The presence of women in companies in the ICT sector in Italy has remained stable at 16% for ten years, below the European average of 17-18%.in an era of full digital transition and in a sector increasingly considered attractive also from the point of view of salaries, women are unable to break down the “door” in IT companies.
These are the dramatic numbers reported in the latest report Bureau Veritas according to which it tells of a doubly alarming situation, if we consider that the sector has remained at these percentages for 10 years and that not even the great interest that is polarizing on theartificial intelligence manages to shake this trend.
University enrollments
University enrollments are a first litmus test: although in enrollments for the 2023/2024 academic year girls represent the majority (over 56%), in enrollments inInformation Technology and ICT Technologies” the female presence drops to 16.71%. Perfectly in line with the data processed by Openpolisfrom which it was clear that – considering all ICT study paths – “digital” female graduates in Italy in 2022 reached only 16.8%.
But there’s more: i artificial intelligence systems – to which we are entrusting increasingly important roles in private life and in the economy – are based on algorithms that tend to reflect the mindset of those who design them, including gender stereotypes.
Programming predominantly in the hands of men risks expressing and consolidating typically male visions.
The causes of the gap
But what are the reasons behind the low female presence in ICT studies and professions and what levers should be activated to counteract prejudices and stereotypes, opening up new possibilities for professional growth for young people?
In a world, that of ICT, which, despite the international examples of professional and entrepreneurial success, continues to be associated with a “nerd” identikit.
“The very young ones – he explains Claudia Strasserra, Chief Reputation Officer of Bureau Veritas Italia – need female professional role models who encourage them to follow their own inclinations. Our commitment to gender equality is expressed by supporting the growth of women in technical and managerial roles within us, and by encouraging them new generations so that they seize the market opportunities, free from constraints”.
Visa’s initiative
Visa opens applications for the second Italian edition of She’s Next, The Visa’s global program that supports and empowers female entrepreneurs.
In a scenario in which businesses led by women in Italy represent only 22.2% of the total national productive fabric, She’s Next encourages inclusion and promotes the development of female businesses in the country. The three winning entrepreneurs will receive goods and services for a net value of up to 10,000 eurosas well as tutoring opportunities together with Visa experts and access to specific Visa platforms for the digitalisation of SMEs.
2023 saw a slight decrease in the creation of female businesses (-0.9%), which mainly affected the agricultural, manufacturing and commerce sectors, while businesses in some typically male sectors such as those dedicated to professional, scientific and techniques, are over 2 thousand, slightly growing (20% compared to 19.7% in 2022). These are mostly small-sized businesses, with a lower survival rate than those led by men, however, as Unioncamere highlights, the propensity of female entrepreneurs to resort to more structured business models, joint-stock companies, is growing : in fact, with a +1.7% in 2023, they represent 26% of the total number of women-run businesses.
The role of technology
In this context, technology can represent an important support for the development of small and medium-sized female businesses in our country, whose management is increasingly digitally oriented.
The confirmation comes from the latest survey carried out by Visa with a focus on digital payments among Italian SMEs, according to which 68.57% of companies led by women accept card payments. The Visa study shows that, among these, 42% have accepted card payments since the business has been operational, while 58% have only started after the start-up phase. It should be underlined how, among these latter companies, this change has had a positive impact on the business: 34% recorded a growth in sales and turnover, with an increase, in almost half of the cases (47%), up to 15 %.
“We are happy to continue to support female entrepreneurship in Italy – he comments Stefano M. Stoppani, Country Manager of Visa: “In a scenario in which the increase in female employment, both employed and self-employed, can lead to an increase in the country’s GDP of up to 12% in the coming years, with She’s Next we want to highlight the contribution that women offer our economy and enable their businesses to grow and prosper thanks to digital payments, technologies, the security of our network, as well as the expertise of our project partners.”
She’s Next in Italy
In the 2023 edition, the entrepreneurs Sofia Santi, CEO of ONEBra, Francesca Matteoni, creator of the Accademia del Disegno, and Tiziana Ferraioli, founder of Libera…Mente Imparo, were awarded. Also in this second edition, three women-run businesses will be selected that have distinguished themselves in the development of innovative projects in the fields of industry, commerce, services and crafts.
Registration is open to all female entrepreneurs resident in Italy and managing partners of companies with up to 10 employees and a maximum turnover of 2 million euros that have an electronic payment system and a digital presence. Applications can be submitted from May 14 to June 28, 2024 by following the instructions published on the SheNext website. The most deserving female entrepreneurs will be rewarded during a dedicated event within the Festival “Women’s Time”.
She’s Next in the world
She’s Next is Visa’s global program to support and empower female entrepreneurs by providing women-led small businesses with funding, training, networking and mentorship opportunities. Since 2020, Visa has invested approximately $3 million globally in more than 250 grants and coaching for women SME owners as part of the company’s broader commitment to supporting businesses globally.
