Written by Karina Rudolf Mass VSFS Interned at the US Department of State.
As we enter 2024 with eager anticipation of what the new year will bring, the Academy of Women’s Entrepreneurship (AWE) is revisiting some of the past year’s many successes. One of her special events is recalled: the first-ever Indo-Pacific Women in Technology Summit. The summit, held in Taipei in mid-November, is a testament to progress toward expanding women’s entrepreneurship and the U.S. government’s commitment to supporting economic stability, opportunity, and equity abroad.
The Indo-Pacific Summit brought together women entrepreneurs and AWE program alumni from Brunei, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The first event included networking opportunities, training workshops, and, ultimately, a pitch competition.
One of the many women in attendance was AWE alumnus Shao Hua Huang, a Taiwanese female entrepreneur who founded Cocoon Bravolution. The company, which she founded just over a year before hers, connects women and bra wearers across Asia through personalized consultation and the development of measuring technology, with the aim of providing customers with ideal-fitting underwear. We are committed to empowering the. Through the development of a unique virtual platform, Cocoon Bravolution employs database technology to ensure a perfect fit while maintaining complete customer privacy. Huang talked about the many challenges of starting a women-owned business, especially one that deals with the often taboo subject of bras. Taiwan’s new fashion technology industry is a predominantly male-dominated field, meaning Cocoon Bravolution proved to be a hard sell for many of Huang’s colleagues and potential mentors. The Indo-Pacific Summit for Women offered a refreshing, “welcoming atmosphere” and an opportunity to connect and gain inspiration from like-minded women who could relate more to her business and its goals . Similarly, with the help of her marketing workshops developed through AWE and Meta’s partnership, Huang was able to better understand her target audience and strategies to reach them most effectively. Ta. Inspired by the network of women entrepreneurs she met through AWE programs and summits, and her dedication to promoting inclusivity and empowerment, she was asked to share some wisdom and advice for aspiring women entrepreneurs. Mr. Huang replied, “Embrace AWE.” As an example, women need to help each other. ”
Ping Ping Han is another impressive AWE alumnus, this time from Singapore, who attended the recent Indo-Pacific Summit. Han is the founder of Aloha, a circular commerce platform that helps businesses connect, reuse, and monetize their recycling activities into revenue-generating experiences and recycled products, from travel hospitality to technology. We have served clients in a wide range of fields. Having won her summit’s startup pitch competition, she recognized the value of her confidence gained at her Indo-Pacific summit. Han believes that one of the biggest challenges women entrepreneurs face is their tendency to hesitate and “overthink and overprepare.” Ms. Han feels empowered and inspired by the sense of camaraderie that she felt during her time as a participant in the AWE She program and at the recent summit, and how important it is for her to learn to “just get it done.” Recognize what is there.
The Academy of Women Entrepreneurship’s first Indo-Pacific Women in Technology Summit was a huge success as it provided a unique opportunity to expand the network of AWE alumni and collaborate and empower women in AWE programs across Asia.