Can technology solve gender inequality in the tech industry? In October, the BBC hosted a hack-a-thon in Silicon Valley with the goal of doing just that.
The event was part of the British network’s inaugural 100 Women Challenge. It took place in four parts in four locations: New Delhi, Rio De Janeiro, London and Northern California, tackling issues of illiteracy, sexism in sports, street harassment and the glass ceiling.
The first week took place in Silicon Valley, where tech is the dominant industry and only 1 in 10 executive positions are held by women, according to a report by law firm Fenwick and West, LLP.
In an attempt to correct this, the BBC gathered a panel of gender experts, including Marilyn Loden, the woman who coined the term “glass ceiling” 40 years ago, alongside young woman who have experienced the male-dominated tech workforce first hand.
After hearing from the panel, female data scientists and software engineers spent the rest of the week trying to develop technology that would assist female advancement in the work force.
The podcast above profiles one of the apps pitched at the end of the week, All.ai, which uses artificial intelligence and speaker diarization to help women participate more equally in meetings.
Note: Audio of Bill Reichert from a panel hosted by the BBC.
