Launchpad for Women in STEM

Key Takeaways

The Technology Leaders Program (TLP) empowers women to build successful careers in AI, Machine Learning, Data Science and entrepreneurship.
Women students benefit from scholarships, one-on-one mentorship and experiential learning opportunities.
Alumni share how TLP helped them transition into leadership roles, launch startups and pursue careers in technology.
The mentor-mentee ecosystem supports both professional growth and personal development.
Through initiatives such as scholarships and mentorship, Plaksha aims to build a more diverse and inclusive STEM ecosystem.

Women in STEM are going to be among the prime drivers of the projected USD 12 trillion GDP growth (USD 12 trillion could be added to global GDP by 2025 by advancing women’s equality, a McKinsey Global Institute report notes).

Women Tech it at Plaksha! - Plaksha University's Technology Leaders Program - co-delivered by UC Berkeley, India's only in-residence, one year PGP in AI-ML and leadership in tech - empowers women to enter and pursue cutting-edge tech roles by:

Plaksha’s Technology Leaders Program serves as a launchpad for women in STEM, helping participants build the technical, leadership and entrepreneurial skills needed to pursue careers in emerging fields. Through its focus on women in AI and other cutting-edge areas of technology, the program reflects Plaksha’s commitment to building a diverse and inclusive technology ecosystem.

Enabling transformation- Helping women become entrepreneurs, transition into deep tech roles, and lead from the front with confidence as Data Scientists, Product Managers, Machine Learning Engineers and more. Women mentors help women students navigate professional and personal challenges and encourage them to grab opportunities.

Scholarship- Rs 6 lakh in scholarship for meritorious and deserving women candidates, plus A. Lalitha Scholarship for women in STEM (zero-interest loan extended to deserving women students from a less privileged background).

1-o-1 mentorship by women leaders - Female role models in cutting-edge tech and business help women students at TLP overcome personal challenges and navigate professional opportunities.

Hear our confident and spirited women tribe talk about their transformational journey at Plaksha.

Women of Plaksha - Stories of Transformation

Gave Anku women mentors to lean-on

Anku rani — **Anku Rani**, Class of 2021, Data Scientist at Verisk
“Female mentors and faculty at TLP have given me the confidence that women can lead the way in technology and entrepreneurship and carve a successful career. I was able to open up, discuss my problems, gain insights and ask questions without hesitation.”

Supported Rashmi's efforts as a voice for women in STEM

**Rashmi Nagpal**, Class of 2020, Silicon Valley Internship Program 2020
“I believe that women should be the unique voice in STEM. At the time I was a student at Plaksha I was invited to speak at Free and Open Source Software Developers' European Meeting (FOSDEM) 2020. I was the only woman selected to speak at GopherCon Russia 2021. I continue to build and grow a community of and for women in tech.”

Made it possible for Ramya to turn entrepreneur

Helped Antara switch to tech from a non-tech background

**Antara Koul**, Class of 2021, Product Manager at Indifi
“As an Economics graduate with very little exposure to programming, I started my journey in ML and Data Science from scratch. It has been a holistic growth for me. Every day at TLP I learnt new concepts and ideas. My appetite to take risks and ability to adapt has shot up.”

Honed Prajna as an empathetic tech leader in AI-ML

Prajna vegesna — **Prajna Vegesna**, Class of 2021, Imagineer at Fractal
"The combination of courses - Data Science, product, and design - sharpened my perspective. Real-world projects like Challenge Lab helped me understand how startups take shape and develop teamwork skill. The Grand Challenge Lecture Series by domain experts on real-world application of AI-ML and in-depth career guidance helped me chalk my professional path. TLP has made me flexible and adept in technical, design, and leadership skills.”

The Power of Mentorship at TLP

Several women students get mentored 1-o-1 by a woman CXO, leading entrepreneur, or domain influencer at Technology Leaders Program

3 key aspects of TLP's mentor-mentee relationship:

1-o-1 guidance: Mentors offer personalized monthly sessions to check on the mentee's progress at the Program.
Career development: Mentor acts as a sounding board for entrepreneurial ideas, career goals and resume building; provides anecdotal wisdom and networking opportunities for mentee.
Personal wellbeing: Mentor boosts the confidence and morale of mentee, ensuring good emotional health and overall wellbeing of the mentee.

Mentor Speak: Rimy Oberoi, CEO, OysterConnect

Mentee Speak: Anan Ashraf, TLP Class of 2021

Building a More Inclusive STEM Ecosystem

At Plaksha University, our mission is to have a diverse and inclusive community. By 2027, we aim to have a cohort of 50% women students at TLP, and keep growing the tribe.

Notable Industry Initiatives to Empower Women in Technology

As many as 40% of Indians who graduate in STEM disciplines are women but when it comes to jobs women constitute a mere 14% of the total 280,000 scientists, engineers, and technologists in research development institutions in India, according to the United Nations.

This paucity is not just due to the skill gap. Stereotypical gender roles discourage women from pursuing careers in science and tech. Further, the lack of inclusive infrastructure and flexibility hinders progress after they enter the workforce.

A dedicated strategy to increase the representation of women in the talent pipeline for STEM jobs, incentives for them to remain in the high-paying jobs, and organizational cultures that enable women to advance in these fields could be the way forward, believes Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women.

About the Author

TLP Team