Women: Innovation, Technology, Strength

Only 35% of STEM students in higher education and only 23% of STEM workforce in the UK are women. Only one in three UK entrepreneurs is female, and only 6% of UK women run their own businesses.

If more girls stayed in technology and engineering, what would they be designing and creating for our future use? If more more women run businesses, how would this benefit the UK economy ?

Join us for this extraordinary workshop dedicated to International Women's Day to talk about women in innovation, technology and entrepreneurship, what drives them, and the ideas they bring to life.

When? Wednesday 8th March 2023 9:30am – 2:30pm

Where? The Eastside Rooms

Why? Because women deserve new and exciting opportunities.

Agenda:

9:30 Registration, networking & coffee

10:00 Event opening and presentations

11:40 Comfort break

12:00 Presentations and Event closing

13:30 Networking Lunch*

The event hosts - Debbie Assinder - Enterprise Nation, and Naomi Nash - Birmingham Tech

Speakers:

Dr Gabriella Gardosi - Research Associate, Aston University

Kate Walker - ExpHand Prosthetics

Revathi Timms - 3D Print Academy UK

Frankie Lewns - Bloomwise

Dr Sarah Junaid - Programme Director for Mechanical & Design Engineering, Aston University

Dr Pam Waddell - Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands

*Lunch is provided

* * * * *

This workshop has been developed by Advanced Prototyping Facility (APF) project.

The project is provided by Aston University to assist businesses improve awareness of the opportunities available through additive manufacture (3D Printing) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of existing designs and to develop new products all the way through to producing prototypes.

The project is designed to stimulate innovation in small/medium businesses and help businesses grow

The project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

Hosts:

Debbie Assinder is the West Midlands Enterprise Champion for Enterprise Nation, enabling her to support and promote businesses across the region. Debbie also works with tech start- up businesses at Innovation Birmingham and is the Event Director for the Midlands Women in Tech Awards.

In May 2019, Debbie was awarded Young Enterprise Gold Award, ‘For making an outstanding contribution to the work of young enterprise’. Debbie was also nominated for Woman of the Year 2020, in The City of Birmingham Business Awards, which “celebrates those business heroes who have made a difference to the Birmingham city region.” Debbie is also currently shortlisted for the West Midlands Leadership Award for Diversity and Inclusion 2022.

Naomi Nash is a Head of Community & Collaboration @ Birmingham Tech. She spends her days finding and supporting all scaling tech businesses in the region through introductions, signposting, business support and peer networks. It's her job to know everyone in the tech ecosystem, so if you haven't spoken with her yet, make sure you do! Prior to working with scaleups, Naomi ran a startup incubator at Innovation Birmingham where she helped over 250 startups with early stage investment and market readiness, and MVP building.

Frankie Lewns

Frankie is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bloomwise, a mental health consultancy business that provides proactive mental health solutions for the workplace. She is also a PhD student at the University of Birmingham, working within tissue engineering and biomaterials, with a background in healthcare communications. Frankie’s key responsibilities involve Bloomwise operations, funding applications, organisation of Bloomies, and all creative roles including marketing and social media. Frankie has recently been named as one of The Telegraph NatWest 100 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch, Start-Up Founder of the Year for Midlands Women in Tech, and been part of the driving force that has raised £27,000 worth of funding for Bloomwise within the past year.

Host or Publisher Aston University - Advanced Prototyping Facility