Women Disrupting Tech
Women Disrupting Tech

Women Disrupting Tech

Dirkjan Hupkes

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Episodes

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In Women Disrupting Tech, host Dirkjan Hupkes gives the mic to women building bold tech companies. Each week, a founder shares how she tackles big challenges like climate, healthcare and inequality, and what it takes to lead. Their stories spark ideas, open doors, and show what’s possible when more women lead in tech. Whether you’re a founder, future entrepreneur, or someone who wants to see more women at the table, this show is for you. New episodes drop weekly on Spotify, Apple and YouTube. Subscribe now and join the growing force of women disrupting tech.

Recent Episodes

How Heart-Centered Leadership Helps Female Founders Prevent Burnout with Alice Pavin | Ep. 141
FEB 26, 2026
How Heart-Centered Leadership Helps Female Founders Prevent Burnout with Alice Pavin | Ep. 141
Burnout isn't about working too hard. It's about working against yourself.In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Alice Pavin, a Business and Life Coach for female founders navigating the gap between external success and internal alignment. We explore what happens when everything looks perfect on paper, but something still feels off — and what it takes to listen to the whisper before it becomes a shout.This episode is for women in tech, female founders, and entrepreneurs who are building at high intensity but wondering if there's a more sustainable way forward.What you'll learn in this episode:Why burnout is misalignment, not just overworkHow to use your heart as a compass and your mind as an execution toolWhat morning routines actually do for flow state and nervous system regulationHow to practice heart-centered decision-making before investor meetingsWhy silence is uncomfortable — and why it's essential for growthWhat microdosing can and can't do as a tool for self-connectionChapters 02:00 Introduction to Wellbeing and Entrepreneurship03:12 The Whisper of the Body05:02 Spiritual CV and Inner Balance08:32 The Power of Silence14:12 Mind vs. Heart: Finding Balance18:29 Signs of Imbalance and Body Communication21:28 Practicing Heart-Centered Living28:59 Morning Routines for Flow State30:37 Breathwork for Heart Connection32:26 Heart-Centered Visualization Exercise42:23 Understanding Microdosing and Its Benefits50:14 Microdosing Protocols and Practices58:58 Integrating Microdosing with Personal Development1:03:52 Empowering Female Founders in Investment ConversationsAbout this episode📰 Read the show notes: https://womendisruptingtech.blog/2026/02/26/episode-141/ 🔗 Connect with Alice Pavin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicepavin 🎧 Listen to Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with women building the future of health and tech.
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67 MIN
How a FemTech Pioneer Is Fixing Women's Health Infrastructure with Ida Tin | Ep. 140
FEB 19, 2026
How a FemTech Pioneer Is Fixing Women's Health Infrastructure with Ida Tin | Ep. 140
What if women's health is not a niche, but infrastructure?In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Ida Tin, the woman who coined the term FemTech and co-founder of Clue, one of the world's leading women's health apps. Together, we unpack why innovation in women's health has stalled, what a missing data set is costing us, and why fixing it may be the highest-return investment in the global economy.This episode is for women in tech, femtech founders, and investors who believe women's health deserves to be treated as foundational infrastructure — not a funding afterthought.What you'll learn in this episode:Why continuous hormonal data is the missing layer in women's healthHow the "leaky pipeline" metaphor reframes health as an economic issueWhat it takes to raise conviction capital as a female founder in FemTechWhy Europe has a unique opportunity to lead in gender-informed healthcareHow to use the "imaginary empty chair" framework for ethical data designWhat Ida learned from taking Clue through FDA clearance as the world's first data-driven birth controlChapters: 02:00 The Journey to Femtech04:56 Clue: Revolutionizing Women's Health07:56 The Importance of Men's Understanding in Women's Health10:22 The Need for Hormonal Data11:17 Challenges in Hormonal Monitoring14:20 The Societal Impact of Women's Health17:22 Women's Health as Societal Infrastructure20:04 Investing in Women's Health23:15 The Future of Gender-Informed Healthcare26:23 Europe's Opportunity in Women's Health28:39 The Interconnection of Health and Environment29:24 Innovations in Health Monitoring31:07 Understanding Hormonal Health31:55 Transformations in Women's Health33:55 The Importance of Data in Women's Health34:25 The Femtech Assembly: A Movement for Change37:49 Building a Cohesive Femtech Community40:28 Data Privacy in Femtech45:24 Reframing Women's Health as an Opportunity52:56 Advice for Female Founders in Health TechMore information and links to connect🔗 Connect with Ida Tin on LinkedIn. 🔗 Learn more about FemTech Assembly on LinkedIn or Substack.📰 Check out the show notes for magic moments and insights from the episode.🎧 Listen to Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with women building the future of health and tech.
