Bitget, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency trading platforms, has announced the winners of the inaugural Blockchain4Her awards it recently hosted at the SheFi Summit in Singapore.
While the event saw over 1,000 participants worldwide, about 100+ nominations were received for the awards, with the exchange announcing five winners across the two categories.
These categories include the Rising Female in Blockchain Award and the Innovative Web3 Female Entrepreneur Award.
Bitget’s Inaugural Blockchain4Her Awards
According to the announcement, Bitget launched the event as part of its broader Blockchain4Her program to celebrate women in the blockchain industry.
Notably, the event addresses the gender disparity in the blockchain space, where female-led startups receive only a small fraction of total funding. With the launch of Blockchain4Her, Bitget aims to ensure that women in Web3 have the appropriate resources, opportunities, and representation needed to succeed in their roles.
Nonetheless, the event concluded successfully on September 17, thanks to the combined efforts of the team and the 12 major partners, including tier-1 media and leading community bodies like Women in Web3 Switzerland.
Following its aim to promote diversity and inclusivity in the sector, the awards are supported by a $10 million commitment from Bitget. The support loop for Blockchain4Her focuses on Elevating, Empowering, Educating, and Embracing women in blockchain.
Bitget’s CEO, Gracy Chen, made a speech emphasizing Bitget’s commitment to supporting women in blockchain, saying,
…” With the $10 Blockchain4Her initiative, Bitget is taking steps towards empowerment by providing role models, mentorship, networking, and targeted support; we’re ensuring that more women can step into leadership roles in the blockchain space.”
Bitget Awards Winners Across Two Categories
Per the announcement, five winners were chosen across two categories. These winners were decided by a panel of four judges, including the CEO of Bitget, Gracy Chen, the co-founder of Hacken, Yevheniia Broshevan, leading venture capitalist Tess Hau, and the founder of SheFi Maggie Love Wu.
Per the announcement, three winners, Alexandra Nicorici, Gesa Schneider, and Rebecca Matsumura, were awarded the ‘Rising Female in Blockchain Award’ category.
Alexandra Nicorici, the founder and host of a popular podcast, has been recognized for helping several Web3 and crypto startups grow and drive valuable partnerships over the years. She expressed her delight at the achievement, saying,
“Two years ago, if someone had told me I would receive a Rising Woman in Web3 Award, I wouldn’t have believed them. I was struggling a lot in an industry that is not only a boys’ club but not very mature yet; today, I am more proud of myself and all the amazing women in Web3 who are rising, being present, and contributing to this amazing industry.”
The second winner of the ‘Rising Female in Blockchain Award’ category, Gesa Schneider is a renowned Devcon Scholar at the Ethereum Foundation and an active advocate at The Female Factor.
Gesa Schneider expressed gratitude during the event, saying, “To be recognized as a Rising Female in Blockchain is such a great honor. It validates my work to pioneer Web3 innovations for a sustainable future.”
Lastly, the third winner is Rebecca Matsumura, an Associate Attorney at Fenwick & West renowned for pioneering a new generation of women in law who want to enter the dynamic legal space of Web3 and crypto. Bitget celebrates her transformative contribution to increasing inclusivity and openness in this niche sector through this award.
Maika Isogawa, the co-founder and CEO of Webacy, won the Innovative Web3 Female Entrepreneur award.
Furthermore, the Blockchain4Her campaign provided scholarships for educational programs like SheFi’s 8-week blockchain course, mentorship opportunities, and participation in major industry events.
As a part of the campaign, Bitget has revealed plans to establish an alumni group where female entrepreneurs and leaders can exchange ideas and build networks to grow their careers.
Following the success of the campaign at SheFi, Bitget is planning to host various Blockchain4Her events in different regions.