At the vanguard of emerging technology, Jennifer Hotai is a phoenix who has risen from the ashes of her own adversity. In the midst of escaping a life-threatening abusive relationship in 2022, Jennifer founded Plover Animation, CauseVerse, and Grand Strand Web3 Guild, not merely as a personal survival strategy, but also as an avenue to craft a bolder, brighter future.
Her remarkable trajectory has taken her from personal tragedy to tech triumph, as she’s gone on to co-found not one but two startups – Plover Animation and CauseVerse – as well as the educational hub, Grand Strand Web3 Guild. These ventures, driven by her passion for technology and humanity, are lighting up the digital space, turning it into a platform for change, education – and most importantly – empowerment
Tech for Humanity
“We are helping nonprofits make more of an impact on humanity,” Jennifer declares, outlining the pivotal mission that underpins her work. She believes in turning Metaverse spaces into virtual platforms that elevate the reach and influence of nonprofits. “This is done by creating Metaverse spaces for them that increase the number of donations and provides an engaging way for organizations to tell their stories,” she explains.
At the heart of CauseVerse is the fundamental belief that technology can be harnessed for altruistic purposes. “I noticed that Metaverse spaces were used in the industry’s early days to get more sales for big brand companies. That led to me realizing that we should use this technology for good and helping humanity.” It was a profound ‘aha’ moment that would change the trajectory of her entrepreneurial journey, setting her on a path to becoming the beacon of hope for nonprofits.
She’s driven by a singular, unyielding mantra: “My mantra and beliefs guiding me on my journey are empowering nonprofits through immersive tech to increase positive impact on humanity.”
In Jennifer’s vision, nonprofits are not just passive beneficiaries but powerful players that can harness technology to inspire action and enact change. She’s not merely giving them a digital platform; she’s handing them the virtual megaphone to tell their stories, engage with audiences, and inspire action.
Tech provides the tool to create new and engaging ways to inspire action in people,” she states, encapsulating her philosophy. It’s not just about what technology can do today but what it has the potential to achieve in the future. And Jennifer is right there on the frontline, fearlessly leading the charge into this new tech era.
Claiming Your Destiny
The road to success is rarely a smooth, straight line. It’s often fraught with challenges, trials, and detours. For Jennifer, her journey was more than just building innovative tech startups. It was also a path to self-discovery and empowerment.
Reflecting on her journey, Jennifer shares a powerful piece of advice she would have given her younger self: “Make your own decisions and determine your own fate. Don’t let anyone claim that they own you or feel like you have to lower yourself to be at their level. You cannot change someone, so don’t waste your energy on them when you should focus on yourself.” This profound wisdom, born out of her own experiences, underscores the importance of individual agency in shaping one’s own life. It’s a rallying cry for self-assertion and resilience, a reminder to resist external pressures and to prioritize self-growth and evolution.
Transforming Futures
When asking Jennifer about significant trends in the tech industry, her response is visionary: “AI-generated virtual worlds, 2D websites will be outdated and replaced with 3D spaces/Metaverse rooms, and augmented reality devices will have mass adoption.” She anticipates a future where the Metaverse, immersive tech, and augmented reality will be commonplace, defining our interactions with the digital world. She’s more than just a passive observer of these trends; she’s at the helm, pioneering the integration of these technologies into the nonprofit sphere.
What excites her the most about this future? It’s not merely the technology itself but the positive change it can effect. “I’m excited about Metaverse/immersive tech becoming more widely adopted and used by people making positive changes for humanity,” Jennifer expresses passionately.
Transparency, ethics, and effective communication are the cornerstones of her work ethic. She values collaboration with talented individuals and envisions her legacy as one that inspires others to use technology to create a better world.
A Call to Action for Women in Tech
Jennifer’s advice for other women charting their paths in the emerging tech industry is pragmatic and encouraging: “Be adaptable, fast, and make sure others enjoy working on the same vision as you.” It’s a call for agility, speed, and vision alignment, fundamentals that have fueled her own successful journey.
She doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the challenges women face in the industry: “Women are not offered the same positions or equal pay as their male counterparts. Their voices have trouble being heard by the public.” To address these disparities, she advocates for community support through social media and solution-building that empowers women.
Reflecting on her own experiences, Jennifer acknowledges the challenges her identity as an Asian woman posed, especially in the early days of her career. “I often felt that males found it easy to talk over me and talk down to me in networking meetings,” she says.
However, she didn’t let these obstacles deter her. Instead, she built her reputation as an expert in her field, which helped her gain confidence and command respect in her professional interactions.
If given a billboard to share a message with the world, Jennifer’s proclamation is both poignant and hopeful: “Build a brighter future together with tech.” This succinct yet powerful statement encapsulates her vision of harnessing technology as a tool for collaboration and progress.
From pioneering immersive technologies to championing gender equity, her journey proves that tech is not just about coding and algorithms; it’s about human connection, empowerment, and creating a brighter future for all.
