Empowering Women in Biotechnology – it’s not a fringe activity

Encouraging and supporting greater diversity in the biotechnology sector is vital if we are to deliver its benefits for society and the planet. This was the key point for discussion at a networking breakfast fringe event of the IBioIC23 Annual Conference.

Co-hosted by Women in Synthetic biology (WiSB) and the UK’s BIA Women in Biotechnology (WIB), the event brought together female leaders from investment, industry, and non-government agencies to discuss the role diversity can and must play to build resilience across organisations, industry, and (indirectly) the future of our planet.

The event was timely, with the release the previous month of a Scottish Government report (Pathways: A new approach for women in entrepreneurship) looking at barriers facing female entrepreneurs and potential solutions. The numbers are stark: although half of Scotland’s population are female, only one in five of Scotland’s entrepreneurs are women, and start-ups founded by women in Scotland receive only 2% of overall investment capital. Things need to change as everyone has something to gain from more women starting businesses – this is not a zero-sum game. The panellists (Elizabeth Perrie, AccelerateHER; Dana Heldt, UK KTN; Alison Arnold, Ingenza; and Chair, Sarah Goulding, Innovate UK) provided expert and honest views on being a female in senior roles and the challenges and opportunities for the biotech sector.

On a similar theme, IBioIC supported Empowering Women in Biotech event held at Charnwood Molecular’s premises in Loughborough. A packed agenda allowed women in the industry to share their expertise, celebrate their achievements, air frustrations, and provide guidance and suggestions for other women – across all stages of their careers – in biotechnology.

It was an inspiring event with so many engaging, honest (warts and all), amusing, thought-provoking, informative, slightly shocking (at times) and impressive testaments from women working in biotech across industry, investment, government, and academia.

Women are driving the biotech sector forward. They are taking risks, are passionate about biotech, are juggling babies and boardrooms, and are formidable leaders committed to supporting diversity in their teams and their wider communities. However, despite more women in board rooms and on leadership teams than ever before, >80% of such positions still don’t benefit from the perspective of the 51%. There is still some way to go – so we must continue to call out sexism, shout out about women's success, and promote and nurture diversity in all our organisations.

Designed and delivered by BioNow, Charnwood Campus, Charnwood Molecular, SynBioBeta, Potter Clarkson, WiSB and IBioIC this was a sell-out event with more than 80 attendees. So well received that it looks like being a regular fixture on the calendar.