TRAILBLAZER

Keen to become a role model herself , and create an informative environment for women in technology , Hankiewicz worked with NGO Girls in Tech where , since 2015 , she has been running dedicated start-up programmes . “ As I felt like I never had a role model , I started researching more and more , and I was happy to find some organisations and nonprofits that were creating those communities around , like women helping other women in technology . It was great to see other women who wanted to change something in their career , or who wanted to enter the STEM market , but they didn ' t know how to start . They had the same problem - which still happens - in that they didn ' t have a role model in their company . So they felt misunderstood , demotivated , and most of them were leaving the company . We want to prevent that , we want women to grow in tech ,” says Hankiewicz .

One event that Hankiewicz organised was a series of ‘ Startup F * ckups ’ events . Here , women could learn from a number of CEOs , such as Dr Ali Parsa of Babylon and Tom Blomfield of Monzo , about the various roles available in technology and how failure is often a key ingredient for success .

“ I just felt like there ' s so much potential in those girls and women that , together , show we can do much more and we should support each other more ,” comments Hankiewicz .

As an eager businesswoman at heart , Hankiewicz - on top of her work at Untrite - has also founded another business with her good friend , Anna Szymczak , called Oishya , a Japanese kitchenware company .

20 April 2022