STEM WOMEN CONGRESS launched its first edition in São Paulo to boost female talent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

• The STEM Women Congress took place on May 15 at Insper in São Paulo, gathering prominent figures from the scientific, technological, and business sectors committed to gender equality in STEM fields.
• In addition to São Paulo, the SWC has also been held in cities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Milan, and Montreal.

Insper hosted the first edition of the STEM WOMEN CONGRESS in São Paulo, an international reference event aimed at promoting and giving visibility to female talent in the fields of science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM).

The event featured an extensive program of lectures, debates, and networking opportunities with prominent leaders from the corporate, academic, and social sectors. The day began at 8:30 AM and was hosted by renowned journalist and TV presenter Millena Machado.

Ana Carolina Cardoso, President of STEM WOMEN CONGRESS Brazil, highlighted: “Bringing the STEM Women Congress to Brazil was a crucial step in encouraging more women to pursue careers in these fields. Women made up the majority of university graduates (about 60%), but were the minority in Engineering and Computer Science/ICT (34% and 17.5%, respectively). The importance of women in these areas was fundamental in promoting diversity, creativity, and innovation, in addition to addressing a market that was growing exponentially and facing a significant lack of professionals. The SWC came to Brazil to draw attention to this gap and inspire girls and women to understand that these fields are for women too; we needed them to build a future where innovation is shaped equally by all genders.”

The central focus of the event was the presentation of the STEM Women Annual Report, a global study that maps and analyzes STEM initiatives worldwide. For the first time this year, the report was conducted in Brazil, including data from 75 different programs. The report is produced annually, aiming to assess the results of these programs and track their impact in increasing the presence of women in STEM.

Eva Díaz, CEO and founder of STEM WOMEN CONGRESS, stated: “Every city where we organize the Congress strengthens the global network of initiatives working daily to reduce gender inequality in STEM. We were very proud to celebrate the first edition in São Paulo, a city with the potential to lead transformations throughout Latin America.”

Throughout the day, participants heard from experts such as André Aquino (Director of Innovation at the São Paulo State Secretariat of Science, Technology, and Innovation), Carolina Videira (Member of the Advisory Committee of the UN Global Compact Educa 2030), Tânia Cosentino (VP of Sales in Cyber Security – LATAM Board member at Microsoft LATAM), and Sonia Guimarães (Professor at the Aeronautics Institute of Technology – ITA), among many others.

THE GLOBAL GROWTH OF SWC
The STEM WOMEN CONGRESS was founded in Barcelona in 2019 and held its seventh edition in November 2024. It is already established in several cities: Madrid (May 6), Lisbon (October 8), Milan (October 15), Montreal (September 25), and Toronto (October 22).
Additionally, the event debuted this year, in addition to São Paulo, in Cartagena (May 28) and Medellín (August 1), further confirming its expansion across the American continent. Future editions are also planned in Chile, Turkey, and the Netherlands, with dates to be announced.

WITH THE SUPPORT OF COMMITTED COMPANIES
Companies that invested in SWC and were engaged with the cause, such as Elea Data Partners, Proofpoint, Deerns, Insper, and 250 Grados, as well as supporting organizations like Leader Exponential Leadership, Brasscom, and Pacto Global Rede Brasil, were also present at the event.