Celebrating Women in AI: The 7th Annual Women in AI Awards at VB Transform
Join the event trusted by enterprise leaders for nearly two decades. VB Transform brings together the people building real enterprise AI strategy. Learn more.
As the tech world continues to evolve, one groundbreaking event stands out: VB Transform. Scheduled for June 24-25 at the iconic Fort Mason in San Francisco, this two-day symposium focuses on empowering enterprise leaders and innovators in AI. Attendees can expect an engaging exchange of insights, with expert discussions surrounding practical applications of AI technologies, from intelligent copilots to advanced agents.
Honoring Women Leaders in AI
One of the most inspiring features of VB Transform is the 7th Annual Women in AI Awards. This recognition shines a light on remarkable female leaders making significant contributions in the AI sector. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, June 25, at 4 PM PT, where winners will be celebrated during a special program on the main stage.
Award Categories
The Women in AI Awards encompass multiple categories, each emphasizing different aspects of leadership and innovation in AI. Here’s a breakdown of the categories and nominees:
1. AI Entrepreneurship
This award honors women who have successfully launched impactful AI-based companies. The nominees include:
- Elnaz Sarraf, CEO and founder at ROYBI
- Natalya Lopareva, CEO and founder at Algorized
- Ouafae Karim, engineer and co-founder at AFRICA-EO-SERVICES (AFEOS)
- Francessca Vasquez, VP of professional services and generative AI innovation center at AWS
- Val Vacante, SVP of solutions innovation at Dentsu
2. AI Mentorship
Recognizing leaders who inspire and mentor upcoming talent in AI, the nominees are:
- Sandra Brown, deputy general counsel at SoftBank Robotics America, Inc.
- Suruchi Shah, engineering manager at LinkedIn
- Parul Bhandari, global head of telco, media, and gaming partner strategy at Microsoft
- Reut Lazo, founder at Women X AI
- Nicole Carignan, SVP of security and AI strategy at Darktrace
3. AI Research
This award showcases women who significantly advance research in AI, influencing both academic and professional landscapes. Nominees in this category include:
- Lindsay Richman, CEO at Innerverse AI
- Payel Das, principal research scientist at IBM Research – TJ Watson
- Suma Kumaraswamy, senior director at First Tech Federal Credit Union
- Ann Irvine, Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Resilience
- Hannaneh Hajishirzi, senior director of NLP at AI2, and professor at the University of Washington
4. Responsibility and Ethics of AI
This award honors women whose leadership exemplifies a commitment to responsible AI practices—ensuring ethical considerations are at the forefront.
5. Rising Star
Recognizing emerging talent, this award is aimed at women in the early stages of their AI careers who display exceptional leadership qualities.
Selection Process
The nominees for the Women in AI Awards were submitted by the public, with winners being determined by a dedicated VentureBeat committee. Criteria for selection include candidates’ commitment to the AI industry, their contributions to inclusivity, and their overall impact on the community.
An Impactful Recognition
VentureBeat emphasizes the importance of investing in women in AI, as doing so not only enhances the technology but also resonates with a wider audience, ultimately driving greater ROI for companies. This substantial impact has never been more apparent, and recognizing these leaders reinforces the commitment to diversity and inclusion in technology.
With so many distinguished nominees, the Women in AI Awards at VB Transform serves not just as a platform for recognition, but as a celebration of progress and empowerment within the AI field. Through these awards, VentureBeat champions the voices of women who are shaping the future of AI.
Stay tuned for the upcoming event and join us in honoring these inspiring leaders who are driving change and innovation in AI.
Don’t miss out on daily insights into business use cases! Subscribe to VB Daily for the inside scoop on the latest in AI trends and deployments.
By integrating relevant information seamlessly, this article strives to be informative while optimizing for keywords such as "Women in AI," "VB Transform," and "AI awards." Each section is structured to enhance readability and engagement, ensuring the content resonates with a wider audience.
Inspired by: Source

