Making technology work for all
Imagine a world where young girls step confidently into the roles of tomorrow’s technology creators. Where every child, no matter what their background, gender or their passions can be involved in the creation of the technologies that are shaping our world.
Using creativity, collaboration, and curiosity six girls took on a challenge at IBM - to build a robot that would enable Kat, a paralysed photographer, to return to work, and to continue capturing the world through her lens.
Under the guidance of IBM volunteers they worked together to solve this problem to demonstrate technology’s power as a force for good.
This is more than just a nice story, it’s an urgent appeal and we need your help to support it.
Why this matters
Changing perceptions about who belongs in technology careers and who gets to build the future is important for us all.
"Everybody should design technology because everybody uses technology" - Alexis, 10
By encouraging the creativity and innovation that lies within us all, the future is more likely to work for all.
Women remain an untapped source in solving the UK’s critical tech skills gap and building the human capital needed to drive growth and productivity. The skills that current and future technology careers demand - creativity, curiosity, communication, and problem-solving - are equally distributed throughout society.
The world needs girls and women to be equal in shaping it. Let's create our world together.
Get behind this campaign - we need your help!
Share the girls and Kat’s story on socials to inspire girls and young women to shape the world we live in through technology.
Find the main video here:
Donate to our charity to help us open up doors of young people, especially girls and people from disadvantaged backgrounds to the opportunities that a career in technology can bring for them, their families, the UK and wider world.
Encourage the young people in your life to explore technology careers through our resources and see themselves as the future leaders and innovators of tomorrow.
What the girls did at IBM
The big moment: The girls are "hired"
Each girl applied for a job at IBM, pitching their own ideas for how robots could help people with disabilities. After presenting to IBM they were hired as honorary ‘IBM Tech Innovators’ for the day.
Find out if they were hired…
Meet Kat: The heart of the mission
The girls met Kat, who shared her dream of continuing her work as a photographer despite her physical challenges after an accident that left her paralysed. With notebooks in hand, the girls asked lots of questions, and were excited about creating a way that would help Kat.
Building the robot
Under the guidance of IBM’s volunteers, the girls worked together to modify Spot, a state-of-the-art robot, integrating a camera and assistive controls to allow Kat, to return to work, and to continue capturing the world through her lens.
The creators behind the campaign
The initial idea came from Sane Seven - an international portrait photographer - and her creative partner Marius: in their work, they use creative storytelling to open up conversations about inclusion and equality.
Sane Seven
Sane Seven is a distinguished international portrait photographer, celebrated for her evocative work that shapes perceptions of women in society and the corporate world. Her photography has won multiple international awards and has been featured in esteemed publications like Time, The Sunday Times, and Harper’s Bazaar. As the driving force behind Sane Seven Studio, she collaborates with creative strategist Dr. Marius Janciauskas to develop groundbreaking projects that challenge perceptions and drive cultural change. The studio is currently working on the Female Presidents and Prime Ministers series - photographing Angela Merkel, Julia Gillard, and other world leaders - an ambitious endeavour that cements Sane Seven’s role as a leader in championing gender equality on a global scale.
.png)
Kat Panagaki
Photographer and Ambassador for Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research, Kat Panagaki, is proving that disability doesn’t define potential. After a life-changing accident, she adapted her creative process using voice-activated tech and mouth sticks. Now, she’s taking it further— leading the way in finding a solution to control a robot to shoot professional photography remotely. She was the core focus of our campaign, helping make her dreams a reality. Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research is a charity seeking to promote quality of life in people with spinal cord injury (SCI) through research. Their vision is to enable people with spinal cord injury to have life after paralysis without the setbacks of debilitating health complications.
.png)
IBM - collaborating for change
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise with a long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. We believe that by leveraging technology to focus on the challenges and complexities facing today’s world, we can make a transformative impact on business and society. IBM Volunteers leverage the collective power of people and resources to ensure meaningful impact worldwide. IBMers donate their time and talents to academia, grassroots initiatives, and organisations helping to build our communities. Read about IBM’s Impact here.
Meet the girls
Thank you to the IBMers: relatable industry role models
.png)
A special thanks to the behind the scenes IBMers
Simon Carter - Technical Director, Jonah Luckett - Security Technical Lead, Gwilym Newton - Senior Inventor & Research Scientist, Bryony Arnold - Full Stack Engineer, Stephen Porton - Senior Account Technical Lead.
Support our mission
Technology, when designed inclusively, can empower everyone. Let’s make sure the future is shaped by all of us.
Please help us share these messages, donate to support our mission and encourage the young people in your life to explore tech careers.
Thank you Tech Talent Charter for your support and donation towards this project!
Inspiring the next generation of women innovators
#TechSheCan #ChangeTheRatio #Robot
