The Qualcomm Robotics Accelerator class of 2015 awarded 10 companies $120 thousand dollars in funding and a 16 weeks acceleration program to get them off the ground. Two of the selected companies have female millennials founders: Rosanna Myers from Carbon Robotics and Diva Tommei from Solenica. I saw them live last week at the Techstars - Qualcomm Robotics Accelerator Demo Day in San Diego, California!
Let me tell you more about Diva and Rosanna. In the robotics world, Diva is the creator of Lucy, a solar powered robot that brings sunlight into your home and reduces electricity use; and Rosanna is the creator of KATIA (AKA “Kick Ass Trainable Intelligent Arm”). In the gender parity world, Diva and Rosanna are more than entrepreneurs; they are inspiring role models who are crushing gender stereotypes.
In the past, gender stereotypes included:
- Women do not have technical skills
- Women are never in charge
- Women are meant to be the damsel in distress; never the hero
With their leadership skills, their technical skills, and their heroine personalities, Diva and Rosanna crush these stereotypes.
WOMEN POSSESS TECHNICAL SKILLS.
Diva has a PhD in Molecular and Computational Biology from University of Cambridge; a masters of science in Genomic Biotechnology; a bachelors of science in Biotechnology from the University of Rome; and is an alumni to Google and NASA Singularity University's GSP10, a program on exponentially growing technologies. Rosanna is a self-taught software developer (she designed and coded a best-selling iOS app, called Acceleread) and holds a bachelor's in Political Science from Duke University. At Duke, Rosanna co-founded a green tech startup called The Green Cooling Group (which makes it possible cool liquids 120x more efficiently than available coolers); and, in 2011, Rosanna was a finalists in the Bluetooth Innovation World Cup, with a connected medical device.
WOMEN TAKE CHARGE.
Diva and Rosanna are robotic women innovators. Diva has created a beautiful and solar powered robot that brings you healthy natural light in the home or in your office. Rosanna has created the most sophisticated robotic arm ever designed for the consumer market with no programming required. They are both leading in the world’s robotic stage!
WOMEN ARE HEROINES (WOMEN ARE NOT DAMSELS IN DISTRESS).
Diva is a heroine who - for her commitment to improving the state of the world - leads a young global leaders in her role as the World Economic Forum's Global Shaper Rome Hub Curator. Rosanna is a inspiration heroine who lives life in her own terms and as her own role model. “It’s great to take inspiration from others, but I think it’s best to be your own role model,” Rosanna shares.
So, what are you waiting for? Follow suit and be your own role model.
You’ve got what it takes. You are your own heroine. Own it!
Lolita is a wife and a millennial who loves food, travel and tech. She is a sales tech intrapreneur by trade and a social entrepreneur by nature. Lolita produces, speaks, and writes, at times. She lives in sunny San Diego with her husband. Follow her on Twitter: @LolitaTaub