When you invest in women, I always believe the entire community thrives. Women need to be empowered and feel part of the future. Emerging technologies are creating a new future; we need to ensure women are part of that since they make up 51% of the global population.
Carine de Meyere’s vision is clear and absolute; she is a powerhouse of passion. As a global visionary humanitarian, impact investor, human rights and female empowerment activist, she harnesses technology as a catalyst for change – and utilizes her international network for global impact.
Success for Society
“I see myself as a truly global citizen – with a mission. I went to an all‑woman’s college in New York,” Carine shares. “Upon obtaining my Women’s Studies degree from Harvard University, I became a member of the Clinton Foundation and raised awareness globally for social entrepreneurship and impact investing. I was one of the first in the impact space and have been focusing on social entrepreneurship and raising capital for the greater good since 2006.”
Since 2014, she’s served as a knowledge broker for Hub Culture during World Economic Forum, UNGA and the COP conferences. In 2015, Carine was chosen as a Global Ambassador for the Netherlands for Women Entrepreneurship Day (WED).
In 2022, Carine was recognized as one of the ‘Top 50 Global Inspiring Women of 2022 to Watch.’ She is currently the President of the global women’s advocacy and fundraising platform Women of the World. She is an Investor and serves as a Senior Strategy Advisor to Future Planet Capital one of the first global university IP investment funds. She is also European Ambassador for Same Sky Designs, and is an acclaimed public speaker, rainmaker, knowledge broker, and venture partner. Another initiative she invests in, Antler, which is an early‑stage global venture fund, protects and supports diversity and inclusion, in which 30% of investments go to female entrepreneurs.
Creating Communities
“Be the change you want to see in the world by creating the future,” enthuses Carine. She’s most definitely walking the talk. At Women of the World, Carine is rolling out a global expansion program. “After five years of organizing future of technology female leadership study trips, connecting women from all over the world, and inspiring them to embrace AI and the Metaverse, we are now on the brink of global expansion. We’re also starting our own investment fund.”
Her lifelong passion for technology is inspired by how it can spark boundless opportunities, especially empowering women and girls. “I work to open up broader discussions about how global business and technology can (and should be) used to make the world sustainable, equitable, flourishing, and peaceful,” shares Carine. “For the world to move forward, we need to think about the power of creating uncommon global collaborations and sustainable partnerships. Technology plays a significant role in this process – and women and girls must lead that drive.”
“From a young age, I dreamt of becoming a ‘woman of the world’ and studying in the USA,” recalls Carine. “I worked hard to get a scholarship to do so: my studies in the USA were the ultimate inspiration for my life. It taught me to set targets, I learned how to code and felt empowered to create the future. I eventually created a platform for the type of woman I dreamt of as a young girl: curious, courageous, smart, adventurous, and independent. You are the master of your own journey – own your story!”
The positive effect emerging technology holds for the world is exponential. Carine concurs: “When technology is used as a catalyst for change, I firmly believe it will change the world for the better; digital literacy is crucial when you look at healthcare, education, safety, climate change solutions, etc.”
Inspiring the Youth
Over the past two years, she took women from all over the world on her leadership trips to GITEX Global (Dubai, UAE), LEAP Innovate (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), and numerous trips to Silicon Valley to show them the vast opportunities of web3, the Metaverse, and AI, allowing these women to discover and embrace these new realms of digital transformation for their own careers.
Harnessing emerging technology for the youth can create incredible communities – from online to IRL. In 2005, Carine returned to the Netherlands after two years at Harvard University with a dream to create and launch the first interactive children’s museum in the Netherlands, “K!M (Kids !n Motion). KIM was a mind‑blowing venture for which I had written a business plan during my years studying at Harvard Business School,” she says. “I basically created the interactive, technology‑driven, and designed children’s museum with interactive exhibitions focused on talent development. It was supposed to be the coolest place for children to go to in Amsterdam.” This concept was an innovative learning institute for children, where the youth would be challenged to discover hidden talents and stimulate their own imagination because our slogan was – not the sky but your fantasy is the limit.
She explains: “Unfortunately, the financial crisis of 2008 and the fact that many museums in Amsterdam opened up simultaneously prevented us from the final launch on October 3, 2010. The ideology of K!M and its IP was sold to major museums in the Netherlands, such as the Rijks Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Maritime Museum, and the Mauritshuis. Either way, K!M came to life. It is all about raising consciousness and awareness!”
Creating the Future
“Women will make up for 50 percent of the jobs in the technology sector in five to ten years.” Carine believes. “The world needs more women with a global mindset who are flexible and resilient. I can serve those women with my platform, Women of the World. What needs to be done to enable this future vision to become reality? With AI, web3, and the Metaverse taking a firmer stand in our world, humanity needs to come together as a species and connect on an energy level, which is where our platform Women of the World comes in. Be the change you want to see in the world by creating the future!”
