Spring Into Innovation: How Clusity is Empowering Women to Flourish in ICT

As spring brings new growth and renewal, a similar transformation is underway in the tech industry: that is where Clusity comes in.??

Committed to empowering women in a field where the gender gap is still significant, Clusity has set out to help women flourish in their careers and break down barriers to success with a focus on education, mentorship, and community building.??

As part of the Cronos Group’s innovative ecosystem, Clusity is well positioned to drive positive change and create a brighter future for women in tech. Taking inspiration from the season of awakening and as the EU Diversity Month is in full swing, the two founders, elke ?? kraemer (she / her) and Rein Meirte (She/Her) explained how they cultivate their vibrant and blooming tech community with inclusiveness and diversity.???

Before you explain what exactly is Clusity, what is your history and what made you start the initiative???

E: I am Elke Kraemer. I have extensive experience in the ICT field, and it has been a lovely opportunity which has led me to many different places internationally. Working in the ICT field is excellent as it is a dynamic, young sector with so many different people. ?

R: I am Rein Meirte, one of the founders of Clusity. I have a background in innovation management and have always had a passion for technology and shaping the future. ?

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What is Clusity and why did you end up founding it??

E: Clusity fosters meaningful connections between women in this sector through events, workshops, and career-boosting opportunities. Since 2021, we have been building a community that encourages collaboration and supports professional growth, giving platform for women to tell their stories and inspire other women who want to join the industry.?

R: We wanted to encourage women to get into a field that can be perceived to be male dominated. That is why we started Clusity two years ago. Our goal is to draw women into the tech sector, helping them grow, understand their ambitions, and making them have a networking space to flourish around other women. ?

The uniqueness of an industry where everything is constantly changing makes it enormously enriching! Because in it everything is new and changing, it is very easy to make a side entry into the field.?

According to EU research, the number of female ICT graduates working in the area has been at 19.1% in 2021. According to a 2022 McKinsey analysis Europe should increase the women in tech workforce to 45% by 2027, so we could close the ICT talent gap. Do you think it’s reachable???

R: Networking is one of the key aspects for closing this talent gap. This is one of the things that Clusity promotes. Workshops and events connect women between each other and with companies in the field. Research in Belgium from VDAB has concluded that 70% of new hires come through networking rather than cold applications – when networking with women in so many different positions within the field, this certainly fosters growth. It is tricky to say that it will happen, but initiatives such as Clusity and diversity efforts from companies, it is possible.?

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How do you envision the role of women in ICT in shaping the future??

R: We all know that everything has technology involved today. The more diverse the people building these technologies, the more it benefits overall society: seatbelts, for instance, were a breakthrough in safety, but are dangerous for pregnant women. With more women developing technologies, not only it would close the gender gap, but issues such as these would be addressed.??

E: Indeed – and it begins at a young age. Some countries such as Finland and Sweden have already begun including digital skills in their school curriculum to equalise the knowledge of the field and promote equality from an early age for girls to join ICT careers as much as boys.?

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There are several “Bloom: Stories” on your website about inspiring women in the tech field. Do you have any particularly remarkable story that you’d like to share??

E: Yes! Anisya was born and raised in Indonesia and worked as a nurse. She now lives in Ghent and is a Quality Assurance Engineer. Not only she moved far from home to start a new life, but she also learned a new language and trained herself in a new profession in the process.?

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“If she can see it, she can be it” seems to be Clusity’s main motto. You previously said it is very easy to make a side entry into the field. What would be your final message to encourage women who want to join the field??

R: Go for it! It is a challenging, ever-changing sector full of exciting opportunities. There's no single career path to follow in it – there are so many different expertises. If you feel that you want to change careers and go into ICT, evaluate the possibilities, do not hesitate to self-teach, research... And we will be happy to help you dive into it.???

E: As I have mentioned in Anisya’s story: everything is possible. She is now a role model of Clusity with her story being the perfect example that “if she can see it, she can be it”.??

Learn more about Clusity and the #womenintech community in the link below.