Ayumi Moore Aoki, Founder and CEO of Women in Tech® Global, hosted the 2024 summit at the prestigious Hôtel du Collectionneur in Paris on May 6th and 7th, gathering over 350 people from 50 countries, including Women in Tech chapter leaders and members, tech experts and executives, government officials, entrepreneurs, media representatives, and sponsors (Amazon, Cardano Foundation, Cegeka, Axa, Mastercard, Veeam, OPMG, Aurora Tech Award). For the second time, the event was held under the high patronage of Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of France.
In her opening speech, Ayumi highlighted Women in Tech Global’s achievements, including joining the World Economic Forum’s EDISON Alliance to promote digital inclusion, partnering with the US Department of Commerce and hosting the U.S. Department of Commerce’s first executive-led Women in Tech Trade Mission to France, Netherlands, and Portugal, and signing a memorandum of understanding with UN Women to solidify its commitment to advocating for gender equality globally. Ayumi reported that the organization has impacted over 350,000 women and girls, matched 3,000 mentors and mentees, and provided skills training to over 80,000 individuals through various programs.
The summit not only hosted meaningful discussions but also acted as a central networking venue, providing opportunities for attendees to meet industry leaders, potential mentors, and partners. It was an ideal setting for creating new connections and seeking funding opportunities, which was particularly advantageous for the entrepreneurs and startups present.
Beyond Ceilings
The summit began with the avant-première of Women in Tech’s first awareness campaign, the short film “Beyond Ceilings,” created by the Parisian creative agency WAY TV and directed by Canadian director Maïlis, with the support of UN Women. The campaign depicts the everyday existence of a girl living in tight quarters with low ceilings, compelling the women and girls in this world to walk hunched over.
This claustrophobic short film powerfully impacts the audience by visually representing the barriers that women and girls face in standing tall in the corporate world and reaching their full potential. It serves as a creative interpretation of the “glass ceiling” metaphor, coined in 1978, which symbolizes the barriers faced by women and minorities in career advancement. The presentation of this campaign set the tone for the summit, reinforcing the message that women must dream beyond the ceilings and support others in doing the same.
The campaign was officially launched on May 13th through digital platforms and television broadcasts globally.
From Fintech to Space Missions
The event continued with a series of panels, ignite talks, keynotes, fireside chats, an Oxford-style debate, and a pitching competition for women-led startups.
The discussions covered numerous pressing topics, underscoring the importance of including women in decision-making roles to create a more equitable present and future. The agenda included artificial intelligence, Web 3, financial technology, the digital economy, diplomacy, cybersecurity, insurance, and space missions, emphasizing how diversity drives innovation. Speakers shared their personal journeys and effective strategies for navigating challenges in a predominantly male field, as well as insights on cultivating diverse and inclusive teams.
Women in Tech® Internal Awards
At the Gala dinner, Ayumi congratulated the winners of the Women in Tech® Internal Awards under the 4 pillars.
🏆Women in Tech®Burundi – Education
🏆Women in Tech®Cabo Verde – Advocacy
🏆Women in Tech®Mongolia – Social & Digital Inclusion
🏆Women in Tech®Romania – Business
Testimonials
Philippe Vogeleer, Chairman of the Board Global Partners for Digital Development
“Weekend thoughts: What’s the English expression for the French word “scotché”? Impressed? Floored? Convinced? Wowed? All of the above? Whatever it is, that is my feeling one week after the start of WOMEN IN TECH ® Global in Paris. Beyond the super good to-the-point content, I have to say as a man that a tech conference where 90% of people are women instead of the usual 90% men mostly in dark suits (aka like me) proved to be SUPER positive: not a single boring speech; not a speaker spending most of their speaking time explaining how incredible they are; “just” well educated tech people discussing about various topics based on data and data and data vs their opinions. Plus champagne! Honestly: Loved it. Such a fresh wind of change. Made me think about the data presented during the event, and inspired me to help grow this movement. Well done to Ayumi Moore Aoki, to her team of organisers, to the speakers, and the super active audience.”
Rika Nakazawa, Group Vice President, New Ventures & Innovation, NTT
“Well, I quite literally fell head over heels 😍 for the beautiful changemakers I met at WOMEN IN TECH ® Global Summit – led so gracefully and powerfully by Ayumi Moore Aoki and under the High patronage of French President Emmanuel Macron. Ayumi is on a mission to empower 5 million women and girls by 2030 and she is well on her way with an extraordinary team. 💫
And there are simply no words that could describe capture the magic of diversity (women from more than 50 countries!), energy, electricity, and power that moved through that forum last week.”
Kamola Sobirova, Advisor to the Minister Republic of Uzbekistan
“We were happy to participate in the WOMEN IN TECH ® Global Summit held in Paris, marking Uzbekistan’s first engagement with such an event. 🇺🇿🇺🇿🇺🇿
Over two days, women from around the globe came together, transcending language and cultural barriers, united by a common mission: to create a more supportive and empowering world for women in the tech industry. It was inspiring to be part of a community dedicated to mutual support and advancement.”
Chiara Corazza, President, CCC; Private Sector Representative for France, G20 EMPOWER; Member of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council (GEAC); Affiliate Professor, ESCP Business School
“A great occasion to see so many friends before my eyes and to bring my strong vision for women’s role today as hashtag#InclusiveLeaders, empowered with #Tech, since hashtag#STEM hashtag#education is the key driver for inclusive leadership.
#InclusiveLeadership is not only achieving zero gender gap, but also a means for #tolerance, #OpenMindedness, and #purposeful approach for the common good, for planet and for sustainability in all sectors.
Inclusive leadership also means more women where they can fully bring their vital and positive contribution.”
David Savage, Group Technology Evangelist @ Nash Squared
“Every event is different, and all offer something for their audience, but I wanted to highlight why I love (and have always loved) the Women in Tech format.
There is no speaker lounge, no VIP area. Everyone is accessible and open. Around 300/400 incredible leaders (95% women) come together from around the world including heads of state, royalty, ambassadors… genuine leaders, and they make themselves available.
I know it’s not a format that would work everywhere, but Ayumi Moore Aoki and her team have done something special to really make it work here for her community.”