A BUSINESSWOMAN from Leamington has scooped at top award for leading the way on climate-tech.
Kripa Balachandran, head of product at Mission Zero Technologies, won the team leader award at the prestigious Salesforce Everywoman in Technology Awards.
The ceremony at the Westminster Park Plaza Hotel marked the 16th year of this landmark programme, celebrating the women transforming the industry through their innovation, leadership and vision.
Kripa is a Cambridge-trained engineer and people-first climate-tech leader, building real-world solutions to the climate crisis. As head of product at Mission Zero Technologies, she led a diverse, cross-functional team to deliver three first-of-a-kind Direct Air Capture systems internationally.
Having often been the only woman or person of colour in the room, Kripa champions empathetic leadership, psychological safety and execution under pressure, proving that empowered teams build the best technology.
Her inclusive approach has involved implementing equitable recruitment and flexible-work policies, ensuring parents and international hires thrive in an early-stage start-up environment. These initiatives have become models for other UK climate-tech firms.
The awards aim to inspire the next generation of female talent to pursue careers in tech by shining a spotlight on inspirational women at all stages of their careers, including those taking their first steps in apprenticeships through to C-suite executives and innovative leaders running their own businesses.
Attracting more women to the sector remains critical, as female employees account for 24.8 per cent of the total STEM workforce, and government figures suggest this has fallen from 29.4 per cent in 2020.
Winners showcase the full breadth of the industry, from teenagers inspiring their classmates to join computer science clubs, through to women using AI to accelerate scientific discoveries and encouraging girls all over the world to unlock the power of a digital education for transforming their lives.
