Mediterranean Tech Women Network Festival 2022

• More than a hundred participants including women entrepreneurs, experts and civil society representatives gathered in Madrid on 30 November to discuss ways to strengthen the role of women in the tech field in the face of the gender disparities within this sector.
• The event also celebrated three prominent women in their own sector, by awarding them with three different categories’ prizes: Tech Leader Award, Tech Entrepreneur Award, and Social Tech Award.
• The event provided networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the Mediterranean region.

Madrid, 30 November 2022. Co-organised by Womenpreneur Initiative with UfM, EBSOMED, and CAWTAR, the “Mediterranean Tech Women Network” (MTWN) Festival took place on 30 November 2022 in Madrid.

The technology sector ranks among the industries with the lowest share of women in leadership position, as well as the lowest share of women in the workforce composition. Hence the aim of the MTWN Festival was to provide a space for women in tech to learn, inspire, and connect.

Through Inspiring Talks and an Awards ceremony, the Festival highlighted powerful Mediterranean tech entrepreneurs, engineers, and innovators, and provided young women with role models. Panels and Q&As were also an opportunity to discuss recent technology trends, regional opportunities, and investment in entrepreneurship. Finally, the event was a golden opportunity for women in tech to connect and network.

UfM Deputy Secretary General, Social and Civil Affairs, Amb. John Paul Grech said, during its keynote speech delivered in the welcoming session: “The demand for women in tech is increasing.  In a world becoming increasingly reliant on technology, companies are starting to realize that they need diversity in their workforce to be successful, while a short-sighted or conservative approach can easily result in companies failing to optimize this untapped resource in society – namely the female sector – thereby missing on profits”.

About 120 Participants physically attended the event and discussed ways in which governments, corporations, and individuals could strengthen the connectivity in the Mediterranean. The discussions also tackled how to create an inclusive and just digital environment for women’s education, work, and social welfare. Furthermore, the event sessions examined the role of financial institutions in providing an inclusive investment in the tech emerging market. Lastly, the role of Artificial Intelligence in future Mediterranean societies was discussed. The focus on the Mediterranean region further enabled participants to reflect on bridging the gap in knowledge and capacity between EU and non-EU countries and strengthening transnational economic collaboration.

The MTWN also gathered the region’s stakeholders – investors, researchers, entrepreneurs, and corporates – to disrupt the existing status quos by triggering new conversations regarding women’s representation in the tech industry.

Moreover, on the 1st of December a brainstorming session with CEOs, women entrepreneurs and business development centres from different Mediterranean countries and diverse sectors was organized in Madrid. The aim of the meeting was to focus on the potential work programme for 2023-2024 of the MedWomeninTech Network and to gather recommendations and practical advice from the participants on structure, memberships, activities and short- and medium-term objectives. An online survey and a full report will be circulated among the potential members of the networks.

Audiovisual materials