
Women Disrupting Tech
Dirkjan Hupkes

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What is Women Disrupting Tech about?
Women Disrupting Tech is about creating role models for women who are considering a job in tech. These role models can be either female tech entrepreneurs or other female leaders in the tech ecosystem.
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Top 10 Women Disrupting Tech Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Women Disrupting Tech episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Women Disrupting Tech for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Women Disrupting Tech episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Episode 82: A Systemic Approach to Implementing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with Karim El Oteify
Women Disrupting Tech
12/26/24 • 57 min
In Episode 82 of Women Disrupting Tech, I sit down with systemic change expert Karim El Oteify to rethink how organizations approach Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Together, we uncover why a systemic perspective is essential for lasting, meaningful change.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
🔎 The Branding Problem of DEI: How to bridge the gap between communication and real-world implementation
💡 Moving beyond the blame game: Why shifting from fault-finding to systemic solutions is key
🤝 Privilege as a tool for progress: The role of allies in driving inclusive change
Curious to learn more? Hit play and dive into Episode 82, then check out the show notes for links to connect with Karim and explore The Wheels of Impact.

1 Listener

How to create a safe space in your team | Elena Zhebel and Renske Melchers-Vermolen on Women Disrupting Tech
Women Disrupting Tech
02/16/24 • 54 min
Join me as Elena Zhebel and Renske Melchers-Vermolen teach us how you can create a safe space in your team, how to keep it safe, and why these safe spaces benefit the entire team.
You can learn more about Elena and Renske by checking out the show notes of this episode on the Women Disrupting Tech website.
And when you're there, don't forget to join the Women Disrupting Tech Community.

Episode 89: Paving the Way for More Women in AI and Cyber as Chief Copilot with Femke Cornelissen
Women Disrupting Tech
02/19/25 • 63 min
Femke Cornelissen wasn’t always sure tech was the right path for her.
Now, as Chief Copilot Officer, a Microsoft MVP, and the founder of Dutch Women in Tech, she helps companies navigate AI adoption while driving inclusion in cybersecurity and beyond.
In this episode, Femke shares how she built her career, overcame self-doubt, and became a visible leader in tech.
We learn why AI and cybersecurity need more women, how mindset shapes success, and that having a career in tech as a woman is not obvious everywhere.
Tune in to hear Femke’s journey and how she is paving the way for more women in AI and cybersecurity as Chief Copilot. And don't forget to check out the show notes for more information on the episode and links to connect with Femke.

Is the milestone-based startup funding system right for female founders? | Dirkjan Hupkes on Women Disrupting Tech
Women Disrupting Tech
01/19/24 • 9 min
In episode 39 of Women Disrupting Tech, host Dirkjan Hupkes answers the question from Silvia van Houten "any inkling jumping out at you why there is such a funding gap for women-led startups?"
Listen to the episode to discover why he thinks that the milestone-based funding system is a reason for the funding gap.
You can find the full show notes on the Women Disrupting Tech Website. There you can also find the entire archive with over 1,000 minutes of women disrupting tech.
And, if you want to learn when new episode go on air, don't forget to follow the show or to become a member of the Women Disrupting Tech Community.

How to use 15 years of tech startup experience to build a tech startup | Caroline Cadwell on Women Disrupting Tech
Women Disrupting Tech
01/28/24 • 50 min
Join me as I interview Caroline Cadwell to learn how she uses her 15 years of experience working in tech startups to build Unpluq.
Listen to the episode as Caroline reveals
- the shortcomings of conventional salary negotiation advice for women,
- how to compliment a female colleague without relying on gender stereotypes, and
- how Unpluq helps people overcome their technology addiction with technology.
You can find the full show notes, including Caroline's bio and my personal observations on the podcast on the Women Disrupting Tech website.

Using Curiosity to Find the Exceptional Impact of Exceptional People | Sabine Schoorl on Women Disrupting Tech
Women Disrupting Tech
02/02/24 • 43 min
Join me as I interview Sabine Schoorl to learn how she uses her curiosity to find exceptional startup founders and investors to create exceptional impact.
Listen to the episode to discover how Sabine
- challenges herself to keep learning
- shares her recipe for successful female founders
- explains how a diverse ecosystem will attract better deal flow, the best talent, and the best investors
You can find the full show notes, including Sabine's bio, more info about LUMO Labs, and my personal observations on the podcast on the Women Disrupting Tech website.

Episode 76: The Twin Protocol to Redefine How We Preserve Our Legacy in the AI Age with Stacey Engle
Women Disrupting Tech
11/14/24 • 65 min
Imagine preserving your knowledge and personality in a digital form that future generations can access. It sounds like science fiction, but in episode 76 of Women Disrupting Tech, we discover how Stacey Engle's company, Twin Protocol, is making it a reality.
Join us as we explore how her AI-powered digital twins redefine the future of knowledge sharing and the challenges of keeping them secure from risks like hacking and deepfakes.
Stacey also shares her experience balancing life as a tech founder and mom with insights on staying focused on what matters most.
Let's jump in!

