Just two months ago, CoinDesk celebrated the Top 50 Women in Web3 and AI. These awesome women aren’t just doing amazing things today, they’re developing the work that will redefine tomorrow’s tech. BIT’s The Top 100 list is designed to recognize the leaders, innovators, and visionaries who are propelling the world forward in blockchain, artificial intelligence, and other frontier technologies. This year’s honorees continue to prove that diversity and inclusion are pathways toward real innovation. Through their efforts, they are helping to build a more equitable tech landscape for all.
The selected women are spearheading transformative projects, advocating for inclusivity, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in their respective domains. Yet their collective achievements mark a dramatic turn towards a more united and cooperative tomorrow. In this new era, technology will be more inclusive to all constituents. Their work reflects deep and technical craft, and it’s beautiful. It serves as a reminder to leaders across the technology sector that ethical leadership and social responsibility must accompany rapid technological advancement.
Pioneering Leaders in Blockchain and Web3
Nkiru Uwaje is an entrepreneur, and the Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer of MANSA. She’s passionate about equitable access to finance and how blockchain technology can help build sustainable, impactful businesses. MANSA uses stablecoins to settle and deliver instant funding in the last mile for these underserved African clients. Since going live in August 2024, Uwaje’s team has successfully raised over $10 million. This includes a recently announced $3 million pre-seed round led by Tether, celebrating the transformative potential of blockchain solutions in emerging markets. Nkiru considers herself both a builder and an advocate. She’s passionate about developing real-world solutions and advocating for the deployment of new technologies.
Yasmina Kazitani, Co-President of the Blockchain Game Alliance and co-founder of Numidia Valley Africa Future Club, transcends gender by mentoring developers across all demographics. She’s done work in collaboration with Algeria’s Ministry of Strategy and Lamina1. These partnerships reflect her commitment to advancing technology innovation and collaboration across the public, private, academic, and geographic spectrums. Kazitani’s focus on inclusion means that the most talented people, no matter their backgrounds, are given the opportunity to be a part of the growing Web3 ecosystem.
Gracy Chen, the CEO of Bitget, which chairs the Blockchain4Her initiative and regularly champions women’s equality in international forums. Her leadership emphasizes the importance of creating opportunities for women in the blockchain space and promoting diversity at all levels of the industry. Through her advocacy, Chen works to ensure that our communities are more inclusive and equitable so that women — and all of us — can thrive and lead.
Principled Leadership in AI Development
Daniela Amodei embodies the kind of principled leadership AI development needs. Her work underscores the important role safety and ethical considerations play in developing cutting-edge artificial intelligence. She makes sure that these AI technologies are being developed and deployed responsibly.
"igniting a race to the top on safety." - Daniela Amodei
Amodei’s pledge to responsible AI development raises the bar for the entire industry.
Julia Bonafede is Strategic Advisor to one of the nation’s largest state pension systems. As a judge, she lends her experience to the Top 50 Women in Web3 & AI list. Her participation highlights the critical role of diverse perspectives in acknowledging and recognizing the often-overlooked accomplishments of women within these domains. Bonafede’s role underscores the importance of inclusive decision-making processes to create a more equitable tech landscape.
Selection Process and Impact
The curation process to be included on the Top 50 Women in Web3 & AI list was long and meticulous. A diverse NEW judges panel sifted through more than 300 nominees. This procedural approach allowed them to make sure a variety of perspectives and expertise went into these considerations. This challenging process is reflective of the credibility and level of importance attached to this recognition. Yet the honorees represent an extraordinary diversity of experiences and backgrounds. Their accomplishments further emphasize the dynamic, multidimensional characteristics of today’s Web3 and AI sectors.
The reach of this award goes beyond personal achievements. CoinDesk is proud to celebrate the contributions of these wonderful women. Their overarching goal is to create the next generation of female leaders and innovators in technology. Beyond that, this list serves as a tremendous reminder of how powerful diversity and inclusion can be. It fosters economic development and thereby makes the tech ecosystem less lopsided. It pushes companies, institutions and nonprofits to make it their mission to open doors for women and build inclusive workplaces.
This program is an important step in dismantling the stereotypes and biases that are entrenched in the tech industry. CoinDesk is dedicated to highlighting the contributions of women in both Web3 and AI. This impactful program pushes back against the faulty assumption that these disciplines belong only to men. By improving visibility, we can help draw more women into these areas. This, in turn, helps ensure that the workforce is rich with diverse and representative experiences. Consider how this recognition can begin to create change for the better. Together, we can build a more equitable, inclusive, and therefore innovative tech industry for all.
