- ASKA
Breaking new ground for women in tech
Updated: Jun 3, 2019
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.

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!