Women Disrupting Tech

Dirkjan Hupkes
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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.

  1. How a FemTech Pioneer Is Fixing Women's Health Infrastructure with Ida Tin | Ep. 140

    5D AGO

    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 Femtech 04:56 Clue: Revolutionizing Women's Health 07:56 The Importance of Men's Understanding in Women's Health 10:22 The Need for Hormonal Data 11:17 Challenges in Hormonal Monitoring 14:20 The Societal Impact of Women's Health 17:22 Women's Health as Societal Infrastructure 20:04 Investing in Women's Health 23:15 The Future of Gender-Informed Healthcare 26:23 Europe's Opportunity in Women's Health 28:39 The Interconnection of Health and Environment 29:24 Innovations in Health Monitoring 31:07 Understanding Hormonal Health 31:55 Transformations in Women's Health 33:55 The Importance of Data in Women's Health 34:25 The Femtech Assembly: A Movement for Change 37:49 Building a Cohesive Femtech Community 40:28 Data Privacy in Femtech 45:24 Reframing Women's Health as an Opportunity 52:56 Advice for Female Founders in Health Tech More 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.

    55 min
  2. How a Female Tech Entrepreneur Builds a Sustainable AI Company, with Melissa Solis | Ep. 139

    FEB 12

    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 practice Chapters: 02:25 Journey to CEO: Melissa Solis’ Path 05:18 Inbenta: Transforming Data into AI Solutions 08:03 The Importance of Customer Partnership in AI 11:05 Challenges in Data Management and Deployment 13:43 AI’s Role in Accessibility and Education 16:39 Earning Recognition vs. Receiving It: A Discussion on DEI 25:26 Creating a Fair Workplace: The Future of Leadership 27:48 Building Your Own Table 30:53 The Importance of Open Conversations 32:32 Merit Over Background 35:17 The Power of Gratitude in Leadership 42:16 Surrounding Yourself with Support 46:52 Leaving a Legacy and Empowering Others More 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-3532302a Learn 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.

    54 min
  3. What Most Founders Learn Too Late About Startup Funding with Philipp Omenitsch | Ep. 138

    FEB 5

    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 Sequel 04:31 – Democratizing access to venture capital 07:09 – Barriers to accessing venture capital 10:09 – The Founder Files and pitch deck analysis 12:45 – Gender disparities in startup funding 15:36 – The importance of prior experience 18:09 – Investment decisions in venture capital 20:30 – The impact of diverse founding teams 23:08 – The importance of diversity in startups 26:01 – Leveraging data for female founders 28:47 – The role of technical co-founders 30:41 – Investing in female founders 32:03 – Communication styles of female founders 33:40 – Key components of a successful pitch deck 34:58 – Empowering athletes in investment decisions 37:33 – The performance mindset of athletes 40:04 – Lessons from startup experiences 44:13 – Building successful pitch tools More 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/

    48 min
  4. The ROI of Relocation: Scaling Global Teams Without Attrition with Judith Roetgering | Ep. 137

    JAN 29

    The ROI of Relocation: Scaling Global Teams Without Attrition with Judith Roetgering | Ep. 137

    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 questions If 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/

    1h 19m
  5. Why Your AI Implementation Fails and How to Fix It with Sophia Zitman | Ep. 136

    JAN 22

    Why Your AI Implementation Fails and How to Fix It with Sophia Zitman | Ep. 136

    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 episode Why 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 practice 04:23 Sophia Zitman and building AI that delivers value 11:13 The real reason AI projects break down 17:33 Designing AI around people and workflows 23:38 When politics derail even good AI projects 32:23 What successful AI implementation looks like 47:08 AI as an advantage for startups and founders 56:53 AI as an equalizer and building inclusive tech Connect with Sophia Zitman: Sophia Zitman on LinkedIn. Support the podcast: Subscribe on Substack Follow the podcast on Spotify Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on YouTube

    1h 8m
  6. Moving Beyond the Hustle as a Female Founder with Valerie Hirschhauser | Ep. 135

