The Internet of Things (IoT) is the next stage in computer technology. It is the system that allows devices, cars, and networks to communicate with each other using artificial intelligence and smart software to make our lives easier.
By 2025, there will be more than 64 billion IoT devices globally, bringing with it the potential to generate up to $11 trillion by that same year. The future is interconnected devices and as companies all over the world develop new hardware and software solutions to perfect the technology, women are taking an increasingly prominent role.
Women Are Making Waves in IoT and Beyond
As tech companies take women’s issues more seriously, as governments begin adopting fair maternity leave options, and women’s position in the workplace is no longer second-guessed, more opportunities are opening up in this exciting area of technology.
Already, women leaders are taking charge, developing new technology and working with market leaders to change the way we interact with devices. Let’s take a look at five of those inspiring women who are reshaping the IoT world.
1. Stephanie Atkinson
Stephanie Atkinson is the CEO and founder of Compass Intelligence, one of the top new tech advisory and market research operations in the United States. Based in Texas, Atkinson has spent more than 20 years offering strategic insights for all sorts of companies, identifying key trends, and offering advisory services for tech companies and government leaders.
Her role in the Internet of Things space took off in 2019 when she was listed as one of the top 100 thought leaders to follow through 2020, courtesy of Thinkers360. She even secured second spot in the list of top thought leaders specifically for the Internet of Things. Similar accolades have been bestowed on her by Today’s Wireless World. She is one to watch!
2. Sarah Cooper
Another established professional and a rising star in the Internet of Things space is Sarah Cooper, the Chief Operating officer and Vice President of Business Development at Machine-to-Machine Intelligence Corporation (M2Mi).
In her work at M2Mi, Cooper provides machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions to some of the biggest companies in the world. Working with Fortune 500 clients have given her the chance to work with large technological projects, finetuning and honing her skills in IoT.
Currently holding 6 US patents, she is a true innovator in this space – and to top it off, she spends time empowering other women to get involved with tech. Cooper regularly holds events in support of talented women. Bravo!
3. Pamela Cortez – Microsoft
Microsoft might not be the only big technology company any more, but it’s still one of the most important. Pamela Cortez is a program manager for IoT at Microsoft, helping the company develop new software and hardware products that are paving the way for our interconnected future.
Cortez also served as a study group leader and a coordinator for her local chapter of Women Who Code in Boulder and Denver. Working at one of the biggest and most legendary tech companies in the world, that was once dominated by men, is a huge achievement – and she is helping other women get ahead just like her.
4. Neira Jones
Neira Jones is based in London and works as an advisor, a speaker, and a fintech and IoT innovator. She is the chair of the advisory board for Ensygnia, a mobile company. She also serves on the Centre for Strategic Cybercrime & Security Science board, making her an established expert with a substantial following. From GDPR and fintech to cybersecurity and Internet of Things, Jones is an expert.
She educates her followers through her Twitter channel and regular blog posts, and as a result, was named a top security influencer by Tripwire. She was also voted Merchant Payments Ecosystem Acquiring Personality of the Year in 2013, the SC Magazine Information Security Person of the Year in 2012, and is even an alumnus of the InfoSecurity Europe Hall of Fame. There’s no doubt about it; Jones knows IoT.
5. Maggie Chan Jones
Maggie Chan Jones is another IoT specialist-turned-influencer. The founder and CEO of Tenshey, she previously worked at tech giant Microsoft. From there, she scouted around and began applying to various tech companies, which lead to her becoming a specialist in the IoT space.
With experience developing marketing strategy for IoT initiatives, Jones understands the space extremely well and knows how to ensure others understand it too. During her time at Microsoft, she was the marketing director of Office 365, the cloud-based office software platform, as well as U.S. Cloud Services. Check out her social media and you’ll see why she is such a huge influence for women.
She gives keynote speeches, she’s an advocate for gender diversity and a CMO advisor. She’s making waves in IoT and beyond!
The Tech Tides Are Turning
Women are changing the technology industry. In fact, women are changing all professions. In the United States in 2017, 57% of all professional occupations were held by women. But in 2015, just 11% of executive positions in Silicon Valley were held by women. Women are making big strides, but there is still work to do.
And, that work is being done in the Internet of Things sector. This is a growing part of the tech industry, and will soon become the most important. With so many women establishing themselves as authoritative voices in this space, these statistics are about to start improving. Big time.
There are now more global efforts to empower more women to enter this space, too – spanning the United States, Europe, and beyond. Australia introduced a scholarship to bring more women into the tech industry. The scholarships, announced in early 2020, address a demand for experts and encourage women to get into the sector early.
In the United Kingdom, various university projects are working not just to bring women into IoT, but to examine how IoT will impact the lives of women.
As our world becomes more connected, women are going to play a huge role in establishing and perfecting the new technologies that facilitate it as well as growing existing businesses. The five women we’ve examined above are incredibly inspiring, and they’re just the start.
