Co-Founder of Science: Disrupt - a media platform of podcasts, editorial and events focusing on showcasing the innovators, iconoclasts and entrepreneurs intent on creating change in science. She acts as an advisor to the science industry on disruptive communications and increasing openness and diversity.
Gemma Milne
Gemma is a Scottish creative science nerd obsessed with tech, design, Irn Bru and pi. She is a Tech Innovation Strategist, consulting on future technologies and speaking regularly at innovation, science and technology festivals (e.g. TEDx, Cannes Lions, SXSW and WPP Stream). Gemma is Co-Founder of Science: Disrupt - a media platform of podcasts, editorial and events focusing on showcasing the innovators, iconoclasts and entrepreneurs intent on creating change in science. She acts as an advisor to the science industry on disruptive communications and increasing openness and diversity.
Tech Innovation
Strategist
Elena brings science closer to people through the development of lifestyle consumer products using smart materials. She became UK’s top 3 innovators of the year women in tech and 2nd most disruptive business by Prince Andrew initiative Pitch@Palace.
Elena believes that everyday products are the perfect vehicle to influence and empower smart consumerism. We are surrounded by intelligent devices yet being smart must also reflect being socially and environmentally committed. Innovation is not only in our means but most importantly in our meaning.
Elena is a former Research Associate on wearables at MIT MLE and Alumni of the Material Futures MA at Central Saint Martins in London. Clients include Omnicom Media, London Olympics, Diageo, BBC, TEDx, SAP, British Council, Julius Baer, and more.
Elena Corchero
Elena brings science closer to people through the development of lifestyle consumer products using smart materials. She became UK’s top 3 innovators of the year women in tech and 2nd most disruptive business by Prince Andrew initiative Pitch@Palace.
Elena believes that everyday products are the perfect vehicle to influence and empower smart consumerism. We are surrounded by intelligent devices yet being smart must also reflect being socially and environmentally committed. Innovation is not only in our means but most importantly in our meaning.
Elena is a former Research Associate on wearables at MIT MLE and Alumni of the Material Futures MA at Central Saint Martins in London. Clients include Omnicom Media, London Olympics, Diageo, BBC, TEDx, SAP, British Council, Julius Baer, and more.
CEO and Founder
at Lost Values.
British-Brazilian serial Entrepreneur, Roberta has a passion for driving change, creating and growing tech businesses and products. She’s been selected top 35 women under 35 by Management Today, Top 30 Women in Games, Influential Tech Leader, and everywoman’s Entrepreneur of the Year finalist.
Roberta co-founded the BAFTA winner scale-up Bossa Studios, growing the company from zero to millions in revenue and wowing influential YouTubers with hits like Surgeon Simulator. She also co-founded WonderLuk, a 3D printing platform for design lovers. The startup now has a global community of 40+ designers and clients such as the V&A, Disney, Science Museum and Jaeger.
This year, Roberta is focused on building BOLDR, her third tech venture, which aims to make business coaching accessible to every individual.
Prior to entering the entrepreneurial world, Roberta spent 12 years leading game-changing initiatives and products at Nokia/Vertu, and the world’s second-largest commercial TV broadcaster, Globo TV.
Roberta Lucca
British-Brazilian serial Entrepreneur, Roberta has a passion for driving change, creating and growing tech businesses and products. She’s been selected top 35 women under 35 by Management Today, Top 30 Women in Games, Influential Tech Leader, and everywoman’s Entrepreneur of the Year finalist.
Roberta co-founded the BAFTA winner scale-up Bossa Studios, growing the company from zero to millions in revenue and wowing influential YouTubers with hits like Surgeon Simulator. She also co-founded WonderLuk, a 3D printing platform for design lovers. The startup now has a global community of 40+ designers and clients such as the V&A, Disney, Science Museum and Jaeger.
This year, Roberta is focused on building BOLDR, her third tech venture, which aims to make business coaching accessible to every individual.
Prior to entering the entrepreneurial world, Roberta spent 12 years leading game-changing initiatives and products at Nokia/Vertu, and the world’s second-largest commercial TV broadcaster, Globo TV.
Co-Founder of Bossa Studios,
WonderLuk, BOLDR
Jody is the Head of Strategy & Planning in Sky’s Group Technology division. Leaving university with a degree in French & Linguistics, Jody’s language skills led her to a career in Technology, starting in coding and later data modelling, project management and systems design with PwC and IBM in the Telecoms and Media sectors. Since then, she has challenged herself to change career twice whilst remaining in Technology-related fields, motivated by constant challenge, problem solving and an interest in people and new cultures.
As an international headhunter, Jody recruited senior Technology leaders and assessed top Technology teams globally from industries as diverse as Financial Services to Travel and eCommerce. With her current employer, Sky, she has combined her Technology skillsets within TV Technology and is now working at Group level responsible for Technology Strategy & Planning to support Sky’s businesses across Europe.
Jody is a keen sportswoman and competes to high levels in cycling. She is passionate about the outdoors and can usually be found cycling or running in the countryside in her spare time.
Jody Conibear
Jody is the Head of Strategy & Planning in Sky’s Group Technology division. Leaving university with a degree in French & Linguistics, Jody’s language skills led her to a career in Technology, starting in coding and later data modelling, project management and systems design with PwC and IBM in the Telecoms and Media sectors. Since then, she has challenged herself to change career twice whilst remaining in Technology-related fields, motivated by constant challenge, problem solving and an interest in people and new cultures.
As an international headhunter, Jody recruited senior Technology leaders and assessed top Technology teams globally from industries as diverse as Financial Services to Travel and eCommerce. With her current employer, Sky, she has combined her Technology skillsets within TV Technology and is now working at Group level responsible for Technology Strategy & Planning to support Sky’s businesses across Europe.