    JAN 15

    Moving Beyond the Hustle as a Female Founder with Valerie Hirschhauser | Ep. 135

    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 choices Chapters: 02:20 Valerie Hirschhauser's journey and the search for freedom in tech 05:11 Debunking the illusion of hustle culture for founders 08:07 The invisible impact of burnout on tech founders 11:10 Strategies for navigating the modern startup landscape 13:50 The role of mentorship and support for female founders 16:49 Addressing double standards for women in entrepreneurship 19:26 Rethinking investment expectations and VC relationships 22:22 Why energy management beats time management for leaders 25:27 Cultivating worthiness, balance, and self-belief in STEM 32:45 How to choose agency over autopilot in your career 35:41 Balancing purpose and profitability in a sustainable business 39:17 Why hustle is not a sustainable business strategy 45:34 How location and environment influence work-life integration 48:43 Making leadership development accessible for women in tech 51:25 Leading from the heart: Combining empathy and strength 55:09 The role of trust and investor support in startup success 57:52 Building inclusive and stronger founder ecosystems Connect with Valerie Hirschhauser: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriehirschhauser/ The OneMillionWomen Website: https://www.onemillion-women.com/

    1h 4m
  7. Unlocking Worlds by Making Language Learning Fun with Carolina Bongers | Ep. 134

    JAN 8

    Unlocking Worlds by Making Language Learning Fun with Carolina Bongers | Ep. 134

    In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I talk with Carolina Bongers, founder of Jungle the Bungle. Carolina is building a language learning app for children aged two to eight that makes learning feel like play. Her ambition goes far beyond vocabulary. As she puts it: “We’re not teaching words, we’re unlocking worlds.” We talk about how being raised bilingual shaped her optimism and problem-solving mindset, why fun is not optional when it comes to learning, and how Jungle the Bungle removes the idea of right and wrong answers to keep children curious and engaged. We also explore her nuanced view on screen time. Children are using screens anyway, so the real responsibility lies in offering content that helps them learn responsibly. Carolina shares how she validated her idea in an unexpected way by first writing children’s books, why interest came from schools and libraries rather than parents, and what she learned from crowdfunding. Including how asking for money became easier once she saw it as inviting people into a shared success. We close with her advice to founders. Build things that are intuitive. Assume your users have very little headspace. And when in doubt, design with the simplicity of a two to eight-year-old in mind. Listen to episode 134 of Women Disrupting Tech on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Chapters 02:05 Introduction to Jungle de Bungle 04:47 The Power of Bilingualism 07:36 Creating Engaging Educational Content 09:58 Addressing Screen Time Concerns 12:36 Fun and Effective Learning Methods 15:39 Transitioning from Books to Apps 18:25 Adapting for Schools and Educational Needs 21:06 Future Growth and Expansion Plans 23:46 Crowdfunding and Community Engagement 26:42 Lessons Learned and Overcoming Challenges 29:40 Vision for the Future of Jungle de Bungle Links & resources 🗞️ Show notes: https://womendisruptingtech.blog/2026/01/08/episode-134/ 🌍 Jungle the Bungle: https://www.junglethebungle.com 📲 Download the Jungle The Bungle from the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/nl/app/jungle-the-bungle-talen-app/id1571784582 📲 Download the Jungle The Bungle from the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.junglethebungle.app2

    37 min
  8. Building a Tech Career on Agency, Agility, and Bouncebackability with Simone Mink | Ep. 133

    12/30/2025

    Building a Tech Career on Agency, Agility, and Bouncebackability with Simone Mink | Ep. 133

    What does it take to build a sustainable career in tech? Simone Mink shares how learning, leadership, and boundaries shaped her journey at Mendix. In this episode of Women Disrupting Tech, I speak with Simone Mink, Head of Portfolio Management at Mendix, about building a career in tech without a predefined path. We talk about agency, agility, and bouncebackability, and about what happens when resilience quietly turns into burnout. Follow Women Disrupting Tech for more conversations about building careers and companies in tech without losing yourself. Chapters 02:26 - From Leisure Management to Tech Leader 05:17 - The Journey of Learning to Code 08:08 - Transitioning Roles at Mendix 11:02 - Pitching Yourself. The Art of Self-Advocacy 16:12 - Embracing Uncertainty and ADHD 24:49 - Navigating Challenges in HR Management 30:47 - Lessons from Burnout and Resilience 37:37 - Resilience and Boundaries 39:08 - Graciousness Towards Oneself 43:24 - The Importance of Exercise 45:11 - Navigating Hormonal Changes 46:47 - Current Role and Responsibilities 52:25 - AI's Role in Decision Making 57:00 - Change Management and Accountability 01:00:44 - Driving Change Through Positivity 01:03:27 - The Power of Communication 01:07:19 - Addressing Bias in AI Connect with Simone Mink. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonemink-keynotespeaker-unlimitedgrowthmindset/ Website: https://www.simonemink.com Learn more about Mendix. Website: https://www.mendix.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mendix/

    1h 13m
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Dirkjan Hupkes
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    140
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dirkjan Hupkes
  • Show Website
    Women Disrupting Tech