In episode 78 of Women Disrupting Tech, we’re talking to Katty Hsu, a global changemaker on a mission to make entrepreneurship more inclusive.
Born in Taiwan, raised in South Africa, and now shaping change in Rotterdam, Katty brings a unique perspective to the Women in Tech conversation.
Key Takeaways from the episode
In this episode, you’ll learn:
📊 Why good data is the backbone of driving diversity and inclusion
💬 How universities can reshape entrepreneurial education to reflect real-world diversity
🤝 Why collaboration and honest dialogue are essential for closing the gender gap
Hit the play button below to learn how we can start using data to build a gender-equal future in entrepreneurship!
Using Data to Build a Gender-Equal Future in Entrepreneurship with Katty Hsu | Ep. 78 – Women Disrupting Tech
Be an ally, be part of the movement!
Do you want to contribute to a more inclusive tech industry, as a woman in tech or as a (male) advocate?
Join the movement to help the women on the show shine as role models and help me encourage other men to support the female entrepreneurs in their lives.
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- Key Takeaways from the episode
- Be an ally, be part of the movement!
- The magic you can expect in this episode 🪄
- The Two Free Ways to Support Women Disrupting Tech
- What makes this episode magical🌟?
- About Katty Hsu
- About ECE and SheLeads
- Let me know what you think!
- What’s coming up?
- More episodes like this?
The magic you can expect in this episode 🪄
As an entrepreneur, you know that collecting data is critical for building impactful business cases and ensuring you’re tackling the right problem.
This applies to inclusive entrepreneurship, too.
But there wasn’t much data when Katty Hsu joined the Erasmus Center for Entrepreneurship to investigate how inclusive entrepreneurship really is. At the time, DEI wasn’t even on the radar for most organizations.
Therefore, she and a team of researchers started a project to change this. In episode 78 of Women Disrupting Tech, Katty is my guest to educate us on the power of inclusive entrepreneurship.
Join us for a powerful discussion on:
📊 Why high-quality data is the key to advancing DEI
🤝 The importance of collaboration within the entrepreneurial ecosystem
💬 How to start the uncomfortable but necessary conversations about gender inequality
Plus, you’ll get a glimpse into the insights from the SHELEADS+ Insights Report titled: “Towards a gender-equal future in entrepreneurship through data, dialogue and support,” which will be unveiled at the annual event on 29 November.
Ready to learn how data, collaboration, and bold conversations can create a more inclusive future? 🎧 Tune in and join the conversation! Click the button below to listen to the episode on Spotify.
The Two Free Ways to Support Women Disrupting Tech
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- Use the share buttons below to share the podcast with friends, family, and co-workers. This way, you give the women disrupting tech the platform they need to make it happen. Use the buttons below to share.
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What makes this episode magical🌟?
Katty brings a truly global perspective to the show. Born in Taiwan, raised in South Africa, and now living in Rotterdam, she has experienced life in three vastly different cultures. This unique background shapes how she views entrepreneurship and inclusion.
Her entrepreneurial journey started young. Her mother instilled business skills early by taking Katty along to supplier negotiations. This hands-on exposure gave her a firsthand understanding of the challenges and opportunities in entrepreneurship.
When we talk about the need for good data on inclusive entrepreneurship, we also discuss the role of data in teaching at universities like Erasmus. Katty reveals that when she started at Erasmus, teaching cases and study materials focused almost entirely on companies led by white men and built solely for profit.
This lack of representation matters. Studies show that women often feel they need more knowledge before taking entrepreneurial risks. Again, the adage that “you can’t be what you can’t see” applies here. So, her efforts to make study materials better reflect female entrepreneurship truly contribute to making the ecosystem more inclusive.
Are you ready for the global perspective on entrepreneurship? Click the button below to listen on Apple Podcasts, or click the image with the quote to watch the episode on YouTube.
“Without data, the fact that we need to support more women in entrepreneurship, is not a fact but merely an opinion to those who need to be convinced.”
Katty Hsu, co-founder and managing director of the SHELEADS+ Global Foundation
About Katty Hsu
Katty Hsu is the Inclusive Entrepreneurship & Research Lead at Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship and co-founder and managing director of the SHELEADS+ Global Foundation.
She graduated in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Then, she moved to Rotterdam to get her Master’s in Industrial Dynamics and Strategy at the Erasmus School of Economics.
You can discover her personal story on this website and connect with her on LinkedIn.
About ECE and SheLeads
Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE) is part of Erasmus University Rotterdam. It is a leading international center for entrepreneurship education and research. ECE empowers aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs through knowledge, networks and access to resources, enabling them to achieve their entrepreneurial ambitions. You can find more information on the ECE website and follow ECE on LinkedIn or Instagram.
SHELEADS+ is an initiative and part of ECE. It leverages high-quality research, transformative education, and meaningful connections to create a future where everyone, including those affected by gender-based marginalization, can thrive. To realize this mission, SHELEADS+ activities are spinning out from ECE to the dedicated SHELEADS+ Global Foundation. Check out their new website or follow them on LinkedIn or Instagram.
On 29 November 2024, they unveiled the report titled: “Towards a gender-equal future in entrepreneurship through data, dialogue and support” at their SheLeads+ Annual Event on 29 November 2024. You can download it here.
Let me know what you think!
Do you believe that profit and impact go together? Or do you think that impact companies must never make profits? I’d love to learn your thoughts and observations in the comments below this post.
If you would like to suggest a guest that I absolutely must have on the podcast, please let me know via email or send a DM on LinkedIn.
What’s coming up?
Next week on Women Disrupting Tech, Astrid Bruinsma-Eggink will be my guest to talk about the importance of financial health for your employees. This topic is near to my heart as I’ve learned firsthand how financial stress can cause people to make really bad decisions.
After that, we’ll dive into the world of travel with Virginia Scheele to discover how she’s building the future of sustainable and inclusive travel.
Later in season four, we’ll move into queer territory as I talk to LBGTQI+ Journalist Pim Blom and Systemic Change Guru Karim El Oteify.
So stay tuned for more inspiring Men and Women Disrupting Tech!
With that, I wish you a wonderful day. And until we meet again in the next episode, keep being awesome!
More episodes like this?
It’s always difficult to compare, but if I could recommend three episodes on sustainability, it would be these:
– In episode 70, Constantijn van Oranje-Nassau argues that we need a cultural shift towards inclusion to reap the benefits in entrepreneurship.
– In episode 59, part of my conversation with Sonal Rattan is about how the way tech is taught plays a key role in making young women choose a career in tech
– In episode 32, we learn from Sanne Jongejan why independent women should choose an education and career in tech.
Women Disrupting Tech | The Podcast 
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