Jody is a keen sportswoman and competes to high levels in cycling. She is passionate about the outdoors and can usually be found cycling or running in the countryside in her spare time.
Head of Strategy & Planning,
Sky’s Group Technology
Maxine is the Chairman of HealthTech Women UK – an international professional network which aims to support and promote women to be the future leaders of medical innovation. She does this alongside a data science PhD at UCL where she mining electronic medical records for early detection of dementia. Maxine has also completed an MSc in Health Policy and Economics at the LSE and LSHTM. Her professional work has led her to the Royal Society, Roche, L’Oreal, DIFD, and NHS England.
Maxine is a Global Shaper for the World Economic Forum, a fellow of the Digital Health Forum, and a member of the Youth Health Parliament: Emerging tech. She is a digital health fanatic and continues to report and consult on medical innovation in the UK, central Europe and the Silicon Valley.
Maxine Mackintosh
Maxine is the Chairman of HealthTech Women UK – an international professional network which aims to support and promote women to be the future leaders of medical innovation. She does this alongside a data science PhD at UCL where she mining electronic medical records for early detection of dementia. Maxine has also completed an MSc in Health Policy and Economics at the LSE and LSHTM. Her professional work has led her to the Royal Society, Roche, L’Oreal, DIFD, and NHS England.
Maxine is a Global Shaper for the World Economic Forum, a fellow of the Digital Health Forum, and a member of the Youth Health Parliament: Emerging tech. She is a digital health fanatic and continues to report and consult on medical innovation in the UK, central Europe and the Silicon Valley.
Health Data Scientist & Chairman of HealthTech Women UK
lula.xyz
Evolving & becoming
Creative gypsy
Digital immigrant
Multidisciplinary artist
Orbiting
Sonic
Visual
Sensory experience
Born in the sub-Saharan
Residing in NYLON
Traveling intergalactic planes through sound waves
Lula
lula.xyz
Evolving & becoming
Creative gypsy
Digital immigrant
Multidisciplinary artist
Orbiting
Sonic
Visual
Sensory experience
Born in the sub-Saharan
Residing in NYLON
Traveling intergalactic planes through sound waves
Musician and
Actor
Presenter:
Melissa is an entrepreneur, writer and international speaker focused on the convergence of frontier technology and social change. She is the CEO and Co-Founder of the tech for good platform TheToolbox.org, co-founded by the legendary musician Peter Gabriel.
Melissa has spoken about how tech and media impact business, culture and human rights globally. In April 2016, she co-anchored the first show to ever be livestreamed from the United Nations General Assembly.
Her written work includes features for CBS News, NBC, Mic.com, Huffington Post, Mashable, Village MTV, Cisco's Technology News Network and The Guardian.
A champion for women's rights and today's youth, Melissa mentors teen activists around the world with Three Dot Dash.
Melissa Jun Rowley
Melissa is an entrepreneur, writer and international speaker focused on the convergence of frontier technology and social change. She is the CEO and Co-Founder of the tech for good platform TheToolbox.org, co-founded by the legendary musician Peter Gabriel.
Melissa has spoken about how tech and media impact business, culture and human rights globally. In April 2016, she co-anchored the first show to ever be livestreamed from the United Nations General Assembly.
Her written work includes features for CBS News, NBC, Mic.com, Huffington Post, Mashable, Village MTV, Cisco's Technology News Network and The Guardian.
A champion for women's rights and today's youth, Melissa mentors teen activists around the world with Three Dot Dash.
Entrepreneur, Writer &
Speaker
Please note: not all speakers listed above will be presenting in the evening as some are giving their talks in the daytime for the Schools event.
Workshops:
Taking place from 5:30-7:30pm (before the WOW Talks in the main theatre), we are delighted to let you know about some valuable and exciting workshops we’ve organised for you.
The following 45 min workshops are presented by General Assembly. You will first need to register for the event in order to be sent the link to register for these workshops. As these workshops are in high demand and space is limited, we strongly recommend you pre-register.
Intro to Coding - 5:30pm
Whether you're interested in learning to write a few lines of code, wanting to build a simple website, or looking to change careers, this workshop will introduce you to the wonderful world of coding, give you an overview of web development, discuss what you need to get started as a web developer and show you how you can break into this dynamic field.
Developing Your Personal Brand - 6:30pm
In today's digital world, it's become essential to create your own personal brand, one that'll help you stand out from the crowd. In this talk, we’ll take a look at the successful business owners, celebrity culture and the London startup scene, as well as providing advice and tips for how to start building your own personal brand.
For those interested in learning how technology can be used to enhance the arts and make us see our lives from a different perspective, the following is an interactive theatre piece created by Pell Ensemble. (There is no need to register for this demo.)
David (5:30 - 7:30pm ongoing)
Step into 'David's' world.
Participate in a 20 minute interactive demonstration of an audience-led dance performance which allows the public to change the projection, dance and ultimately the outcome of the work using a web-based mobile app.
There will be discussions about the technology and roles involved creating this artistic piece and everyone will have a chance to use the app - a couple lucky volunteers will even be given the opportunity step into 'David's' shoes.
Presented by:
Rebecca Evans, Artistic Director and Choreographer of Pell Ensemble
Ali Blackwell, Interactive Mobile Designer and Coder
Gold Sponsors:
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations.
Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions—underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network—Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders.
With more than 375,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.
Bronze Sponsor:
VIP Sponsor:
Event Partners:
Venue
The event will take place at the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), a historical building that was founded in 1830 as an institution to promote the advancement of geographical science. The RGS is home to numerous TEDx events as well as film and photography screenings and festivals.
The RGS is located at 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR - just up the road from the Natural History, Science and Victoria and Albert Museums.
Timings:
5:00 – 10:30pm
(Schools: 11:00-4:00pm)