When you think of the tech industry and innovation, typically an image of a (probably white) guy in a hoodie comes to mind. That has been the stereotype for quite a while, as crystalized in ‘The Social Network’ and of course the hilarious series ‘Silicon Valley’. And it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy, when you see that only 1% of Venture Capital funding is going to Black founders, according to Fast Company. For women founders, the rate was only slightly higher, at 1.9%, they reported. Simply put, diversity is sorely lacking, and the industry known for disruption and innovation is ripe for disruption and innovation within its own world.
Thankfully, status quo is not a barrier for some women founders, who are proving that they have what it takes to hack into an industry mainframe and prove a market exists for their ideas. Tech bros in hoodies be damned!
A new generation of young women of color, supported by Apple, are shaking up the industry and proving the future of tech is female. The first is Los Angeles-based Bria Sullivan – an indie game developer, the founder of Honey B games, and the creator of the viral mobile game Boba Story which has over 12 million downloads. Data shows that women play mobile games at a higher rate than men, so while other companies may overlook this demographic, Bria has tapped into this massive audience because she is the audience herself. Bria achieved her early success in Boba Story without spending a dollar on marketing or advertising. We spoke to the entrepreneur about what it means to be a game developer in a typically male-dominated arena, and how she envisions the future of tech and gaming.
@bobabria like literally bubble tea
♬ original sound – Bria
How did you come up with the idea of Boba Story, and how did you reach consumers/users?
I’ve loved boba since I was young—it was very popular in Southern California, where I grew up. It became a bonding experience for me and other minorities, something we could enjoy together, especially in spaces where we might feel out of place. I wanted to capture that joy of getting boba with friends and bring it to life in a game.
For the game’s audience, I thought about the types of “girly” flash games my friends and I enjoyed as kids, games that nurtured your creativity side. I wanted to create something my younger self would love and that other people like me would relate to. To reach players, I built an audience of 100K on TikTok in 2020 and 2021, consistently sharing about the game. People were excited and started sharing it with friends, which helped the game take off.
What do you love about developing, and what have been the challenges in your journey so far?
As an engineer with 14 years of experience, I find game development to be some of the most challenging and rewarding work I’ve done. There’s no single “correct” answer, so you’re constantly problem-solving in creative ways. I love connecting with players and learning what makes them happy, then using that as inspiration for features in the game.
The biggest challenge as a small studio developer has been juggling all the roles myself. I see why many developers have cofounders! After launching Boba Story, I found myself balancing marketing, designing new features, coding, fixing bugs, responding to feedback, handling business tasks, and managing contractors—all at once. It can feel like spinning plates and gets overwhelming.
There is a perception that gaming is a “boy’s world,” but the data shows women are huge participants in gaming. What does it mean to you personally to be part of this change?
Having worked in tech for so long, I’m used to being in male-dominated spaces. Whenever I tell people I make a game about boba, I often get a chuckle, as if it must be a small app no one really plays. But when they see it, they’re surprised and say, “Oh, it’s a real game!”
Since I work in a silo and most of my users are women, my experience has actually been wonderful. There are so many female mobile game players, yet not many women-led teams in this space. While that can feel isolating at times, it’s also empowering. I get to connect with the women who play my games and encourage others to make their own. To me, this shows there’s so much room for creativity and innovation.
Why is it important to have more women and diversity represented among developers?
Becoming a content creator while developing Boba Story taught me a lot about the power of relatability. When a large portion of players come from diverse backgrounds, they crave stories and experiences that reflect their lives and interests. Diverse developers bring these untold stories and new perspectives that resonate deeply with players.
If you could envision a tech and gaming world that is better than the one that currently exists, what would it look like?
I’d love for people to realize that the barrier to entry in game development is often lower than they think. Games don’t always have to be big productions; tiny games have a special place and are adored by players. If we can show people that success as an indie developer is achievable and doesn’t have to be grueling, more diverse voices could enter the space and bring fresh ideas.
The second tech disrupter we are profiling here is Washington DC/Baltimore-based Damilola Awofisayo, who also spent time in Nigeria as a young girl with her family, which had an impact on her passion for tech. Damilola was a winner of Apple’s Swift Student Challenge in 2021, and co-founder of a hackathon nonprofit, TecHacks – a free, all-female hackathon that strives to bridge the gender gap in STEM. Living in Nigeria from ages 7-11, Damilola saw that the technology was not reliable, and didn’t realize how pivotal access to reliable tech and electricity were until she moved to the United States.
