Women in tech step into the spotlight at WomenIN Festival

Women are finally stepping into the AI and tech space we’ve been encouraging them to enter

Women in technology and artificial intelligence (AI) took centre stage at the WomenIN Festival, where panellists highlighted the growing influence of women shaping Africa’s digital future.

 Among the contributors to the Women in Tech & AI session was DigitalShero’s CEO Bolawana (Mags) Shivanda, who described the experience as a powerful moment of visibility and momentum for women in the sector.

“It was incredible to sit on a panel where every woman deserved to be there. Women are finally stepping into the AI and tech space we’ve been encouraging them to enter,” said Shivanda.

DigitalShero, a women-led digital media company based in Johannesburg with teams in Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Nairobi, positions representation at the core of its identity. “The name DigitalShero says it all. Any girl, anywhere in the world, should immediately know this company is owned by a woman.”

Beyond the company, the mission extends through the Bloem Girls Rock Foundation, which supports girls from high school to university and into employment.

“I was tired of not seeing people who look like me in senior roles. Instead of complaining, I decided to be the solution.”

Shivanda believes early support creates lifelong impact. Speaking to her 18-year-old self, she said: “Start empowering yourself at a young age. That fire you have inside of you is real; it’s going to happen and you’re going to kill it.”

Cover photo:  Vuka Group