GEEKETTES AT NEXT BERLIN 201

It's that time of year again! With Berlin Web Week around the corner, Berlin Geekettes are excited to be participating in 2 panels and the first Pitch Competition at NEXT Berlin. We are also thrilled to be raffling off two free tickets for Geekettes members who come up with the most clever tweet;) Please use the following in your tweet: #nextgeekettes @berlingeekettes 

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Session I 

"The new normal in business: Why we need to teach a startup mindset" 

• Denise Philipp (Geekettes/Berlin Geekettes)
• Paul Jozefak (Liquid Labs) 
• Reto Wettach (IXDS) 
• Andrew Hoag (Startup Institute) 

This workshop aims at young companies searching for the right employees as well as at young professionals searching for their right fit in tech businesses. Besides, the workshop is also directed at traditional companies who are keen on learning from a star-tup mindset – whether it’s the lean workflow or the way of thinking. More info here. 

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Session II 

"Big data management – forget the hype, let’s talk facts" 

• Lisa Lang (Twilio/Berlin Geekettes) 
• Anke Domscheit-Berg (Freelance) 
• Olga Steidl (Linko ) 
• Ivan P. Yamshchikov (Yandex)

Everyone is talking about Big Data – but what’s really behind it and how can you make data work for your business? Collecting data is just one part of the puzzle. To source the right information, read it so it makes sense and -finally- how to execute on it is the most important task for successful big data management. At this panel workshop we’ll listen to a lot of examples from big companies who’re dealing with massive amount of data on a daily basis. Each panel member will give a short demo and insight to their strategies and might revile some surprising facts.

This workshop is organised in cooperation with Berlin Geekettes. More info here. 

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Session III 

"Jury in pitch session 1"

• Jess Erickson (Geekettes) 

• Matt Cooper (Elance-oDesk) 

• Christoph Gerlinger (German Startups Group Berlin AG)

Watch Europe’s brightest young entrepreneurs pitch their idea live on stage – and discover what could be the next Instagram! 7 start-ups will be pitching on stage in front of our high-profile jury. On May 6 the audience will see the finalists pitch live on our Main Stage and gets to decide who’ll be the winner! More info here. 

Berlin Geekette of the Month: Raffaela Rein

Meet Raffaela Rein, CEO & Cofounder of CareerFoundry. 

Interviewed by Jess Erickson

What's your background?

At heart I am really a strategist, organizer and hustler. I worked as a banker before moving into tech, where I started out as a data scientist. Since then I have taken on much more strategic business development roles before founding my own business and becoming CEO of CareerFoundry. 

You used to work as the VP of Global Venture Development for Rocket Internet, what was that like?

It was incredibly insightful, fun and hard work. I helped build three companies for Rocket Internet in Asia when they launched in that part of the world back in 2011. Rocket Internet is certainly a great testing ground for future entrepreneurs, many very smart and talented people work there and I admire Oli (Oliver Samwer) for leading and motivating teams all over the world to give him their all.

What inspired you to become a founder?

Like many founders, I had a pressing urge to solve a big problem - in my case that’s improving the employability results of the education system.

Please walk me through your day, what does the Founder and CEO of CareerFoundry do?

CEO is probably the most undefined job title there is. Basically I am responsible for everything, but top of my list is keeping the company afloat (note: CF raised investment in Jan 2014), closing partnerships, building an outstanding team and legal matters. Strategy and vision are a huge part of my job too, but unfortunately I don’t have time to strategize and visualize every day (although these are my favourite parts of the job.)

Can you see yourself in ten years doing the same thing you do now?

Yes, but hopefully on a bigger scale. There are different challenges involved at different stages and sizes of a company. Management is already becoming more complex, nerve wrecking and exciting at the same time. I hope it will continue this way. 

What is the best advice you ever received?

“Just do it!” from Readmill founder Henrik Berggren, when I was debating if and when I should quit my job. I quit the next day and have never regretted it.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned in the last year?

There is always room for increasing your levels of persistence, patience and capacity.

And what are your plans for the future?

I want to help more people find awesome jobs and help companies find outstanding talent.

Long term, I can imagine myself getting involved in policy making, international relations and to dedicate myself to further innovation in education, finance and careers.

If you could do one thing differently, what would it be?

Nothing, I’m always right ;)

Any advice for Berlin's women?

Chose a Swedish co-founder. 