After becoming interested in STEM through her school years, she applied to various hackathons. Due to a number of rejections, and learning about the lack of diversity in this area, her solution was to start her own in a bid to change the status quo. Here, we had a chance to learn more about Damilola’s journey, why representation of especially young women of color in tech is vital to the industry’s evolution, and how she envisions the future of technology.
When did you first become interested in tech? What was your initial inspiration?
Initially I wanted nothing to do with computer science or technology. From living in Nigeria with limited electricity, I had little to no computing classes in available to me before high school, so I had very little interest in it. But my freshman year of high school, when the drama elective I signed up for was full, I was put into a Foundations of computer science class. Since then I’ve fallen in love with computer science because of the immense opportunity it gives for problem solving, not only to solve problems using computer science, but also to solve problems within the field itself.
What were some of the barriers you learned about or came up against in your tech journey so far?
As a Black woman, it can be disheartening to often be one of the few—or sometimes the only—person who looks like me in a tech space. There’s a sense of having to work twice as hard to prove myself in environments where implicit biases may still exist, and the lack of representation makes it harder to find mentors or role models who understand my experiences.
Gender identity also plays a huge role. For many women, there are moments where we’ve felt underestimated or not taken seriously, simply because tech is still largely seen as a male-dominated field, taking a toll on one’s confidence and sense of belonging.
Being a young person in tech presents its own challenges, too. It can be difficult to have my ideas respected when there’s an assumption that age equates to a lack of experience. Yet, in a field that’s constantly evolving, young voices are essential. Balancing the desire to learn from those with more experience while advocating for my ideas has been an ongoing learning process.
Can you tell us a little about the gender gap in STEM and why it is important to address this?
The gender gap in STEM involves being significantly underrepresented across fields, especially engineering, computer science, and technology. This gap starts early, with girls often being discouraged from pursuing STEM-related interests and fewer opportunities for them to engage meaningfully in these subjects. Even when women do enter STEM fields, they often face barriers like implicit bias, unequal pay, and lack of representation in leadership positions.
Addressing this gap is important for several reasons. First, diversity in STEM leads to more innovation and better problem-solving because a variety of perspectives contribute to more creative and effective solutions. Second, technology impacts everyone, and it’s essential for women to be part of designing and developing the tools that shape our world. Finally, closing the gender gap in STEM provides economic opportunities and empowerment for women, helping to reduce broader inequalities. By addressing these disparities, we can create a more equitable and innovative tech landscape.
When did you launch TecHacks and what has been the response from participants so far?
I had the honor of launching TecHacks during the summers of 2020-2022 and we saw incredible engagement from participants. During those years, we hosted one of the largest all-female and non-binary hackathons, drawing participants from over 60 countries who worked on computer science projects, attended workshops, and built networks with peers and company representatives.
TecHacks expanded its impact by partnering with major university hackathons across the country, including those at UVA, Columbia University, Georgetown, and MSU, to continue increasing female representation and engagement in technology. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to play such a pivotal role in expanding female representation in tech, and I’m looking forward to bringing this experience with me across future endeavors
What does it mean to you to be a winner of Apple’s Swift Student Challenge?
Winning Apple’s Swift Student Challenge as a Black woman in tech is deeply empowering. Being recognized in a space where people who look like me are still underrepresented has given me a tremendous boost in confidence. It serves as a reminder that my voice, ideas, and skills belong in this field and can make a significant impact. This achievement also connects me to an incredible network of innovators and peers who inspire and uplift one another, creating a supportive community that pushes me to dream bigger and keep striving for excellence. It’s about more than just the recognition—it’s a step toward breaking barriers and uplifting others who share similar experiences.
If you could envision a tech world that is better than the one that currently exists, what would it look like?
A better tech world would be one where inclusivity and diversity aren’t just ideals but foundational principles that shape every aspect of the industry. It would be a place where people from all backgrounds, especially those historically marginalized, feel genuinely represented and empowered. This world would foster an environment where tech products are created with empathy and awareness of different communities’ experiences, ensuring that innovations address a wide range of needs.
In this vision, there would be equal opportunities for education and mentorship, and the pathway into tech careers would be more accessible to underrepresented groups. Companies would prioritize equity, not just within their workforces but also in the design and impact of their products. Ultimately, a tech world like this would be one where everyone’s contributions are valued equally, where diverse perspectives drive creativity, and where technology is a force for positive social change, uplifting communities rather than exacerbating disparities.
You can learn more about Bria Sullivan and Boba Story HERE, and get familiar with Damilola Awofisayo’s work HERE.
