Women in Tech Israel hosted the “FemTech: What’s in It for Us?” Summit 2024 brought together female entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry leaders for a day of collaboration and inspiration.
The event provided a unique platform for women to share their groundbreaking ideas, pitch innovative startups, and exchange insights on navigating the tech industry.
The summit also featured a panel discussion on women’s venture capital investment, a startup showcase by Yazamiyot, an 8,000-member community of Israeli women entrepreneurs, and networking opportunities aimed at empowering women in technology and promoting innovation in FemTech.
Set in a cozy and welcoming atmosphere, the summit fostered a sense of community and support. Attendees engaged in meaningful conversations, built valuable connections, and explored strategies for overcoming challenges in a traditionally male-dominated field.
The friendly and inclusive environment encouraged professional networking and the exchange of personal experiences, creating a space where women could inspire and empower each other to achieve their full potential in the tech industry.
“We have today 200 women who gathered with a few men to think about the future of FemTech, meaning solutions that would be woman-centric,” said Anne Baer, chapter director of Women in Tech Israel, to The Media Line.
“We have a vision. … Before the end of the decade, we need to put 5 million more women and girls into STEM, standing for science, technology, engineering, and math, both at the level of students at university and also at later stages in their careers. Because a lot of women that are into tech do not necessarily stay in tech; they need sisterhood and solidarity and coaching and mentoring in order to sustain their own careers and their paths,” she explained.
The summit’s discussions highlighted the persistent gender gaps in tech, especially in leadership and technical roles. Baer noted that while women are present in Israel’s high-tech sector, their roles are often concentrated in sales and product promotion, with fewer women holding technical or executive positions.
The statistics
“Even if you have statistics about how many women work among the 10% of the working population in Israel, which is in high tech, you will not get the right picture,” she said.
Anya Eldan, partner at Edge Medical Ventures and former vice president at the Israel Innovation Authority, echoed these concerns.
“In Israel, we have about 10% female founders, which is not where we want to be. In FemTech, the ratio is better, with 70% of FemTech founders being women globally. Unfortunately, men raise twice as much money as women on average, so we have a lot to improve,” she told The Media Line.
Eldan also highlighted that women in health care and biotech often excel due to their deep expertise and commitment to creating solutions that improve lives.
The summit celebrated the success of several groundbreaking startups, including IMMA Health, a company led by CEO and co-founder Beatrice Chemla.
“IMMA is a comprehensive solution to help women perform their own transvaginal scan by themselves. It’s an ultrasound that’s ultra-portable, paired with software tools for physicians,” Chemla explained to The Media line.
“Our goal is to facilitate the IVF journey for women, which is very hard, and to empower them with better health care solutions.”
However, participants acknowledged female founders' challenges in raising funds, particularly for women’s health initiatives. Chemla remarked on how investors often perceive women’s health as a niche market.
“It’s not easy to raise money, whatever happens in this period, specifically. But we know that when you speak about women’s health, it’s even harder because investors think it’s a niche. But … about half of the worldwide population are women; it’s not a niche,” she said.
The summit also tackled strategies for thriving in male-dominated industries, with speakers emphasizing confidence, persistence, and authenticity as keys to overcoming obstacles.
“First of all, you should be unforgettable and stick to your message,” Keren Schachter, CEO of Maccabi Enterprise and Management, told The Media Line.
“Authenticity and your truth will pop up in the end. … If you find yourself as the only woman in the room, stop and speak up with a firm voice,” she added.
Eldan pointed out that women often delay pitching their ideas until they feel fully prepared, while men are more likely to pitch early, even with less data. “Women tend to pitch later … because they want to be more secure in their results, whereas men will come in early and ‘bullshit’ their way through. We need to learn to be more confident,” she said.
Gradual improvement
Hila Goldman-Aslan, CEO and co-founder of DiA Imaging Analysis reflected on the gradual improvement in women’s representation in tech.
“I think in health care in general, there are more women than in other areas. Sometimes I’m wondering why. It might be that being around health care makes it more relevant for them or more accepted in terms of the industry. But still, it’s not enough,” she told The Media Line. “The ratio is very low. It’s getting slightly better through the years, but there is still a lot of work to do to make it 50-50.”
“This is our mission: to mind these gaps and to change the reality,” Schachter said. “It won’t help if we keep on discussing it or feel bad about it. We have to act.”