Startups Driving Gender Equality
A showcase of some innovating startups that are driving gender equality through action, data and money.
Equalista is a German startup, working on the development of a first-of-its-kind gender equality learning app. The app aims to help users understand the root causes of gender inequality, what it looks like, and how to converse about it effectively. It also encourages users to test their own biases and provides training to take action in real life. The app is designed to shed light on more subtle forms of gender bias and to create awareness about existing stereotypes, unconscious biases, and deep-rooted beliefs. To achieve this, Equalista employs gamification techniques designed to alter user behavior and help individuals navigate situations for a more positive outcome.
Shimmy Technologies, a Brooklyn-based startup, is driving gender equality by reskilling the predominantly female garment manufacturing workforce for a future shaped by automation. Their multi-stakeholder approach, involving partnerships with government departments, foundations, nonprofits, apparel companies and tech companies, demonstrates their commitment to gender equality from all angles. Their innovative learning software, built with gaming mechanics and AI, trains workers in 3D modeling and digital pattern making, thereby ensuring they remain competitive as the industry evolves. Shimmy is bolstering economic empowerment, a crucial facet of gender equality, by equipping women with skills that open the door to improved job opportunities, better wages, and increased job security.
Neopenda is a technology startup headquartered in Chicago, concentrating on advancing gender equality via healthcare solutions. The company's vision is to develop innovative, needs-oriented medical technologies, particularly for burgeoning markets. A key product is a cost-effective neonatal monitoring device tailored to support pregnant women in regions where prenatal care is limited. This initiative is designed to combat the annual toll of approximately 3 million infant mortalities in underserved areas, a statistic largely attributed to insufficient monitoring services.
Pipeline Equity is a Denver-based startup that uses AI to increase financial performance through closing the gender equity gap. Its software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform analyzes and acts against gender biases that cost the U.S. $2 trillion each year. The platform integrates with companies' cloud-based human capital management systems, providing recommendations that support individual growth and improved financial performance for the organization. Katica Roy, the CEO and founder of Pipeline, emphasizes that gender equity is not just an issue, but also an opportunity for organizations to invest in their people in new, meaningful, consistent ways1.
myrna labs: An Indian startup that focuses on gender intelligence tools, helping leaders and decision-makers understand the impact of gender inequality on growth and providing solutions for gender-balanced practices.
Equilo is a Chicago based startup that specializes in gender analysis. It provides a web-based application that automates the gender analysis process, using big data, deep analytics, and machine learning. By doing so, it offers a faster, more cost-effective, and high-quality way to identify and address gender issues across various sectors and countries. By doing so, it offers a faster, more cost-effective, and high-quality way to identify and address gender equality in 30 sectors in every country in the world.
Natural Cycles is Stockholm, startup committed to supporting gender equality, by empowering women to take charge of their health. The company's pioneering work in women's health is embodied in its unique, FDA-approved birth control app, which provides a non-invasive and hormone-free option for millions of individuals, offering a revolutionary alternative to conventional hormonal contraceptives. Significantly, the company was founded by Elina Berglund, a particle physicist who was driven by personal need to develop a non-invasive, non-hormonal birth control option. This legacy of addressing women's health needs and challenges continues as Natural Cycles collaborates with academics, scientists, and doctors worldwide to enrich the field of female health through rigorous scientific research. Its diverse team, which comes from over 20 different countries, is passionate about science, data, and female health, and is predominantly female.
Satya MicroCapital is startup based in India, whose mission is to empower women in rural locales through access to microfinance. Recognizing the power of collective responsibility, it has devised a system where women can share liability amongst themselves, thereby reducing individual risk and promoting community support. The company prides itself on its expansive outreach which has successfully penetrated rural India. As of now, it backs women in a staggering 27,835 villages across the country. Its significant footprint is testament to its relentless pursuit of fostering financial inclusion and gender equality in some of the most remote corners of India. Through its efforts, Satya MicroCapital is not only providing women with the financial means to support their businesses, but it is also promoting economic stability, self-reliance, and overall empowerment.
