Why Diversity Is More Important Than The Next Big Tech (and how to increase diversity in STEM)

Anie Akpe | African Women in Tech (AWIT) | IBOMLLC | Innov8tiv

Silicon valley (and the rest of the world) get’s caught up in the ‘next big thing’. The next big technology or breakthrough, weather that be blockchain, web3 or NFTs. Founders and investors alike chase these technologies in hopes of mining some of the metaphorical gold that each technology brings.

But what if the real gold lies right in front of investors eyes? It’s not a flashy new technology or complicated scientific breakthrough - it’s diversity. Could different ethnicities, races, cultures, genders and backgrounds provide a new perspective among founders that could drive an even larger impact then the next big tech could?

Anie Akpe, founder of African Women In Tech says that the answer to this question is yes. Currently, less than 0.7% of all VC funding goes to female black founders, and Anie is on a mission to raise this number by empowering African women to unlock their full potential in technology, through mentorship, workshops, hackathons and more.

Here’s why diversity is more important than the next big technology.