#SheStartedIt100: Top 10 Female Tech Entrepreneurs to Watch 2019By Angelica Malin
Introducing: #SheStartedIt100, our definitive list of the top 100 women to watch in the UK 2019. From tech to media, all this week we’ll be giving you the run-down of the UK’s most exciting, dynamic female leaders to watch. We need to do more to promote women in tech; according to a study by PwC, only 15% of employees working in STEM roles in the UK are female, with only 5% of leadership positions in tech held by women. We’re hoping that guides such as this can highlight the amazing women thriving in tech, and, through more positive role models, encourage more young women to pursue a career in technology. This September, About Time is hosting #SheStartedItLIVE: our 1-day festival dedicated to female entrepreneurship and empowerment on Saturday 14th September 2019. Book your ticket here and use the code ‘Angelica50’ for half price tickets this week only. Now, discover our 2019 top 10 female tech entrepreneurs to watch in the UK:
1. Sukhi Jutla, MarketOrders
Name: Sukhi Jutla
Age: 35
Profession: Co-Founder and COO of MarketOrders, the jewellery-tech startup that uses blockchain to make gold and diamond jewellery more ethical and transparent.
Her Story: Sukhi Jutla is an award-winning entrepreneur and author of three books. She is the co-founder of MarketOrders, an online B2B platform for the gold and diamond jewellery industry. She is a leading international speaker, influencer and thought leader in tech and a qualified IBM Blockchain Foundation Developer. In April 2018 Sukhi made global headlines when she became the World’s First #1 Bestselling ‘Blockchain’ Author.
2. Dr Jackie Mulligan, ShopAppy
Name: Dr Jackie Mulligan
Age: 48
Profession: Founder and CEO of ShopAppy
Her Story: Dr Jackie Mulligan is the woman trying to save the high street with her app ShopAppy. Launched in 2016, ShopAppy, is designed to allow local retailers to showcase their goods online enabling customers to easily ‘click and collect’ from the store itself or a convenient collection point, at a time which suits them. Jackie was inspired to create the app having travelled abroad, and come home to find another local business had folded. Aware of how much independent retailers were struggling, and the impact on the community, she came up with a solution when no one else would.
3. Christine Telyan, UENI
Name: Christine Telyan
Age: 36
Profession: Tech Entrepreneur: Co-Founder and CEO of UENI
Her Story: Christine Telyan is CEO and Co-Founder of London-based tech company UENI, which builds over 3000 websites per day. The company has raised over £15m in angel investment and is active in the UK, Spain, France, India, and the United States. Telyan vowed to make all businesses visible online after struggling to find a local dentist. She now runs UENI, a “digital agency for the masses”. In 2019, Telyan was listed by the Independent as one of the UK’s most inspiring female entrepreneurs for International Women’s Day.
4. Carlene Jackson, Cloud9Insight
Name: Carlene Jackson
Age: 48
Profession: CEO and Founder of Cloud9Insight
Her Story: Carlene Jackson is CEO of Brighton-based tech company Cloud9Insight, a Microsoft Gold Partner which provides more than 600 UK businesses with cloud-based CRM software systems. Founded in 2010, the company has 20 staff and is an award-winning apprenticeship provider. Carlene established her first business in Brighton aged 17 and then spent nearly two decades in the software industry working for companies including IBM, Xansa, and Sage before going it alone to take advantage of the booming cloud technology sector. Carlene promotes positive working environments for tech and, in 2019, she was profiled for the ‘Go Home On Time Day’ initiative.
5. Urska Srsen, Bellabeat Inc.
Name: Urska Srsen
Age: 29
Profession: Co-Founder and CCO of Bellabeat Inc.
Her Story: Urska Srsen is the Co-Founder and CCO of Bellabeat Inc., a Silicon Valley company building tech powered wellness products for women. The Bellabeat team is behind the Leaf health tracking jewellery for women one of the best mobile products of 2015 according to Digital Trends and Spring, the first smart water bottle powered by AI. Urska founded Bellabeat back in 2014 because she felt there was a lack of brands out there that catered for women’s needs and wanted to create tech that could monitor her lifestyle and balance work commitments.
6. Tania Boler, Elvie
Name: Tania Boler
Age: 43
Profession: CEO and Co-Founder of Elvie
Her Story: Tania Boler is the Co-Founder and CEO of Elvie. During pregnancy, Tania was shocked to discover that one in three women experience pelvic floor problems after giving birth. There had been barely any innovation in pelvic floor technology and there was nothing on the market that appealed to women. Inspired, she established Elvie in 2013 and brought the Elvie Trainer, an award-winning Kegel trainer, to market in just two years. Three years later, Elvie went on to launch the world’s first silent wearable breast pump. Tania has degrees from Oxford and Stanford Universities, and a PhD in Sexual Reproductive Health.
7. Christina Bechhold Russ, Samsung NEXT
Name: Christina Bechhold Russ
Age: 34
Profession: Director Samsung NEXT, Angel Investor
Her Story: Christina Bechhold Russ is Director at Samsung NEXT Ventures, based in London, focused on early stage investments in software and services particularly in mobility, consumer and IoT. Christina is also the co-founder and Managing Director of Empire Angels, a New York based angel group of young professionals investing in early stage technology startups, with a focus on supporting young entrepreneurs. Christina is a sought-after speaker and panellist at events in the U.S., Europe and Asia, a TEDx speaker and was recognised by the New York Business Journal as a 2016 Woman of Influence.
8. Izzy Obeng, Foundervine
Name: Izzy Obeng
Age: 26
Profession: Founder of Foundervine
Her Story: Izzy is the founder of Foundervine, a non-profit that seeks to uncover and nurture emerging entrepreneurial talent from communities underrepresented in the UK digital tech ecosystem. Foundervine empowers black and minority ethnic founders with the tools that they need to grow sustainable ventures and then connect them to the funding, resources and advice that can make it happen. To date, it has delivered programmes with partners including KPMG, PwC, Worldremit, EY and Pivotal Software. Izzy is also a One Young World ambassador.
9. Esther Marshall, sTandTall
Name: Esther Marshall
Age: 28
Profession: Founder of sTandTall
Her Story: Esther Marshall is the Founder of sTandTall, a web-based platform for NGOs and charities to publicise their services to help victims of domestic violence across the world. sTandTall provides opportunities for those who have experienced abuse to share their story anonymously. As a Unilever employee, Esther successfully convinced senior leaders, including CEO, Paul Polman, that the safety of girls and woman was integral to Unilever’s Sustainable Living plan. She was awarded £30,000 to set up STandTall. She also leads the UN Women and Unilever partnerships to keep women safe in their supply chain and is a One Young World ambassador.
10. Uma Rajah, CapitalRise
Name: Uma Rajah
Age: 46
Profession: CEO and co-founder of CapitalRise
Biography: Uma Rajah is a FinTech pioneer with extensive experience in product innovation across consumer, SME and peer-to-peer lending. She has an impressive background graduating with a Masters in Engineering from Cambridge University and also has an MBA from INSEAD. At the beginning of her career she spent time working for global businesses, such as Mars Group, where she developed consumer products before working for various financial companies where she gained a decade of FinTech experience. Uma played a vital role in co-launching CapitalRise, the specialist prime property investment platform three years ago and continues to be pivotal in its success.
Inspired by these amazing entrepreneurs? Join us for #SheStartedItLIVE: our 1-day festival dedicated to female entrepreneurship and empowerment on Saturday 14th September 2019. Book your ticket here and use the code ‘Angelica50’ for half price tickets this week only.