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54 MIN
How a Female Tech Entrepreneur Builds a Sustainable AI Company, with Melissa Solis | Ep. 139
FEB 12, 2026
How a Female Tech Entrepreneur Builds a Sustainable AI Company, with Melissa Solis | Ep. 139
Most AI companies are built to scale fast. Melissa Solis built hers to last.In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Melissa Solis, founder and CEO of Inbenta, about AI leadership, customer-centric AI, inclusive leadership, and what it really takes to build an AI company that creates long-term value.Melissa has spent three decades leading AI companies through rapid industry change while prioritizing trust, inclusion, and sustainable growth. She brings a grounded perspective shaped by lived experience in environments that don’t always change on their own.This episode is intended to help female tech entrepreneurs and AI leaders who are building for the long term.In this episode, we explore:• How to build an AI company that prioritizes customer trust over quick wins• How AI is shifting access and opportunity beyond traditional credentials• What inclusive AI leadership looks like in practice• Why gratitude matters as a leadership choice• Why DEI policies don’t work without respect• What “building your own table” means in practiceChapters:02:25 Journey to CEO: Melissa Solis’ Path05:18 Inbenta: Transforming Data into AI Solutions08:03 The Importance of Customer Partnership in AI11:05 Challenges in Data Management and Deployment13:43 AI’s Role in Accessibility and Education16:39 Earning Recognition vs. Receiving It: A Discussion on DEI25:26 Creating a Fair Workplace: The Future of Leadership27:48 Building Your Own Table30:53 The Importance of Open Conversations32:32 Merit Over Background35:17 The Power of Gratitude in Leadership42:16 Surrounding Yourself with Support46:52 Leaving a Legacy and Empowering OthersMore information and links to connect:Blog and show notes: https://womendisruptingtech.blog/2026/02/12/episode-139/ Connect with Melissa Solis on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/melissa-solis-3532302aLearn more about Inbenta: https://www.inbenta.com/ 🎧 Listen to more Women Disrupting Tech episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.👉 Follow for more conversations with leaders building the future of AI and tech.
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54 MIN
What Most Founders Learn Too Late About Startup Funding with Philipp Omenitsch | Ep. 138
FEB 5, 2026
What Most Founders Learn Too Late About Startup Funding with Philipp Omenitsch | Ep. 138
In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Philipp Omenitsch, co-founder of Sequel, creator of PitchLeague.ai and The Founder Files, and former startup CTO, about what actually gets funded in venture capital.Philipp has analyzed 17,000+ pitch decks through the Founder Files. This conversation cuts through fundraising advice and looks at patterns in the data.You'll learn:- Why prior startup experience is such a strong funding signal.- How investors think about risk, scale, and returns.- What pitch decks really need to do at early stages.- How technical ownership and team signals build trust.- Why pay gaps also affect who gets to invest.We also explore Philipp's work at Sequel, where professional athletes invest in startups, and what that reveals about pay gaps, investing power, and who gets to allocate capital in venture capital.Whether you're raising your first round or building toward it, this episode helps you understand the funding system you're stepping into with data, not just advice.Chapters:01:52 – Introduction to Philipp Omenitsch and Sequel04:31 – Democratizing access to venture capital07:09 – Barriers to accessing venture capital10:09 – The Founder Files and pitch deck analysis12:45 – Gender disparities in startup funding15:36 – The importance of prior experience18:09 – Investment decisions in venture capital20:30 – The impact of diverse founding teams23:08 – The importance of diversity in startups26:01 – Leveraging data for female founders28:47 – The role of technical co-founders30:41 – Investing in female founders32:03 – Communication styles of female founders33:40 – Key components of a successful pitch deck34:58 – Empowering athletes in investment decisions37:33 – The performance mindset of athletes 40:04 – Lessons from startup experiences 44:13 – Building successful pitch toolsMore information and show notes Connect with Philipp on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippomenitsch/Read about key lessons, magic moments and practical takeaways in the show notes: https://womendisruptingtech.blog/2026/02/05/episode-138/
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48 MIN