Get to know Gillian Tee and the super achievers behind Women in Tech 2016 Event with Speaker Spotlight Series
Gillian Tee is one of the 15 high-profile speakers presenting at Women in Tech 2016. She is a Singaporean born software engineer and a successful Silicon Valley / New York based start-up founder. Gillian is the co-founder and CTO of SaaS start-up Rocketrip; raising over 17 million USD from Y Combinator, CrunchFund, Bessemer Venture Partners and others.
Gillian is now preparing to launch her new company – LinkAsia (previously CodeUpstart) – backed by the renowned 500 Startups. LinkAsia is preparing to launch in Singapore by the end of this year. Gillian has done two of the world’s top accelerator programmes; Y Combinator and 500 Startups, and she is certified by IDEO in Human-Centered design.
What is your case for having more women in business?
Simply put, having more women in business is good for business. In the United States alone, there are five jobs available for every developer looking for one. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates there will be more than 1.4 million computing related job openings in the US between 2010-2020. As the tech ecosystem expands globally, this skills gap applies across different markets worldwide.
Having more women in the space is one aspect of the solution to fill the talent and skills gap. There’re also many studies that have shown how team diversity produces better business outcomes. Having more of the other 50% of the population in the mix will definitely lead to improved diversity and naturally better outcomes.
Would you say that the movement needs to be different from its progress in the US? Should our approach be different across Southeast Asia?
I believe the needle is moving but the worldwide numbers are still gloomy. 7% of partners at top 100 venture firms are women, and women hold just under 12% of the partner roles at both accelerator and venture-backed firms. 12% of venture rounds and 10% of venture dollars globally between 2010 and 2015 went to startups with at least one woman founder.
Often it’s not overt sexism but unconscious bias that takes place. Hence, we need everyone, including men, to be active partners if we thought it was good for the world and business to correct this imbalance and systemic problem. I think we’re seeing more recognition, research, and discussion on this subject in the U.S. which helps with awareness and curtailing of the issue.
Also read: How hiring a diverse team will strengthen your company culture
What’s next for you in your career in tech?
I’ve started two successful businesses in U.S. and now launching a third in South East Asia closer to my hometown. We’ve been seeing early traction and have raised funds from 500 Startups. I’m also spending more time advising new founders and sharing my experience with fellow entrepreneurs. My plan in the longer term is to run an early stage venture fund focused on emerging economies.
What is one defining character trait/skillset you believe made you who you are today?
This is hard, it’s definitely a mix of things, including blessings and luck. But if I had to pick one, it would be being able to code and understand business at the same time. Otherwise, it would be not being afraid to explore the unknown.
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Special offer for e27 readers: Use the promo code SLUSH16WOMEN to enjoy 25% off from Slush Singapore tickets and access to Women in Tech.
Women in Tech debuts in Singapore as a partner event of Slush Singapore & Techventure on 21st September in Sentosa. It will showcase top leaders of VCs, MNCs, policy makers, innovators and founders in tech. The mission is to bring out female role models in tech, and to show diversity as a business case for tech industry, rather than a gender case, all in the name of making technology better.
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