We need more women in blockchain & cryptocurrency

We need more women in blockchain & cryptocurrency

Date: 22 Mar 2018

As a women who has spent most of my working life in IT, I know what it is like to be in the minority.  The developing segment of blockchain and cryptocurrency is similar - there are very few females.  Here is some evidence. In the recent 2018 Bitcoin Conference in North America, just 3 speakers out of 87 were female.  Perhaps this was due to the fact that the conference was held in a Miami strip club? Although there is very little data, some studies estimate that women account for only 4-6 percent of blockchain investors.  In addition women represent only 5-7 percent of crypto currency users. Statistics for the numbers of females in the industry are still pretty scarce.

 

There are some encouraging signs however.  Four out of the largest ICO’s in 2017 had female co-founders.  (http://fortune.com/2017/12/12/bitcoin-cryptocurrency-women/).  There are some very prominent women leading the charge in the industry such as Elizabeth Stark, the co-founder of Lightning Labs, who was previously a professor at Stanford and Yale. Tiffany Madison, one of the founders at DecentraNet offers advisory services to many of the top blockchain companies.

 

So what can we do to encourage more women into blockchain and cryptocurrency?  Firstly, there are already some efforts in place such as Meetups for Women in Blockchain taking place all over the world.  These gatherings offer women the chance to meet with others in the industry, network and help one another. I urge women to attend if you can.

 

Secondly, as blockchain and crypto transitions from its early beginnings where most roles are technical (where women are under represented), new roles will start to emerge. Women are better represented in areas such as finance, strategy, sales and marketing.  More of these roles will occur as the segment develops, presenting excellent opportunities for women.

 

Thirdly, we need chatter!  We women all need to be speaking about what is happening, what we are doing and encouraging our women colleagues into crypto and blockchain.  Expand your network and bring more women in!  Companies want to hire women.  We bring diversity, different skills and ideas.  

 

Ladies in blockchain and crypto, we may be few but we are here!

And finally I have made it my personal mission with Cryptorecruit to place women in the industry(not excluding men). Click HERE to see our live jobs"

Kellena Taylor - Senior Crypto Recruiter

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