Web3, the next generation of the internet, is an exciting new space creating opportunities for entrepreneurs across various industries. While the field is still somewhat male-dominated, several influential women entrepreneurs are significantly impacting the Web3 space.
Here are fifteen influential women entrepreneurs in Web3 to celebrate this International Women’s Day — along with their contributions and achievements.
Nicole Muniz
Nicole Muniz is an entrepreneur and CEO of Yuga Labs, the creator of the popular Bored Ape Yacht Club nonfungible token (NFT) collection. She has a background in advertising and marketing, having worked as a producer at J. Walter Thompson and managed accounts at B-Reel, including Google.
Muniz is known for her creative marketing and brand strategy expertise, which has helped Yuga Labs grow and become a leading player in the NFT space. Her work in Web3 has been influential in shaping the future of blockchain-based digital art and collectibles.
Elizabeth Stark
Elizabeth Stark is the co-founder and CEO of Lightning Labs, a company developing a protocol for fast and scalable Bitcoin transactions. She is also an advocate for blockchain technology and has been featured in several publications, including The New York Times and Forbes. She has presented at venues including TEDx and the MIT Media Lab.
Stark has also been involved in the development of various other blockchain-related projects. Before her work in the blockchain sector, Stark taught computer science at Yale, Harvard and Stanford universities.
Caitlin Long
Caitlin Long is a prominent entrepreneur, lawyer and blockchain advocate known for her work in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries. She is the founder and CEO of Custodia Bank, a Wyoming-based digital asset bank that aims to provide banking services to the cryptocurrency industry.
Before this, Long served as the chairman and president of Symbiont, the smart contract platform specializing in smart securities. She has also held various positions on Wall Street, including managing director at Morgan Stanley and head of corporate strategy at Credit Suisse.
Cathie Wood
Cathie Wood is an American entrepreneur and founder of ARK Invest, a global asset management firm specializing in disruptive technology companies, including those involved in blockchain and cryptocurrency. Wood is known for her bold investment strategies and forward-thinking approach to disruptive technologies.
Wood won CEO of the Year at the 2021 Markets Choice Awards and frequently comments on financial and technology issues.
Cathy Hackl
Cathy Hackl is the founder and chief metaverse officer at Journey, an innovation and design consultancy. A popular futurist, speaker and proponent of augmented reality (AR), Cathy Hackl is also a recognized expert in branding and marketing techniques for virtual and augmented reality. Hackl frequently contributes to Forbes and has been named one of the top 10 tech voices on LinkedIn.
She has worked with several well-known businesses, such as AT&T, Magic Leap and Vive. Hackl also co-authored Marketing New Realities: An Introduction to Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Marketing, Branding & Communications.
He Yi
He Yi is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. She was instrumental in the early growth of Binance, contributing to the exchange’s brand development and user growth. She also became the head of Binance Labs in 2022. Yi previously held the position of director of marketing at another cryptocurrency exchange, OKCoin.
She has received recognition for her work in the blockchain sector, and in 2019 she was included in Forbes’ list of Asia’s 30 Under 30. He Yi founded Binance Charity, a nonprofit group that uses blockchain technology to support charity causes worldwide, in addition to her work at Binance.
Brittany Kaiser
Brittany Kaiser is a former Cambridge Analytica employee turned whistleblower, and a prominent figure in data privacy and political campaigning. She rose to fame while working for Cambridge Analytica, the political consulting firm at the center of controversial data gathering during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Kaiser became an advocate for data privacy and openness in political campaigning after leaving Cambridge Analytica.
She has spoken at various conferences and events worldwide, giving testimony on the Cambridge Analytica controversy before the U.K. Parliament. Kaiser founded the Digital Asset Trade Association, a nonprofit group dedicated to improving data rights and promoting the ethical use of data in the digital age. She is also the co-founder of the Own Your Data Foundation — which advocates for citizens reclaiming their data — and the author of the book Targeted: My Inside Story of Cambridge Analytica and How Trump Won.
