Women Disrupting Tech

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.

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/

Why do so many international hires look great on paper, only to leave within a year? In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, we look at why international hiring fails without proper relocation and what a real soft landing looks like in practice.My guest is Judith Roetgering, managing director of Rehive People. After more than 16 years in global fashion and founding a recruitment and relocation agency, she now helps startups and scaleups relocate and onboard international talent so they actually stay.In this conversation, we talk about:• How to get your legal setup and sponsorship in place before you fall in love with an international candidate• Why switching your internal language and habits is non-negotiable if you want international hires to feel included• What happens around the six to nine-month mark after a move, and why that is the moment many companies forget to support• How AI can take over admin so there is more time for the human side of relocation, from housing stress to family questionsIf you are a founder, hiring manager, or investor building global teams, this episode will help you see international hiring not as a transaction, but as something you design from the first forecast to the first working day.Connect with Judith Roetgering:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judithroetgering/Rehive People: https://www.rehivepeople.com/

AI implementations rarely fail because of the technology. They fail because of people, incentives, fear, and organizational blind spots.In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Sophia Zitman, Director of AI Projects at Kickstart AI, about what actually makes AI work in real organizations. From starting with the why instead of the tech, to navigating politics, resistance, and design choices that determine whether AI ever makes it to production.This conversation is for founders, operators, and leaders who want to move beyond AI hype and build systems that are useful, ethical, and adopted.Follow Women Disrupting Tech for more conversations like this.In this episodeWhy humans, not technology, cause most AI failuresHow to design AI around real organizational goalsWhy resistance is often a signal, not a blockerWhat founders underestimate about AI infrastructureHow AI can lower the barrier to building companies and accessing educationChapters:01:23 Why most AI strategies fail in practice04:23 Sophia Zitman and building AI that delivers value11:13 The real reason AI projects break down17:33 Designing AI around people and workflows23:38 When politics derail even good AI projects32:23 What successful AI implementation looks like47:08 AI as an advantage for startups and founders56:53 AI as an equalizer and building inclusive techConnect with Sophia Zitman:Sophia Zitman on LinkedIn.Support the podcast:Subscribe on SubstackFollow the podcast on SpotifyFollow the podcast on Apple PodcastsFollow the podcast on YouTube

In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, Valerie Hirschhauser explains why following the startup playbook often leads to founder burnout, hustle culture as a system glitch, and how founders can build a sustainable business without sacrificing their well-being.We talk about hustle as a coping mechanism, why being busy often replaces making real progress, and how profit can act as oxygen for impact instead of undermining it. This conversation is for founders who wonder whether working harder is really the path to success, and who are looking for a more sustainable way to build.Inside this conversation:- Why hustle is often a system glitch, not a lack of ambition- How burnout shows up long before founders stop functioning- Why intuition belongs in leadership and boardroom decisions- How energy management beats time management- Why profit can act as oxygen for impact, not a compromise- What changes when founders reclaim agency over their choicesChapters:02:20 Valerie Hirschhauser's journey and the search for freedom in tech05:11 Debunking the illusion of hustle culture for founders08:07 The invisible impact of burnout on tech founders11:10 Strategies for navigating the modern startup landscape13:50 The role of mentorship and support for female founders16:49 Addressing double standards for women in entrepreneurship19:26 Rethinking investment expectations and VC relationships22:22 Why energy management beats time management for leaders25:27 Cultivating worthiness, balance, and self-belief in STEM32:45 How to choose agency over autopilot in your career35:41 Balancing purpose and profitability in a sustainable business39:17 Why hustle is not a sustainable business strategy45:34 How location and environment influence work-life integration48:43 Making leadership development accessible for women in tech51:25 Leading from the heart: Combining empathy and strength55:09 The role of trust and investor support in startup success57:52 Building inclusive and stronger founder ecosystemsConnect with Valerie Hirschhauser: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriehirschhauser/The OneMillionWomen Website: https://www.onemillion-women.com/