Start-up founder – Viennese: “In Silicon Valley I experience respect”

Despite the shortage of skilled labour, women are still under-represented in the technology and digital sectors. They will be badly needed, especially in the coming years. Minister for Women Raab traveled to Silicon Valley in California following her participation in the World Conference on Women in New York. The aim was to get expert advice on the future of work, with a special focus on women.

The first was a visit to the internet giants Meta, Google and Apple. The “Krone” was not allowed to attend the discussions at the company’s headquarters. The content was to strengthen female leadership positions, but the minister was mainly interested in cybercrime and how to combat it.

The next stop is Stanford University, one of the most renowned faculties in the world. After a campus tour, economics professor Greg La Blanc gave a lecture on the theme of “Future Work”.

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Amélie-Sophie Vavrovsky also conducts research at the elite university. The Austrian came to the San Francisco Bay Area six years ago. The only 27-year-old is the founder of Formally, a legal tech start-up in the field of immigration law. “To set up my own start-up at such a young age, I had to leave my home country. I experience respect in Silicon Valley,” says Amélie-Sophie. But here, too, the PhD student is fighting hard.

Women still hold only 2.1 percent of global venture capital. Nevertheless, the woman from Vienna encourages others. “Women just have to try it out and find something. You don’t have much to lose, but you have an incredible amount to learn,” advises the entrepreneur.

However, according to Amélie-Sophie, Austria is clearly ahead when it comes to childcare. “I can certainly imagine going back again soon,” said the Viennese.