The future of artificial intelligence will depend not only on the technology being developed, but also on who gets to build it, finance it and make decisions about its use. As companies and economies adapt to emerging technologies, expanding women’s access to technical leadership and deep-tech investment is becoming an increasingly important part of the conversation.
That question will take center stage at the Horasis Global Summit 2026 in Medellín, Colombia, through a session titled “Women: The Tech Leaders of Tomorrow.” The panel will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, technology professionals and business leaders to examine how women can play a greater role in shaping the next generation of technology.
Scheduled as part of the summit’s November 10–13 program, the discussion aligns with this year’s overarching theme, “Building Tomorrow.” Rather than focusing exclusively on representation, the session will explore how companies, investors and educators can improve access to resources and create more opportunities for women to move into technical leadership positions and deep-tech funding.
Bringing different perspectives to technology leadership
The panel will feature Luzcenit Acosta-Guio, founder of Arakue in Colombia; Sarah Dong, managing partner at CEO Clubs Network in China; Jamilah Mena, founder and CEO of Nemeri Ventures in the United States; Ivette Chalela Naffah, an independent board member, investor and co-founder from Mexico; and Veronica Rodriguez, a product and AI leader and community advocate in Colombia.
Their professional backgrounds bring together several dimensions of the technology ecosystem, from entrepreneurship and investment to product development and business networks.
Mena’s work at Nemeri Ventures connects directly with one of the panel’s central topics: access to capital. The organization supports women of color founders with early-stage strategy and investor-readiness, helping them prepare for funding opportunities.
Dong, through CEO Clubs Network, brings an international business perspective. The organization connects executives and entrepreneurs across regions, creating opportunities for cross-border relationships and business development.
These perspectives address different parts of the same challenge. Developing new technologies requires technical expertise, but scaling companies also depends on financing, commercial partnerships and access to networks that can connect founders with new opportunities.
From participation to decision-making
Another central question for the discussion is how to move beyond increasing women’s participation in technology and create clearer pathways into positions where they influence product development, investment and strategic decisions.
Veronica Rodriguez brings experience in digital products across fintech, cybersecurity and global platforms. Her professional background also includes community-building initiatives focused on increasing the participation of people of African descent in technology across Colombia and Latin America through training, mentoring and technical networks.
Her perspective connects technical leadership with the need to expand access to education and professional development, particularly for communities that have historically had fewer opportunities to enter the technology sector.
Ivette Chalela Naffah adds an investment and governance perspective. As an independent board member and investor, her experience brings attention to how leadership structures and funding decisions influence which technologies receive support. She is also involved with Women in Emtech, a group focused on women in emerging technologies.
Together, these backgrounds position the session to examine how existing resources, professional networks and investment opportunities can help more women progress from technical roles into leadership.
Connecting Latin America with global opportunities
The session will be chaired by Juliana Cabrejo Porras, co-founder and managing director of Latinoamerica Business Center.
Her work focuses on strengthening connections between Latin America and the Middle East. Through her center at Universidad de La Sabana, she supports Latin American companies seeking to access markets in the United Arab Emirates.
Porras also brings corporate experience from organizations including IBM, Microsoft, Samsung and Honeywell. Her international business background adds another dimension to the discussion, particularly around how access to markets, partnerships and investment can determine whether emerging companies scale.
The panel will contribute to the broader agenda of the Horasis Global Summit, which will bring together domain leaders in Medellín to discuss how societies can navigate technological change while expanding opportunities and strengthening resilience.
By focusing on women in technology leadership, the session will address a question that extends beyond representation: who will have the opportunity to shape the systems, companies and investment decisions defining the next phase of technological development?
Article originally written by Jhinuk Sen.
