MIT Inclusive Innovation Competition and Career Girls Collaborate to Inspire and Empower Young Girls

Career Girls is a non-profit organization that provides a noncommercial online platform that showcases video clips of diverse women role models sharing invaluable career and educational advice. The clips aim to inspire young girls to expand their horizons, improve their academic performance, and dream big about their futures. The IIC, founded by the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, awards one million dollars in prizes to Inclusive Innovators--international organizations that use technology as a tool to empower people who are struggling in a rapidly evolving economy. The two organizations saw their missions as compatible and welcomed the opportunity to collaborate.

During September, the IIC hosted a Career Girls video shoot to film seven talented and successful women associated with the competition. Participants all shared a desire to share their professional stories and insights to inspire young girls. IIC Judges that participated are: Claire Calmejane, Director of Innovation at Lloyds Banking Group; Jean Hammond, Partner at LearnLaunch; and Mona Vernon, VP, Thomson Reuters Labs at Thomson Reuters. IIC Winners that participated are: Erin Cox, President of uAspire; Claire Gillissen-Duval, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility EMEA at SAP; Ella Peinovich, Founder at Soko; and Gabriela Rocha, Partner and Director at Laboratoria México.

"These women represent and highlight the IIC's commitment to celebrating diversity, innovation, talent, and service," said Devin Wardell Cook, Executive Producer of the IIC. "Each woman brings a unique professional perspective to the table and is a strong role model for young girls. We're proud of and grateful for their help in promoting both the IIC's and Career Girls' mission."

"It was an honor to work with Devin and the entire MIT IIC team and to witness, first-hand, their commitment to using an inclusive approach to bridging the digital divide," said Linda Calhoun, Founder and Executive Producer of Career Girls. "The women we interviewed truly inspired us and we are very excited to share their stories and wisdom with girls everywhere."

To view the videos, and for more information on Career Girls, please visit careergirls.org.

For more information on the IIC, including the 2016 Winners, visit MITinclusiveinnovation.com. 

About the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy (IDE)
The IDE explores how people and businesses will work, interact, and prosper in an era of profound digital transformation. We are leading the discussion on the digital economy. In 2016, the IDE launched the annual Inclusive Innovation Competition (IIC) to recognize and celebrate organizations that are using technology as a tool to create the future of work. Learn more about the IDE at ide.mit.edu.

For further information, contact:
Media Contact: Paul Denning – [email protected], 617-253-0576 
IDE Contact: David Verrill – [email protected]
Inclusive Innovation Competition Contact: Devin Wardell Cook – [email protected] 
Career Girls Contact: Linda Calhoun – [email protected]   

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SOURCE MIT Sloan School of Management

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