Investing in technology helps female entrepreneurs move forward

How do you build a successful online platform for quantifying sustainability? With the right technology and a strong network, says Kelly Ruigrok of GSES (Global Sustainable Enterprise System). A trailblazer who harnesses technology to create opportunities for both her business and society as a whole, Kelly says her platform is set to become “the Google of sustainability”. At a recent seminar on strategic investments in tech organised by ABN AMRO, her inspiring story resonated with the over 200 female entrepreneurs in attendance.

With this event, ABN AMRO aims to inform female entrepreneurs about the opportunities technology can offer. “Technology is a rapidly growing and influential sector both in the Netherlands and throughout the world. Unfortunately, though, women are still under-represented in this sector,” says Sophie van der Giessen, Segment Director of Entrepreneur & Enterprise at ABN AMRO. “Our aim is to change all that with a range of initiatives.”

Doing more with technology

“We want to see more female entrepreneurs in the tech sector,” says Veronike Fikse, who heads up the ABN AMRO initiative Female Entrepreneurs Network (or VON in Dutch), “particularly in all the traditionally male-dominated fields like STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics – eds.).” Veronike points to companies involved in artificial intelligence, climate technology and cybersecurity as prime examples. “Tech-centric companies are attracting large amounts of global capital, and we expect that trend to continue.” The speakers’ advice to women not (yet) active as entrepreneurs in the sector? “Start doing more with technology in your business – no matter what type of business it is – even if it’s as simple as automating business processes,” she says.

Sharing the network

ABN AMRO is committed to providing equal opportunities for women and actively encourages female entrepreneurship. This latest event is just one of the many ways the bank shares its expertise and extensive network with these women. “Opening up our network is a powerful way to help women move forward on their entrepreneurial journeys,” says Sophie. One umbrella under which the bank does this is the Female Entrepreneurs Network, which connects female entrepreneurs with bankers and with one another. Veronike says, “Our bankers are well positioned to help entrepreneurs turn innovative ideas into viable commercial opportunities.”

Overcoming barriers

“We also showcase entrepreneurs from different sectors, age groups and backgrounds to inspire others,” Sophie says. “One example is our ‘Ten Women to Watch’ initiative, created in collaboration with the jewellery brand Choices by DL. This annual selection focuses on ten women who have achieved remarkable success as entrepreneurs. The annual event not only provides an excellent networking opportunity, allowing participants to share their successes and experiences with one another, but also addresses the obstacles women face. Women are still less likely than men to secure financing, and face challenges at every stage as entrepreneurs. As a result, women are three times less likely to scale up their businesses.”

More financing

“Collaboration is an absolute must for accelerating change,” Sophie stresses. That’s why it’s a feature common to all the bank’s activities aimed at supporting female entrepreneurs. Two years ago, ABN AMRO launched Code-V, an alliance of 105 influential public and private organisations dedicated to promoting equal opportunities for women entrepreneurs. Veronike says, “We’re working together to make the business environment more appealing to women and remove the barriers they face. By developing targeted interventions to bridge the gap between available financing and demand, and leveraging data and research to better understand the diverse needs of this group, we hope to increase the number of female entrepreneurs and the share of financing allocated to them.”

A boost to the economy

Veronike emphasises that removing barriers benefits not only individual entrepreneurs, but also society as a whole. “More women starting and growing businesses will result in a tremendous boost to the Dutch economy,” she says. “This fuels innovation, creates more jobs and brings greater diversity to decision-making positions and workplaces.” Research conducted by ABN AMRO in collaboration with McKinsey estimates that potential benefits could total € 139 billion a year. Veronike concludes, “Let’s work together to ensure that female entrepreneurs can fully realise their growth potential!”

Want to learn more about the speakers at the event? Check out The Innovation Wave podcast, where entrepreneurs Kelly Ruigrok of GSES, Jacqueline van der Ende of the Carbon Equity climate investment platform and Nadia Khadim of Naq Cyber share their experiences and insights.