According to research, it has been found that most Canadian women who work jobs in tech, earn way lesser than their male counterparts. These are women who are also armed to the core with degrees and achievements and it just looks like the only way for one to be successful is by one creating one’s own path.

Here is a list of Canadian women who have forged their own paths in the tech world, women who have decided to take it in their own hands and be something for themselves in the tech world, not only making money from other people’s jobs or projects but also engaging and creating projects of their own.

Margaret Magdesian

Margaret Magdesian is a pharmacologist and biochemist who has over twenty years experience. She is the founder of Ananda Devices which after eight years of research at McGill University was established, drives to improve drug development in treating brain and spinal cord injuries. Her quest to find out how the nervous system is broken and how it can be reconnected, is the objective of Ananda’s human organ-on-a-chip technology. Margaret’s inspiration was from the pain her mother felt when she was sick, that nothing could alleviate the pain. Hence, she devoted her life to improve drug development. To Margaret, the answers to the nervous system problems lay in today’s advanced technologies.

Jennifer Flanagan

CEO and founder of Actua- the largest STEM outreach organization in Canada that inspires over two hundred and fifty youths every year. She has been a source of encouragement and growth for young women for over ten years and has served on boards that support this cause. e.g. The Girls Action Foundation (GAF) and the International Network for Women in Engineering and Science (INWES). Jennifer is known for her expertise in equipping Canadian youths with skills and knowledge that they will need for their futures. She organizes programs that engage the belittled & discounted youth populations and addresses the gender gap in STEM. She is a social entrepreneur and an advocate of women & girl empowerment.

Saadia Muzaffar

One of the few women in Canada that can be called as someone prominent in the tech world, Saadia is an author, entrepreneur and the founder of Tech Girls Canada. She founded her organization to ensure most women have or get access to the world of science and technology. Saadia is an advisor for some mentorship programs for girls & women and is passionate about responsible innovation, growth and development of immigration talent in STEM and improvement of qualities in people. She is said to be a driving force for positive change because she tackles hard and uncomfortable subjects with clarity and empathy.

Eva Wong

She is the CEO and co-founder of Borrowell- one of the largest financial technology (fintech) companies in Canada. Her company was the first company to give credit scores to Canadians for free. It provides financial advice, personal loans and credit cards & mortgages recommendations. Eva aims to make financial stability and prosperity possible for everyone and has worked in both the private and non-profit sectors with her background in business management and consulting. She is also a public speaker.

Kiersten Stead

A biotechnologist who focuses on investing in life-science companies that have a deep advantage in tech, therapeutics, agriculture and synthetic biology. At the company where she’s a managing partner, DCVC Bio, she works with entrepreneurs and helps them launch their businesses at the foundational level as well as leading first rounds of funding. She combines her expertise in science and business to promote emerging tech companies.

Sage Franch

Sage is a software developer, entrepreneur and author who works with top companies and organizations on digital transformations, consultations and training. She is the co-founder and CEO of Crescendo, a platform that helps global companies with inclusion and diversity. Sage is passionate about improving the good technology brings  and giving more access to technology to people. She is a technical educator.

Jodi Kovitz

She is the founder and CEO of Move the Dial who is also a lawyer and nonprofit executive officer. Her company was formed for the purpose of bringing more women’s participation and leadership in the tech sector. Jodi strongly believes in the power of relationships so she incites action, inspires change and builds community. She is also a public speaker on diversion, inclusion and community relationships. Through her movement, Jodi has brought about numerous women champions and advisors from all over the world who are forging paths in the technology industry.

Sarah Jenna

Founder and CEO of My Intelligent Machines (fondly known as MIM), Sarah uses her expertise in systems biology to provide ultra modern software solutions for life sciences companies that are developing personalized medicine. She and her team design and develop a platform that empowers scientists to accelerate drug development. After working for over five years with her co-founder and team, Sarah has gained the accomplishment of becoming one of the rare biologists with a profound understanding of bioinformatics and artificial intelligence.

Jennifer Couldrey

Jennifer is the executive director of one of the largest tech-focused charities – The Upside Foundation. This platform helps entrepreneurs donate equity to charity and pledge stock options towards charities in Canada. She is passionate about helping business owners get what they want from their business and make an impact. Jennifer also believes businesses should be wielded as tools for social impact. She currently started her business in June 2022 as a professional EOS implementer (Entrepreneurial Operating System).

Aisha Addo

Aisha is the founder of Power to Girls Foundation. It is a non-profit organization that connects black girls and women across the city- and DriveHER- a ride-sharing company. Her business has given alternative transportation, job opportunities for women drivers who are often stigmatized in the ride-sharing industry. She strives to make the world a better place for women. Her organization provides young girls with the mentors and role models that were absent in her childhood. She uses personal experiences to create safe spaces for young girls and engage them.

Amber MacArthur

In a world where few women have succeeded to become tech journalists, Amber has managed to stay at the forefront. She has spent years in reporting the latest, trending news and is widely recognized globally. Wise to start her career during the dot-com boom, she has become an award-winning journalist and tech reporter. Amber has appeared in Bloomberg, BNN, Fast Company and other news outlets. She is an author of two books and a keynote speaker.

Anna Mackenzie

Anna is a software engineer who is committed to her goal of increasing the number of women participating in tech. Cofounder of ‘The Expecting Playbook,’ Anna, with her partner, has created a free guide for big and small tech companies. They provide strategies on how to create fair and equal parental policies. She aims to bring about change in organizations who have never thought of parental leave for their workers. She is one of the top 25 women of influence in Canada.

Huda Idrees

Huda Idrees always had a wish to own a business. She started building websites for customers at the age of twelve, now, she has come to own a tech startup. Dot Health, that makes it easier for individuals to access health services for a low fee monthly. The company helps to push her city’s health system into the 21st century. It has gotten rid of pen and paper records that can easily be lost thereby digitizing the health experience. She believed that there was a better way for patients to know the progress of their treatments. Hence the establishment of her company. It also helps patients make the best decisions about their health.

Maayan Ziv

Maayan has always been an advocate of an accessible world. She saw that there were places that were not easily reachable or assessed by people with disabilities. Hence, she created the app called AccessNow. The app allows users to point out areas in their city that are accessible and reachable to people with disabilities. Maayan has been creating awareness about disabilities from a very young age.

Meghan Anderson

Meghan ventured into her latest initiative called GoSponsorHer which is centered on increasing the sponsorship of women in business. It goes beyond just mentoring women in the workplace to bring to effect a lasting change. She is currently the Business Development Director at Integrate.ai. She has a deep desire to empower the next generation female CEOs and entrepreneurs, hence her latest venture.

Get started!

Do you want to be part of the women who have made the decision to impact lives using technology? What’s stopping you then?

Heels and Tech is here to give you a jumpstart into what you need to do. We offer courses that can take you from where you are now to where you want to be. All you have to do is enroll and see the amazing journey you will embark on. Get started and waste no more time!