BEntrepreneur talks to Hadyah Fathallah, Executive Director of C5 to know more about the challenges and opportunities for Women in Technology.

Phil Weymouth, Streetlight Media

Road to C5: Please tell us more about your background and how you came to be the Executive Director of Bahrain for C5 Accelerate.

As the Executive Director for C5, I’m responsible for public and private sector businesses in the Middle East and Africa and in developing innovative technology ventures. I joined C5 in 2015. My previous work was as a security expert in the government of Bahrain; advising a number of government agencies on topics including security policy, strategy, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and other national security threats and challenges. All these helped shaped my understanding and appreciation for the changing landscape and needs in Bahrain and the region. I was also able to design our programs and initiatives to align with Bahrain’s economic direction and developmental aspirations.

My academic experiences abroad, especially my concentration in global affairs, strategy and security, has I think, endowed me with a good set of critical, analytical, and networking skills, which are valuable in the field of venture capital and innovation.

Women in Tech: What support does C5 give to tech initiatives especially to women entrepreneurs?

We wanted to leverage the power of our global relationships,collaboration and learning to build a strong eco -system of women and men who can provide mutual learning, growth, and support with the aim of creating greater gender parity and more diverse and equitable workplaces. With this goal in mind, we launched Nebula in September 2016, our women in tech network.

It was established to inspire and encourage aspiring women technopreneurs to explore and develop cloud-based products and solutions. It also aimed to empower female academics and professionals in tech to fully benefit from the many advantages that Bahrain and the world have to offer and in turn enrich the tech and entrepreneurship ecosystem .

We built a digital platform that both women and men can join to connect with a global network of peers and mentors where they can access training, upskilling, and mentoring opportunities. We also designed a full calendar of events, activities and workshops that aims to foster a culture of community involvement, social innovation, volunteerism, supporting the efforts of building a sustainable ecosystem and improving the lives of others.

Vision: What is your vision for Women in Technology in Bahrain (in say, the next 5-10 years?)

My vision is for both women and men, and it is essentially centred on embracing the global trends in innovation and digital transformation and fully benefiting from the immense learning, business, and employment opportunities that will become available in the future as ICT becomes the cornerstone of a knowledge-based economy. Fully realizing this vision will require greater understanding, cooperation, and mutual support. Women need to seize the amazing opportunities and support available in Bahrain and amplify each other’s strengths and efforts. We want to enable all women and men to become stakeholders/partners in further developing the burgeoning ICT space and in each other’s long term sustainable success.

If we work collaboratively, the next 5-10 years should see a transformation in this space and as a result in our workforce and economy.

Challenges: What are the challenges that women in Tech face, and how can they overcome such challenges?

The challenges women in ICT face are diverse, multifold, and often connected. Like other industries where women have found difficulties breaking in and excelling; low representation in Tech is a challenge and can contribute to limiting opportunities for other women in this space. Access to mentorship and support networks also relates to the previous challenges. Women themselves can have tendencies to shy away from industries that have stereotypically been considered as masculine careers.

Tips: What’s your advice for aspiring tech entrepreneurs?

There has never been a better time to be a tech entrepreneur in Bahrain and men and women alike should seize this opportunity to innovate and create. We are lucky to have a government that talks to its people regularly and consults industry and entrepreneurs on how to reform to meet their needs. The regulatory environment is constantly being refined, the ecosystem is forming robustly, and the community is embracing so the focus is on aspiring innovators.

Equally important is investing in yourself and developing the grit and resilience to compete and excel in this space. Think outside the box, be bold and audacious, and do not fear failure, it is the best way to grow. For women, specifically, find other women who inspire you or whose career path is one you aspire to emulate and reach out for mentorship is a powerful developmental tool.

For more information:
www.c5accelerate.com