The International Breweries Plc has recognised the importance of diversity and inclusivity in the tech industry by empowering women in technology.
Beerkathon, a tech initiative aimed at encouraging inclusion in the tech industry culminated with the emergence of three winners at an awards ceremony organised by BeerTech Africa, the Tech arm of International Breweries Plc.
The event took place in Lagos at a gathering of tech enthusiasts and other stakeholders in the Nigerian innovation and technology sector. The initiative targeted females 18 years and above in technology and innovation, tasking them with business-specific problems to proffer creative solutions to.
People director, International Breweries, Michael Odutayo explained that, as a technology-driven brewery, International Breweries recognizes the importance of diversity and inclusivity in the tech industry.
According to him, Beerkathon is dedicated to recognising the brilliant minds and innovative spirits of women in technology, and we are honored to be able to provide a platform for them to showcase their skills.
“We believe that supporting and empowering women in technology is the right thing to do and makes good business sense. We recognize that our company’s success depends on the talent and diversity of our workforce, and we are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for everyone,” he pointed out.
All 7 teams consisting of: SheCodesAJ; Yellow-Box; Smart-Hats; Tech-Bots; Team Epic; Innovate Her, and Tech Titans all made it to the final stage of the keenly contested competition. The challenge ran for over two weeks during which participants attempted to solve business problems with a prototype before coming up with the actual solution.
Team Epic clinched the top spot, a feat that earned them the grand price of $3,000. SheCodesAJ emerged second runner up and was presented with a cheque for $1,000 while Tech-Bots was the first runner up and went home with $2,000.
A member of the grand prize-winning team, Omotola Ligali, said: “tech has no value if it cannot provide localized solutions. Beerkathon created the right environment for us to think out of the box and create customized solutions.”
Ogbu Uzoma, a member of the SheCodesAJ team said: “we are thrilled by the event, the challenge, and the opportunity to showcase our skillset through the hackathon. Working as a team this project helped us develop our collaborative skills. We plan to birth solutions that would solve problems within our environment and increase women’s participation in the tech space, thanks to BeerTech Africa.”
Speaking about the tech initiative, director, BeerTech Africa, AB InBev, Cesar Robles said: “it is a well-known fact that women are underrepresented in the tech industry, not just in Nigeria but across the world. This problem needs to be addressed, and we as a company must take responsibility for our part in making the tech industry a more inclusive place for women.
“We believe that everyone, regardless of gender, race, or background, deserves an equal opportunity to succeed in the tech industry. We are actively working to recruit and retain more women in our company and provide them with the resources they need to succeed.”
