Despite advances in inclusion and equity, the gender gap in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) remains a major challenge in Latin America. In the framework of the NexoTech Congress, METRICA CHILE had the opportunity to talk to Varinka Farren, Executive Director of HUB APTA and a reference in innovation led by women, about this key issue for the sustainable and inclusive development of the sector.
More female graduates, but few female leaders
Although more and more women are graduating from science and technology careers, their presence in decision-making and leadership positions remains low. As Varinka pointed out during the podcast:
“We are just at the beginning. Although there has been progress, it is not enough. In five years, we went from 11% to 12.8% of scientific-technological companies led by women.”
This figure, although positive, demonstrates the urgent need to continue promoting policies and practices that reduce the representation gap in the STEM ecosystem.
How can we transform this reality?
During the interview, Varinka highlighted some key actions to empower more women in technology:
1. Educate from an early age
It is essential to incorporate inclusive references and language in the early years of education. Equity begins when girls and boys grow up with the same vision of possibilities.
Breaking cultural stereotypes and unconscious biases.
“I’m often asked how I get so much work done. I don’t know if men get asked that,” Varinka commented, underscoring the persistent stigmas women leaders face.
3. Diversity as a driver of innovation
“The richness in generating better innovation is in diversity,” he said. Including people from different regions, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds and education brings new perspectives and more complete solutions.
4. Reformulate the composition of boards of directors and decision-making spaces.
Boards of directors are challenged not only to integrate women, but also to promote a plurality of professions, experiences and contexts.
What role do we play as technology companies?
At METRICA, we believe that innovation is not complete without inclusion. Therefore, spaces for conversation like this podcast with Varinka Farren are essential to make the problem visible, share best practices and raise awareness in the sector.
📲 You can listen to the full interview on our social networks or visit our Instagram profile:
