Artificial intelligence (AI) stands out as a beacon of innovation, which will continue to transform industries and societies around the globe. Behind these advancements are the individuals shaping the future of AI, and among them, women are increasingly making their mark.
Despite unprecedented headway, the representation of women in AI roles still lags. A recent feature in The New York Times showed an obvious omission of women when highlighting prominent AI male figures, sparking controversy.
In light of this, Innovation and Tech Today attended a webinar last week featuring notable women in the field. Hosted by Alumni Ventures, the event was an insightful exploration of women in AI. Here are the female presenters who attended the event who deserve recognition.
Sanjana Basu, AI Investor at Radical Ventures
Sanjana Basu’s investment focus at Radical Ventures centers on supporting technically differentiated AI startups. She underscores the significance of assembling diverse and skilled teams to drive innovation in AI. Basu predicts a surge in AI applications in scientific domains, particularly in biology, chemistry, and physics, driven by talent migration from top labs to startups.
Vivian Cheng, Partner at Next47
Vivian Cheng holds the role of Partner at Next47. Before joining Next47, she served as an investor at CRV and played a pivotal role as an early operator at Uber. Next47 is a global venture firm supporting enterprise founders, specializing in investments across early and expansion-stage companies. The firm focuses on various sectors, including SaaS, AI/ML and Dev Tools, Enterprise IT and Cybersecurity, and Deep Tech. Vivian is driven by her passion for supporting visionary founders and innovative products poised to make a significant impact on the world.
Sophia Zhao, Senior Principal at Alumni Ventures AI
Sophia Zhao is a Senior Principal at Alumni Venture AI and brings extensive expertise in capital advisory, corporate development, and operational enhancement, forging impactful partnerships with CXOs and Founders. Her broad industry exposure spans cloud computing, mining and minerals, consumer goods, and Web3, where she has played a pioneering role in transformative technologies. Since 2018, she has been deeply involved in crypto, working with Galaxy Digital, Huobi US, and Crypto.com, engaging startups and institutional clients in capital raising and trading across the Americas, EU, and Asia.
Taylor Chartier, Founder and CEO of Modicus Prime
As the Founder and CEO of Modicus Prime, Taylor Chartier brings a wealth of experience from the pharmaceutical industry, where she previously contributed to FDA Biologics License Applications by spearheading Quality by Design initiatives. Throughout her career, she has leveraged machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop multivariate models to optimize pharmaceutical production, conduct root cause analysis, and generate leads, notably during her tenure at Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Taylor’s educational background includes a 5-year accelerated bachelor’s and master’s program in chemical engineering at the University of Rochester, NY. Most recently, she was pursuing a PhD in applied AI with a focus on wearables research for Parkinson’s patients at the University of Luxembourg.
Empowering the Future of AI
As we navigate the future of AI, it’s essential to amplify the voices of women who are making progress in this field. Their insights, experiences, and predictions light the path forward.
