Latest news with #DavinaSchonle
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Woman CEO turned away from London event after arriving with baby daughter, internet slams outdated mindset
A LinkedIn post by Davina Schonle, founder and CEO of Humanvantage AI, has gone viral after she revealed she was denied entry to London Tech Week for bringing her baby daughter along. The post has sparked widespread debate around inclusion, accessibility, and the lived experiences of working parents in the tech industry. (Also read: CEO sings Baby Shark to cheer little girl on flight, passengers chime in. Wholesome video) In her post, Schonle expressed her disappointment at being turned away from one of the UK's high-profile technology events simply because she had her infant daughter with her. 'Hi, I hate that I'm having to write this but today I was refused entry at London Tech Week… because I had my baby with me,' she wrote. 'It's a three-hour drive one way for me to come to London. At this stage I limit how many hours I am away from my baby girl. This is about new environments for her as much as it is about me. I should be able to build my company with her by my side.' Schonle highlighted her passion for innovation and the future of work, adding that she had been eager to network, attend meetings and contribute meaningfully at the event. 'In today's age shouldn't we be more inclusive? This moment was more than inconvenient. It was a clear reminder that as a tech industry, we still have work to do when it comes to inclusion beyond buzzwords.' She concluded her post with a broader message about the tech industry's responsibility to accommodate caregivers. 'Parents are part of this ecosystem. Caregivers are innovators, founders, investors, and leaders. If major events like London Tech Week can't make space for [us], what message does that send about who belongs in tech?' Schonle also questioned whether tech events should rethink their definition of inclusivity. 'I don't necessarily mean make it a kid-inclusive event in general, or do I? Doesn't our future belong to the kids?' Check out the post here: Schonle's post has attracted over a thousand comments, many from fellow professionals, founders, and parents expressing outrage and support. One user commented, 'So glad you posted this! So saddened it happened!', while another called it a 'disgusting practice.' Others echoed sentiments like 'disheartening but not surprising,' and 'how can anyone say 'No' to this smile!' (Also read: Desperate CEO's viral thread on daughter's rare brain tumour fuels crypto fundraiser) Another user remarked, 'So sorry you had to go through this,' while one asked whether organisers had provided any justification for their actions. A more reflective comment noted, 'The industry and society still have a long way to go.'
India Today
3 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
Woman CEO denied entry to London event for bringing baby daughter, post sparks outrage
A LinkedIn post shared by Davina Schonle, founder and CEO of Humanvantage AI, has gone viral after she revealed she was denied entry to London Tech Week because she brought her baby daughter incident has triggered a debate about inclusion, accessibility, and the realities of working parents in the tech industry.'Hi, I hate that I'm having to write this but today I was refused entry at London Tech Week because I had my baby with me,' Schonle said in her post, describing her three-hour journey to attend the 'At this stage I limit how many hours I am away from my baby girl. This is about new environments for her as much as it is about me,' she had planned to attend key meetings, network, and contribute to conversations shaping the future of tech. However, she was met with a barrier that reflects a bigger problem in the industry.'This moment was more than inconvenient. It was a clear reminder that as a tech industry, we still have work to do when it comes to inclusion beyond buzzwords,' she Schonle emphasised that parents and caregivers are essential contributors to the tech ecosystem - as innovators, founders, investors, and leaders. 'If major events like London Tech Week can't make space for (parents), what message does that send about who belongs in tech?'advertisementShe concluded her post with an important question: 'I don't necessarily mean make it kid inclusive event in general, or do I? Doesn't our future belong to the kids?'Take a look at the post here: Schonle's post has sparked outrage, with several calling on event organisers to re-evaluate policies that may unintentionally exclude caregivers.'Wow! How impressively regressive,' a user said. Another added, 'Sadly, this sounds typical of a largely male-dominated industry that pays corporate lip-service to inclusivity but fails to carry through those supposed values when it doesn't contribute to executive box-ticking.'See the comments here: The organisers of London Tech Week are yet to respond publicly to the incident.
NDTV
10 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
Woman CEO Turned Away From London Tech Event For Bringing Baby Daughter Sparks Outrage
Davina Schonle, founder and CEO of Humanvantage AI, a startup focused on conversational role-play training using AI, said she felt "absolutely humiliated" after being denied entry to London Tech Week because she had her 18-month-old daughter with her. Schonle shared her experience on LinkedIn, revealing she had travelled three hours to reach Olympia, where the event was held. She had hoped to meet potential suppliers for her startup. However, on arrival, event officials reportedly stopped her from entering with her daughter, Isabella, who was in a pram. Schonle expressed disappointment over the lack of accommodation for working mothers at major tech events, especially during a time when inclusivity is widely discussed in the industry. "I was refused entry at London Tech Week... because I had my baby with me. It's a 3 hour drive one way for me to come to London. At this stage I limit how many hours I am away from my baby girl. This is about new environments for her as much as it is about me. I should be able to build my company with her by my side," she wrote in her post. "As someone passionate about innovation, tech and the future of work, I was excited to attend, connect, have meetings and contribute," she added. "In today's age shouldn't we be more inclusive?" "Parents are part of this ecosystem. Caregivers are innovators, founders, investors, and leaders. If major events like London Tech Week can't make space for them, what message does that send about who belongs in tech? I don't necessarily mean make it a kid-inclusive event in general, or do I? "Doesn't our future belong to the kids?" She further wrote.
