Who Innovates Matters

The more diverse and inclusive teams are, the more innovative they are likely to be.  
 
This is old news, but the world is still failing to tap the innovative energy of billions.  
In the 2019 Forbes list of America’s 100 Most Innovative Leaders, there was just one solitary female and only 10 people of colour, not one of them black.  
The Forbes list, like many examples, reflects a broader truth: that we are doing nowhere near enough to work with, learn from and reap the rewards that spring from a more diverse and inclusive world of innovators.  
But inclusivity is about much more than just better results. For many marginalised groups, excluding them can literally mean life or death.
From AI training sets that lead to black lives facing more risk on the roads, to adding to discrimination and inequalities in healthcare, education and policing, failing to reflect diverse populations only adds to the challenges that innovation for humanity should aim to solve.  
 
So, what can we do about it? Based on years of experience in global development and innovation with UNICEF, Tanya’s talk should help chart the way.