You can follow Raffaela and her new startup here: 

Follow Raffaela on twitter 

Follow Career Foundry on twitter

Follow Career Foundry on Facebook 

Spotlight: Tamara Atanasoska

Guest piece writte by Tamara Atanasoska

I love how technology empowers everything we do nowadays. Don’t you?

After graduating from MIT University in Skopje, Macedonia (Computer Science with majors in: software engineering, software architecture, web development), I’ve been able to work on different projects, contribute in different organizations, companies and startups. 

Now I am pursuing career in web development, aspiring to IT project manage - a position that allows me to dive into tech and communicate what clients want and need. 

The beginning…

My interest in an IT profession started back in the day, when I was young and curios how technology actually works. I was driving my parents crazy by sending my personal computer countless times to the PC service :) I was fascinated by the endless opportunities that the technology offers for solving problems and also the fast growth of the technology field. My passion for science and the application of science in real life is what drove me towards pursuing this profession. I love challenges! 

About value...

When it comes to the value that I can provide, I pride myself on the ability to enable effective and efficient communication with the client, where we can learn more about how the client interprets their problems and needs….so we can translate that into a personalized technological solution.

My field of technical excellence are web based projects. In the past few years I’ve been working on planning, developing and maintenance of web projects - using Python/Django and JavaScript.

Striving for personal growth and continuous improvement, I am currently upgrading my Python and Django skills by working on different web based projects. Recently I spend more and more time learning HTML5, CSS3 and of course JavaScript.

Apart from the “professional avatar”, I nurture a great interest and active participation in building communities around solutions for social and youth problems. 

Few years ago, through the local hacklab and Google Summer of Code program, I’ve had the opportunity become part of the worldwide community for Free Software. Witnessing how big influence a community can have and participating actively in it, I’ve learned the principles and values around which a community can grow and develop. I’ve started initiating different local internet communities, humanitarian causes, “women in technology” groups and even engaged in the creation of an independent social and cultural center, as well as giving back to the community by providing lectures, trainings and sharing knowledge.

Being able to organize and work with people gives me the insight on how they perceive and interact with the technology. Since the “social” part is inevitable when it comes to developing a technological solution, I find this very helpful and it constantly helps me to improve my problem solving skills.

Why Berlin?

The culmination of all of this was the opportunity to visit Berlin and participate in the OpenTechSchool and PyLadies initiatives. Living in Berlin for three months, I’ve been able to meet a lot of young people, full with energy, enthusiasm and bravery to beat the odds and create something new. 

I see Berlin as one of the centers for innovation in technology and a city that has the leading role in the shaping of a healthy startup culture. A place where I can create, contribute and feel like I'm a part of one big, tech-inspired family. 

-If you want Tamara on your team, learn more about her here or on LinkedIn. 

NYC Women of Tech - We're Excited to Meet You

Written by Florencia Soto Nino Martinez

If this town is just an apple, then let us all take a bite. We are very excited to officially launch in New York this week and meet all the smart and creative women in this city! NYC has always been a major hub for new ideas and enterprises, and over the past few years it has focused on fostering its tech community. 

In fact, it is now the fastest growing tech hubs in the US, and home to companies like Etsy, Tumblr, Shutterstock, Vimeo and Buzzfeed. Women have been making their mark in NYC for quite some time. One only needs to look at women like Rachel Haot, who was named the city’s Chief Digital Officer in 2011 and is now the Deputy Secretary of Technology for NY State. Over her three years working for the city, Rachel was in charge of some 40 initiatives to increase Internet connectivity, online engagement and technology industry support in one of the biggest cities in the world.

Or Alexa Von Tobel, who founded the personal finance site LearnVest to help young people manage their budgets and has raised more than $25 million since it was founded in 2009. And big thinkers like Maria Popova, who curates the blog BrainPickings, bringing new meaning to all types of historic content, inspiring readers all over the world.

Women in the NY tech scene have also shown their interest in helping other women navigate their path to their own success. Through Dress for Success, founded by Nancy Lublin, women get provided with interview suits and career development training. The initiative is now in more that 114 cities in 12 countries. Reshma Saujani created Girls Who Code and young girls from all backgrounds jumped at the opportunity to get in on the action.

It is indeed an exciting time to be a woman in tech because we are just truly embracing our potential in this sector. It's inspiring to look at these women and the careers they have paved. And we hope that NYC Geekettes helps you find your way there. To all the young women with budding ideas, the ones already in the industry in need of support, successful entrepreneurs, founders, designers, digital strategist, media savvy gals and enthusiastic creatives: we can’t wait to meet you.

Love,

NYC Geekettes