Breaking new ground for women in tech

Maki Kaplinsky, CEO and Cofounder of NFT, shares her experience of being a featured speaker at the “Breaking New Ground” event, hosted by GSVlabs, a premium global innovation hub based in San Mateo, CA for startups, corporations, and individuals seeking innovation and accelerated growth. The event coincided with International Women’s Day 2019.

Maki Kaplinsky, CEO (center) with Hanmei Wu, CEO and Cofounder | Empowerly (right) Jennifer Ernst, CEO and Cofounder at Tivic Health (far right)

I participated in a panel discussion, “Building a Billion Dollar Company in a Male-Dominated Landscape”, along with dynamic women founders Jennifer Ernst, CEO and Cofounder at Tivic Health, and Hanmei Wu, CEO and Cofounder at Empowerly. I described my current startup (my third), NFT Inc., and my mission to develop a drive and fly #eVTOL that bridges automotive and aviation: capable of driving on the road like a car and taking off vertically for #autonomous flight. Being a pioneer in Urban Air Mobility (#UAM) and developing a flying car has been my dream for a long time. I see huge potential in the 3rd dimension (untapped airspace above cities) to resolve traffic congestion in and out of mega-cities, enabling people to live outside city limits, enjoying a good quality of life and more affordable housing. Interacting with the audience and other panelists gave me so much encouragement and positive energy!