Int'l Business Times
18 hours ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
London Tech Week Under Fire After Barring Woman Tech Founder Who Had Baby in Tow
London Tech Week, a prominent event in the global technology calendar, is facing flak over an incident wherein a woman tech founder, accompanied by her baby, was reportedly denied entry, igniting a serious debate about inclusivity and accessibility within the tech industry's major gatherings. Davina Schonle, the founder of AI company Humanvantage, has urged business events to become more inclusive after being refused entry because she had her baby with her at the event. A Mother's Exclusion: The London Tech Week Incident Davina Schonle had planned to attend London Tech Week with her young daughter, who was in a pram. However, after a three-hour drive to the event, she was disheartened to be denied access due to having her daughter with her. In a LinkedIn post, Schonle explained that she limits how long she's away from her baby, believing she should be able to 'build my company with her by my side.' Her post detailing the experience quickly ignited a discussion about inclusion within the tech industry on the platform. After a three-hour drive, Davina Schonle felt 'humiliated' and 'angry' by the incident, which she shared in a viral LinkedIn post. A McKinsey report from 2023 highlighted a clear gender imbalance, revealing that women held approximately 35% of entry-level tech roles but only 14% of senior leadership positions. Meanwhile, research carried out by Prospects in 2024 showed that 29% of IT professionals in the UK identify as female or non-binary. Sparking Debate: Inclusivity in the Tech Sector 'As someone passionate about innovation, tech and the future of work, I was excited to attend, connect, have meetings, and contribute,' Schonle wrote in her LinkedIn post. 'In today's age shouldn't we be more inclusive? This moment was more than inconvenient. It was a clear reminder that as a tech industry, we still have work to do when it comes to inclusion beyond buzzwords,' she added. Schonle highlighted that parents are integral to this ecosystem, noting that caregivers are also innovators, founders, investors, and leaders. Then she posed a crucial question: "If major events like London Tech Week can't make space for us, what message does that send about who belongs in tech?' She said, 'I don't necessarily mean make it a kid-inclusive event in general, or do I? Doesn't our future belong to the kids?' Towards the end of her post, Schonle highlighted the excellent inclusivity efforts of individuals like Shaa Wasmund MBE and Vasily Alekseenko, then asked, 'shouldn't these large events be doing more?' Schonle later told The Times that the incident left her feeling 'absolutely humiliated' and 'angry.' Calls for Change: Challenging Industry Norms Davina's LinkedIn post garnered over 3,800 reactions and 1,000 comments within two days. Many commenters proposed boycotting London Tech Week unless the organisers revise their policies regarding parents attending with children. 'Say WHAT? This is a disgrace. Someone at Informa needs to address this,' one LinkedIn user wrote. Another user expressed their dismay, stating, 'Absolutely appalling. It can be easy to forget within the echo chamber of female founder networks that things like this happen - there is still SO MUCH work to do. So sorry you had to go through this, well done for calling it out with such grace.' Others expressed gratitude to Davina for championing the cause of parents within the tech industry. London Tech Week Responds to the Incident London Tech Week told The Independent: 'We're aware that one of our attendees wasn't allowed to enter with their child yesterday. As a business event, the environment hasn't been designed to incorporate the particular needs, facilities, and safeguards that under-16s require.' 'We want everyone in the tech community to feel welcome at London Tech Week. We've reached out directly to the person involved to discuss what happened and use this experience to inform how we approach this at LTW in the future.' Originally published on IBTimes UK
Metro
a day ago
- Business
- Metro
CEO turned away from London tech event because 'she had her baby with her'
A CEO has called for business events to be more inclusive after being turned away for having her baby with her. Davina Schonle, founder of AI company Humanvantage, was hoping to attend London Tech Week with her young daughter, who was in a pram. But after a three-hour drive to attend the event, she was disappointed to be refused entry because she had her daughter with her. Davina said she limits how long she is apart from her baby, and believes she should be able to 'build my company with her by my side'. Her post about the experience on LinkedIn sparked a discussion about inclusion in the tech industry. A 2023 McKinsey report showed women made up around 35% of entry-level tech roles but only 14% of senior leadership positions, demonstrating a clear gender imbalance. Meanwhile research by Prospects in 2024 found 29% of IT professionals in the UK are female or non-binary. Davina said: 'As someone passionate about innovation, tech and the future of work, I was excited to attend, connect, have meetings and contribute. 'In today's age shouldn't we be more inclusive? 'This moment was more than inconvenient. It was a clear reminder that as a tech industry, we still have work to do when it comes to inclusion beyond buzzwords. 'Parents are part of this ecosystem. Caregivers are innovators, founders, investors, and leaders. 'If major events like London Tech Week can't make space for us, what message does that send about who belongs in tech? 'I don't necessarily mean make it a kid inclusive event in general, or do I? Doesn't our future belong to the kids?' Davina's post on LinkedIn has received more than 3,800 reactions and 1,000 comments in two days. Commenters suggested boycotting London Tech Week unless they change their rules over allowing parents with children to attend. Others thanked Davina for advocating for parents in the tech industry London Tech Week told The Independent: 'We're aware that one of our attendees wasn't allowed to enter with their child yesterday. 'As a business event, the environment hasn't been designed to incorporate the particular needs, facilities and safeguards that under-16s require. 'We want everyone in the tech community to feel welcome at London Tech Week. 'We've reached out directly to the person involved to discuss what happened and use this experience to inform how we approach this at LTW in the future.' Metro has approached Davina Schonle for more information Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Nursery worker accused of hurting babies 'got fed up if she couldn't vape' MORE: This is how much more single people pay to live alone in London MORE: Bridgerton star fights off prolific phone thief as crowds watch on
