The future is female: How IoT is changing how tech handles diversity, feat. WoW CEO Marija Butkovic
It’s easy to assume technology must be immune to the biases inherent in being human. But like everything else it’s created by people – and sometimes those prejudices end up baked into the code it sits on. But change is happening – and it’s not just skinning the internet of things in a pink wrapper.
Health is one area where IoT is set to redefine how personal well-being is managed globally. This industry niche is lucrative, with the IoT in healthcare market estimated to grow to $322 billion in valuation by 2025.
A growing generation of FemTech companies are using IoT to address women’s personal wellness, looking at how age old issues can be addressed.
Marija Butkovic, founder of Women of Wearables – an organisation championing women in tech – suggests “with the continuous rise of feminism, we are talking more about these issues, one of them being women’s health.”
But if women’s issues have always existed, why are we only talking about them now?
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“First and second generation wearables were very generic or male focused. I think at that point women saw an opportunity,” says Ms Butkovic.
As a result of this cultural shift, doors are being opened for women to engage in honest dialogue regarding their personal health.
“Us women know our bodies the best, we experience these issues and problems,” she says.
“A lot of women realise that men won’t probably start those businesses and come up with those inventions – we have to be the ones who will do that.”
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