Jaime Leverton
Jaime Leverton is a Canadian business executive who has held leadership roles in various technology companies, including as CEO of Hut 8 Mining and chief operating officer of hyper-scale data center company eStruxture. Leverton founded Hut 8 in 2017. The company offers high-performance computing, digital asset mining and miner repair services.
She has over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications and technology industries, with expertise in strategic planning, business development and operational management.
Lisa Loud
Lisa Loud is a highly accomplished entrepreneur and fintech strategist with a proven track record of success in major blockchain and tech companies such as BitMEX, ShapeShift, Apple and PayPal. As the co-founder and CEO of Fluidefi, Loud’s extensive experience in technology has fueled her passion for the future of money.
Her analytical perspective, strategic leadership and ability to anticipate industry trends have earned her a place on the Rising Women in Crypto Power List for 2022 — and many more accolades.
Eugenia Kuyda
Eugenia Kuyda is a Russian-born entrepreneur and computer scientist based in the United States. She is best known as the co-founder and CEO of Replika, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot app designed to simulate human conversation. Since 2020, Replika’s usage has increased by 35%, reaching over 10 million users worldwide in 2022.
Before founding Replika, Kuyda co-founded Luka, a messaging app that used AI to recommend local restaurants and cafes. Her first software, Bribr, which let users covertly track bribery attempts, was built shortly after she worked as a journalist for one of the leading daily newspapers in Russia.
Jinglan Wang
Jinglan Wang is the co-founder and CEO of PlasmaPay, a decentralized financial platform that allows users to buy, sell and store cryptocurrencies. As CEO of PlasmaPay, Wang is focused on driving the company’s growth and expanding its reach in the global payments market. Since 2013, she has been active in the cryptocurrency sector, with numerous organizations like the Blockchain Association of Ukraine recognizing her services to the sector.
Jutta Steiner
Jutta Steiner is a computer scientist and entrepreneur best known for her work in the blockchain industry. She is the co-founder and CEO of Parity Technologies, a blockchain infrastructure company focused on developing software solutions for the Ethereum blockchain. Steiner held several positions at the cybersecurity company McAfee before beginning her career in the blockchain sector. She was also a researcher at the University of Edinburgh.
She has also participated in several open-source software initiatives, and is a fervent supporter of decentralized technologies and their potential to revolutionize many industries. Steiner has delivered keynote addresses at several conferences and gatherings worldwide, and is regarded as a leader in the blockchain sector.
Linda Xie
Linda Xie is the co-founder and managing director of Scalar Capital, a cryptocurrency investment firm. She is also a co-founder of CryptoSight, a platform that lets cryptocurrency investors track and analyze their portfolios. Xie is a well-known name in the cryptocurrency sector, appearing in several publications, including Forbes and Fortune.
Swan Sit
Swan Sit is a marketing and branding expert who has worked with various companies in the technology and startup space. Swan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Harvard and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University. Swan has served as the head of digital marketing at Nike, Revlon and Estée Lauder, where she oversaw teams dedicated to digital transformation.
Sit has also been referred to as “the Queen of Clubhouse” by Forbes. She gained this title because she successfully leveraged the audio-based social media app, Clubhouse to build her personal brand and connect with other professionals in the technology and startup space.
Jaime Schmidt
Jaime Schmidt is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Schmidt’s Naturals, a personal care brand known for its natural and innovative products. Schmidt is also the co-founder of Color Capital, an investment fund specializing in Web3 and consumer goods. In 2022, she founded BFF, a decentralized organization facilitating a growing community of women and non-binary individuals seeking equitable access to knowledge, opportunity and financial rewards in the evolving Web3 landscape.
Within a short span of a month, the community has garnered an impressive 14,000 members. Schmidt is a regular contributor to Fast Company and Entrepreneur, and has also been recognized as one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs (Goldman Sachs, 2017, 2018), and the PNW Entrepreneur of the Year (Ernst & Young, 2017) — among others.