Je mist wat als je niet naar bedrijven van vrouwen kijkt | Claire Tange on Women Disrupting Tech
Women Disrupting Tech
01/27/23 • 35 min
In deze aflevering nemen we een kijkje in de wereld van venture capital. Ofwel, de wereld van de mensen die in startups investeren. Dat doen we samen met Claire Tange. Zij is de oprichter van Joanna Invests.
Met dat platform geeft ze voornamelijk vrouwelijke angel investeerders de mogelijkheid om in impact startups te investeren met een vrouwelijke oprichter.
We hebben het over wat Angel investing inhoudt, De gender wealth gap, over hoe het is om als enige vrouw in een kamer met mannen te zitten en over Claire's ambitie om meer funding los te krijgen voor startups met een vrouwelijke founder.
Je kunt connecten met Claire via LinkedIn. Vergeet dan niet om ook Joanna Invests te volgen. Dat kan ook op Instagram en Twitter trouwens.
Je kunt meer leren over angel investing via deze blogpost en deze podcast die ze samen met Puck Landewé van Elfin opnam.
En wil je als angel investor investeren in startups met een vrouwelijke founder? Kijk dan voor de mogelijkheden op de website Joanna Invests (je hoeft geen vrouw te zijn).
Tot slot, meer informatie over deze podcast vind je op de website. Daar vind je ook alle afleveringen plus mijn eigen blog.

Episode 86: Why You Should Never Exclude Opportunities Because of Your Gender with Sara Leggese
Women Disrupting Tech
01/29/25 • 41 min
What if your gender never limited your career choices? And how do you get into tech and build a successful career without having early exposure to tech?
In this episode, Sara Leggese shares how she discovered tech without any early exposure, the role of mindset in breaking barriers, and why visibility matters for women in tech.
Plus, we explore the power of role models, career transitions, and what it really takes to make DEI in tech the new normal. Tune in now!
If you want to be part of the Women Disrupting Tech community, you can become a member here.
And make sure you follow the show on Spotify, Apple or YouTube for more inspiring role models.

"Technological capabilities come in different packages, not just male" | Kamales Lardi on Women Disrupting Tech
Women Disrupting Tech
06/30/23 • 49 min
Kamales Lardi may not look like a woman who can code. But looks can be deceiving. Because, at a young age, she decided to ignore the well-intended advice of people around her and go into a more female-friendly occupation and study computer science. There, she learned how to code.
Now, more than twenty years later, she is a tech leader with her own consultancy company. She helps companies worldwide prepare for the next generation of customers and employees.
In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, we discuss a broad range of topics including:
- How gen-z could force traditional corporate structures to change;
- How founders play a vital role when it comes to the culture of their startup;
- "And, of course, her book "The Human Side of Digital Business Transformation."
You can learn more about Kamales, the work she does, and her book in the show notes.
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Podcast Q&A
Why did you start this show?
In my podcast, Women Disrupting Tech, I give a platform to the women who are successful entrepreneurs in tech. I do this because I want to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tech sector. I believe this will lead to better solutions to the three problems of our time: the climate crisis, exploding demand for healthcare services, and poverty.
What do you hope listeners gain from listening to your show?
In each episode, a woman from the world of tech shares her inspiring story and knowledge to inspire other women to join the growing force of women disrupting the tech sector.
Which episode should someone start with?
Depending on your language, there are several good episodes to start with. If you master the Dutch language, you can start with either the first episode with Wendy Broersen for a bit of background or the episode where I interview Jacqueline van den Ende. If you want English content, a great episode to start with is the one where I interview Kamales Lardi.
Which have been your favourite episodes so far?
My personal favorites are the episodes with Jacqueline van den Ende, Lotte Leufkens, and Kamales Lardi.
Which episode are you most proud of?
Not necessarily proud, but my first solo episode (episode 39) was quite an interesting project. Because for the first time, I ran into imposter syndrome. So, I'm happy that I did that.
What is your vision for your show?
I want to build the show into a platform where people who want to promote diversity in tech meet and inspire each other.
What is your favourite other podcast that isn't yours?
I have a couple of podcasts that I've been listening to for years and that I keep mentioning when I get this question: Freakonomics, The Knowledge Project, and The Social Media Marketing Podcast.
How did you come up with the name for your podcast?
Actually, it came quite naturally as there are not that many women in tech. So to speak to them is disruptive by itself. Also women, because they approach similar problems with a different lens, disrupt tech by simply adding their views and knowledge.
Tell us a bit about yourself
You can find out more about me on LinkedIn.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Women Disrupting Tech have?
Women Disrupting Tech currently has 90 episodes available.
What topics does Women Disrupting Tech cover?
The podcast is about Entrepreneurship, Podcasts and Business.
What is the most popular episode on Women Disrupting Tech?
The episode title 'Episode 82: A Systemic Approach to Implementing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with Karim El Oteify' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Women Disrupting Tech?
The average episode length on Women Disrupting Tech is 48 minutes.
How often are episodes of Women Disrupting Tech released?
Episodes of Women Disrupting Tech are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Women Disrupting Tech?
The first episode of Women Disrupting Tech was released on Sep 22, 2022.
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