Entrepreneur Ana Karen Ramírez, founder and CEO of Epic Queen, is one of the keynote speakers in the first edition of the Women Empowered Forum.

By JOSÉ ÁNGEL DE LA PAZ | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL

The world has changed and many of the jobs we know today will no longer exist in 10 years’ time, stated Ana Karen Ramírez, founder and CEO of the social startup Epic Queen.

“STEM degrees are the future and if women don’t study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, we won’t be part of the future,” the entrepreneur warned.

In a keynote conference within the first edition of the Women Empowered Forum, the Full-Time MBA in Innovation & Entrepreneurship graduate explained that as a result of the gender stereotypes which persist at the individual, school, and social levels, women very often decide not to study or pursue a career in these fields.

This is reflected in the workforce, where the percentage of women in STEM is significantly lower than for men. For example, in the United States, women make up only 29% of those employed in these fields.

In order to close the STEM gender gap, Ramírez commented that Epic Queen offers educational options in science and technology exclusively for girls and women, to prepare them for the jobs of the future, and empower them by strengthening their courage, confidence, and resilience to defy stereotypes.

“Over my years working with girls at Epic Queen, I have seen that we need girls who dare to do things,” said the entrepreneur who won the EGADE Alumni Achievement Award 2019 and earned a place on the Innovators Under 35 Latin America 2020 Winners List, MIT Technology Review in Spanish.

The Women Empowered Forum was organized by EGADE Business School Full-Time MBA in Innovation & Entrepreneurship students, and held, in the virtual format, on March 24 and 25.  

The forum brought together women corporate and entrepreneurship leaders who shared their stories and experiences with the aim of inspiring, generating change and empowering women in business and organizations.

María Ariza, BIVA CEO, also contributed as a keynote speaker, addressing women’s participation in the business sector and Private Capital industry.

The forum also included a “HeForShe” workshop and two discussion panels: “Entrepreneurial Women”, with Camila Lecaros, Managing Director at MassChallenge in Mexico; Deborah Dana, founder and CEO of Canasta Rosa; Gabriela León, co-founder and CEO of Gresmex; and Vanessa Yáñez, EGADE MBA graduate; and “Women in the World of Corporate Business”, with Karla Martínez de Salas, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Mexico and Latin America; Lucía Olvera, Marketing Director for Mexico and Central America at Campari Group; Karina Awad, Corporate Director - Human Resources, at Coca-Cola FEMSA; and Michelle Martin, Full-Time MBA in Innovation & Entrepreneurship student.

With information from Fabricio Moreno Reyes.