Dr. Anino Emuwa is carving out a future for women entrepreneurs and leaders in the Metaverse and web3 space. “It has become increasingly apparent that technology is not only shaping our lives but has the power to create solutions to societal problems and create wealth, yet female representation in the emerging technologies sector is far too low. This has spurred me on, through content creation, global speaking engagements and community building, to work towards having more women enter and progress in the industry, and to advocate for more inclusive spaces for them.”
Dr. Anino Emuwa’s avatar on her LinkedIn page exudes her warm personality. A global expert on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (D,E&I), she’s an award-winning international speaker on D,E&I, entrepreneurship and emerging technologies. Anino founded Avandis Consulting, a strategy and financial advisory services firm based in France with an office in Nigeria specifically working with women leaders, entrepreneurs and organizations. She also founded 100 Women@Davos, a community of impact-driven women leaders.
Commenting on how she became involved in the Metaverse and web3, Anino explains that through her background in corporate banking, and an interest in entrepreneurship, she noticed how small businesses lacked the funds to grow, with female entrepreneurs suffering disproportionately due to a lack of access to finance and resources. This prompted her to run a seminar series for women entrepreneurs, which was the catalyst for her work to advance female leadership in all spheres of business.
“My mission is to accelerate gender diversity in leadership, particularly in emerging technologies. We are currently building and developing our communities of women in both leadership and in web3 to improve diversity and inclusion in the space. We provide supportive peer communities for female leaders which allow them to access resources, increase their visibility through business events and leadership conferences, expand their networks whilst enriching their knowledge through our thought leadership events and masterclasses.”
“The Metaverse will provide immersive digital experiences that will allow us to interact virtually in a multitude of ways: socially, in business, for shopping, entertainment/gaming, and even in healthcare. web3 powered by blockchain will radically transform industries as diverse as banking and financial services through DeFi, to the art world, music and other creative sectors.”
Expressing that whilst web3 will be the new iteration of the internet, it’s still in its infancy with many obstacles to overcome, but there are incredible opportunities. “Now is the time to have more women involved to help build a diverse and inclusive space and to take advantage of the amazing opportunities. Whilst skills in engineering are dominating in terms of development, like any industry it requires all kinds of skills in business, creativity, social media, design, business development, legal and IP, community building and more.”
“One of the main factors driving the explosion of interest in the Metaverse was the acceleration in digital transformation and the monumental shift in work practices as a result of the pandemic. People and organizations are becoming more interested in immersive experiences, helping to reduce isolation and enhance the virtual working and collaborating experience. For now, users engaged with the Metaverse are mainly gaming and art NFTs, but DeFi will also be a major application as there is an increasing demand for financial inclusion. People want to have easier access to their money and to transact with lower fees.”
Anino believes that the Metaverse will impact our lives in many ways. “The pandemic has shown us that we don’t have to work in offices or meet in real life in order to work and innovate. I think the immersive experience is going to be a game changer.”
Commenting on the biggest barriers that exist for mass adoption to occur, she says that technology is still clunky, user experience needs to improve, and security must be beefed up to protect people against fraud and scamming. She believes educating the mass public is key.
“What I find most exciting is that we aren’t just witnessing but participating in the development of the next phase in technology, which is going to be immersive, inclusive and fun! I am excited about a new NFT project which is focused on diversity. It’s a carbon negative art NFT to be launched by the time this book is published.”
The legacy this very inspirational leader would like to create is to be successful in bringing more women to participate in the Metaverse and web3, especially as leaders and successful entrepreneurs.
DR. ANINO EMUWA’S METAVERSE & WEB3 TIPS AND RESOURCES
Website: 100womendavos.com
