It’s no secret that the Robotics and Automation fields have largely been male-dominated. But innovators like Megi Kavtaradze are shattering the bionic ceiling (pun not intended).
Megi, a Georgian woman, knew she wanted to get into robotics early on in her life. She says: “I was pushed to different fields by my parents when I was a kid because tech was very masculine-oriented. But, I still managed to turn my passion towards robotics into a reality, and now, I vehemently support every woman in this endeavor.”
On what Megi enjoys the most about working in the robotics space…
Talking about why Megi entered the robotics field in the first place, she says there are numerous reasons that propelled her to enter this relatively marginalized space for women.
One, Megi feels that robotics is the technology of the future. With the robotics technology market positioned to touch $189 billion by 2027, we can hardly argue this premise.
Two, the field demands enriching disciplinary knowledge, making it a natural choice for tech-lovers like her.
Three, there’s limitless scope for flexing the creative muscle and developing innovative solutions at scale.
Four, the field empowers women to be pioneers in the highly-specialized robotics industry.
Five, the robotics and automation field can alleviate major problems in society by automating tasks, making the work that she does truly meaningful and value-driven.
And finally, it empowers life-long learners like Megi herself to be able to learn about some of the most valuable and timeliness skills of all time (think: data science, user-driven engineering, and so on).
The Challenges of Being a Woman in the Robotics Industry
As alluring as the robotics and automation field may seem, it is not one without challenges, particularly for women. Megi explains: “The robotics field might as well as be renamed the ‘masculine’ field, with a mere 29% of the Science and Engineering workforce being women. Needless to say, defining your role as a woman becomes an uphill task in this field. Then, of course, you have leadership issues. In other words, it is difficult to be taken seriously as a leader within this inherently male-dominated field. Women still have a long way to go, but the foundation is there because I believe that women are intrinsically wired to be better at a career in robotics.”
Top 4 Tips for Women Who Wish to Get Into the Tech Industry
Dishing out her pearls of wisdom, Megi summarizes the top 4 things to keep in mind before entering this field in any capacity:
- Don’t be intimidated: Some women may feel reluctant to enter technological careers because they are afraid they don’t have enough technical knowledge. Her advice: “Don’t overthink and just go for it!”
- Don’t fear rejection: Failure or rejection is all part of the game. Remember that you will face hundreds of rejections/failures until you succeed. Don’t abandon your will; just keep at it. You will get there.
- Start small, expect less, and dream big: This is key if you wish to avoid frustration or fatigue. If you want to win big, expect less, start small, and dream big. Make your mantra, and you’re golden.
- Concentrate on the process, not on the winning: Instead of worrying about winning, focus on the journey—or else, you risk losing your peace of mind.
Megi Kavtaradze is the CEO and founder of Destiny Robotics. She is an experienced technology executive and serial entrepreneur responsible for managing large-scale projects and leading diverse teams. She has successfully led the building of platforms with hundreds of clients and thousands of users. A perfectionist, Megi strives for high-impact results and ardently believes in getting things done.