Why are women founders important?

In 1992 one of the largest tech consulting firm, my first employer, wouldn't hire women. There was no debate or discussion. It was unstated internal policy.

11 years later they finally moved on in what was called the great leap forward.

Between 2003-09, working mothers working part time helped us build risk technology that till this day has no match.

A million lines of code. A product that survived 18 years in business.

Four women wrote the heart of that engine. Three of them part timers.

Made possible because my wife, my partner in crime, my first investor went through the same challenges.

Our part timer program with flexi hours started with our first employee.

She was the only one who wanted to work with us. We were the only ones who wanted to work with her.

2003. Just 18 years ago. We are not talking about the dark ages.

Till 2003, in the city of Karachi, in the technology industry the only options for working mothers with flexi hours could be counted on fingers of a single hand.

We were a women owned business. Half of our employees were women.

And yet we had two incidences that we viewed as harassment at our workplace.

They were addressed immediately with severe reprimand but you could see the abusers not understanding why what they had done was wrong.

Abuse and harassment takes many form. For a woman to take a step forward and complain she must feel safe from repercussions.

You could do that in a firm that is owned by women and understands the damage abuse does to soul, self image, morale, culture, spirit and productivity.

But that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Women employees were more creative, more focused, more productive and more committed to quality products.

You need diversity in thought to create greatness.

The men in our teams hated it when I pointed it out, but they knew it was true.

The reason why I have so much respect for @jehan_ara is how much she has achieved and the space she has created for women despite these challenges.

Case in point. Startup weekend for women. By women, for women, organized, delivered and judged by women.

But we need to do more.

We need more women role models like @jehan_ara.

It is not enough if you are woman in tech. You need to stand together, have a voice, a face, a space. You need to be heard. Not a token presence or tribute but a real commitment.

Most men don't get that. They don't see the need.

Women bring a much needed perspective to the technology world.

They bring balance to the force. Without them the product and businesses I have built, wouldn't exist.

Even @GuyKawasaki says, when you need feedback on your products, your ideas, your business plans, ask women.

I know we think things are better.

We are not in 1992. My old employer now hires women.

The tech sector boats a 26% women participation rate but the honest truth is harsh. And blunt.

No they are not. We are still very much in the dark ages.

Just ask your women employees.

My niece generated electricity from viruses for one of her course projects in her undergraduate year at one of the worlds' leading engineering programs.

Much of the work she does is classified. I will have to kill you if I tell you what she does.

She is not coming back home.

Most men don't get it. Even from the educated lot. I see this within my students every single day.

Women founders and leaders need more exposure and opportunity.

The only way to make that happen is to make it easy for women founders and leaders to come forward and grow.

We need more doors to knock on. We need more safe spaces to work.

We need more acknowledgement, more credit for work our women colleague do. We need more women in the tech space.

And unfortunately, given historical track record it can only be done by committed women led teams.

To women founders I know. Who stand together by, with and for each other.

Thank you for who you are. For what you do.

@jehan_ara @fawzia71 @afiasalam @sophasnain @sanasaleem @FariehaAziz @NadiaGangjee @sameenshahid @rabiagarib @kalsoom82 @MizNaQ @sophiaahmed @samanghanikhan

The above is not an exhaustive list. I am sure I have missed many many more.

These are just the ones I know and have worked with. The ones who have stood by each other.

Feel free to tag women founders you know and would like to appreciate.

Say a word about their work.

And if you won the chromosome lottery and want to help:

Support women founders, hire more women employees, open doors, refer introduce, connect.

Buy from women owned businesses.