Sumaiya Siddique, MBR Team

MBR team had the opportunity to catch up with the tech industry expert, Ms. Sonia Bashir Kabir. Ms. Kabir founded SBK Tech Ventures, which is a technology fund focusing on early stage, tech-platform companies in emerging markets.

MBR: You are one of the first movers in the tech industry as a woman. Kindly share your thoughts with us to choose the tech sector to build-up your career. What were the challenges you faced as a woman back then?

Sonia Bashir Kabir: As I studied (Bachelors and Master’s degree) in Silicon Valley, the heart of Tech Innovation I was surrounded by tech professionals. Having studied liberal Arts in High School, it was quite a daunting task to change majors to get my Bachelor of Science Degree but the opportunities drove me. There were more women in Tech in Silicon Valley than in Bangladesh but the ratio has always and continues to been small. Tech has and still is construed as a “menled” industry. It was my mission then and it still is to break the bias. Technology has no gender and men need to learn to co-exist, to collaborate, to compete and last but not least to respect women in the tech sector.

MBR: Women have placed their footprints in almost all the industries of our country. What are your advices for the ones who want to start their careers especially in the tech sector?

Sonia Bashir Kabir: Women need to have the courage not just to embrace and empower themselves with technology but also to compete with men in the tech sector. Half of the battle is in the mind and women need to play to win. Fear of technology can never be a motivator. Technology is not just an enabler but it is also an equalizer. My advice is for women to be in the tech game. We can neither win nor lose if we are merely spectators. It’s important not only to sign up and show up but also to be a serious player – “passion driven”.

MBR: From leading several tech giants to starting your own tech venture, what are your observations regarding the participation of the women of this country in the tech sector? Do you think that they are getting adequate trainings and proper infrastructure to be successful tech leaders?

Sonia Bashir Kabir: My first observation is to encourage young girls to study Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM). Training begins from school and not the academia training but the training of the mind to immerse ourselves in difficult things. Science is perceived as difficult so girls shy away from studying it. This perception has to be broken. We need women to overcome their fears and chase their dreams. We probably could benefit from boot camps targeted for women teaching technology and its role in society. Perception is not reality and women can only overcome their fears by engaging in technology driven projects to experience themselves and comprehend whether it is difficult or manageable.

MBR: There are lots of women who envision to lead the future tech industry of the country. What do you expect from the leaders in making?

Sonia Bashir Kabir: I expect our future tech women leaders not only to break glass ceilings and show use their leadership skills but also their innovative skills in running companies and making products; in solving problems of the masses, leveraging technology to create a transformative impact.

MBR: Please, share your thoughts regarding women empowerment, how it can benefit the society and how the corporate bodies can contribute to this noble cause?

Sonia Bashir Kabir: Bangladesh has a vision of being a fully digital Bangladesh which means we need to democratize technology. However, we need to first address the challenge of women being left behind. Digital Inclusion is a joint responsibility with men and exclusion has joint risks. Society is benefited when we accelerate gender parity - increase women’s economic participation worldwide. Political leaders, policy makers and business leaders globally are aware of the urgent need to empower women. Corporate bodies need to help challenge the perception that technology is not for women or girls and empower them as “leaders’ of the future. They also need to ensure women are encouraged to ‘create’ the technologies that help to avoid the replication of old gender stereotypes and inequalities in the digital space