St John’s Innovation Centre is celebrating International Women’s Day 2025 by featuring three inspirational women from the Cambridge tech ecosystem – Ann Fisher, Mya Gooding-Springer and Dr Liz Zijing Li.
Ann Fisher
SJIC board member Ann Fisher is a serial entrepreneur, connector and catalyst with a passion for start up and scaling businesses and an advocate for diversity and inclusion. She is also the founder of Cambridge Tech Week. To kick off our IWD article, Ann has some exciting news to share.
Women4Technology will collaborate with St John’s Innovation Centre to relaunch in Autumn 2025. A key focus of the relaunch will be allyship, emphasising the importance of collective support in advancing gender equity in technology. McKinsey’s Diversity Matters report shows that diverse leadership teams outperform homogenous ones by 35%, while a Pipeline survey highlights that companies with gender parity at the executive level adds 25% to their bottom line.
At its core, Women4Technology is a high-level networking forum for female CEO’s, founders, CXO’s and investors in technology, providing role models and mentors for the next generation, championing inclusion and building professional relationships and friendships.
The networking forum was founded in 2008 and has grown to now include 2,500 female and male followers with a range of events including roundtable discussions to mixed panel discussions. The forum expanded to London in 2009 with support from Sharon Vosmek, Silicon Valley Woman of Influence and Managing Partner at Astia. It reached Manchester in 2014 launched by Jenny Tooth, CEO of the UK Business Angels Association and supported by Fieldhouse Associates, Mills & Reeve and UBS. Its impact was widely recognised, being featured in The Guardian, WIRED Magazine and The Huffington Post as a leading networking event in the UK. W4T hosted notable speakers from the business and sporting world, including Baroness Poppy Gustafsson, co-founder of Darktrace and currently the Minister of Investment.
Mentorship has remained central to the Founder, Ann Fisher’s work and will be incorporated in the refreshed Women4Technology. Ann is passionate about supporting the next generation, she has dedicated time to mentoring young women, including her alma mater where she was nominated as Alumni of the Year in 2024 for her work in championing early-stage careers.
‘I have been fortunate to be surrounded by the most amazing female and male mentors throughout my career. The feedback from Women4Technology members has always been incredibly positive and I have been delighted to watch companies raise funds through meeting investors at the events and forge collaborations to encourage business growth’.
Mya Gooding-Springer
Mya Gooding-Springer is CEO and Founder of Swapped, a circular fashion app created while she was studying at sixth form. Mya is a ‘Women In Innovation’ winner from 2022, and highlights her achievements since winning this prestigious accolade, and her advice to aspiring female founders.
In the years following my award, I’ve had the privilege of championing and supporting other women in the entrepreneurial world while celebrating my own milestones. One of my most fulfilling achievements has been conducting mentoring sessions for aspiring female founders at Allia Future Business Centre. Through these sessions, I helped guide one mentee, who went on to win the prestigious £50k Women in Innovation Award the following year, which was a proud moment for me.
I’ve also worked to elevate the stories of other women in the entrepreneurial community by sharing my journey at various prestigious universities, including Kings College, Cambridge Union, UAL, and Royal Holloway. In addition to my university collaborations, I had the honor of exhibiting at the UK Black Business Show, a platform that allowed me to connect with other business leaders and showcase the impact of my work.
My dedication to supporting and educating fellow entrepreneurs has also led me to sit on sustainability panels for organizations like Startups Magazine and Founders4Schools. These platforms enabled me to contribute to meaningful discussions on the future of business and the importance of sustainable practices within startups.
Along with my speaking and mentoring roles, I’ve been fortunate to have my efforts recognized. I was named Young Founder of the Year at the 2023 Precious Awards, Young Tech Entrepreneur at the 2024 Black Tech Awards, and more recently, I won Pitch of the Night at the Barclays Eagle Labs Accelerator, an honor that reflects the growth of both my business and personal journey.
A truly full-circle moment for me was exhibiting at my school’s careers fair, where I had the chance to reflect on the path I’ve traveled and share my experience with young students. It reminded me of how far I’ve come and the impact that sharing your story can have on others.
To aspiring female founders out there, I want to share this piece of advice: if I can do it, so can you. Embrace the resources available to you—look into grants, funding newsletters, and accelerator programs that can help guide you on your entrepreneurial journey. There are many avenues for support, and it’s important to explore them. Never underestimate your own potential.
I am incredibly proud of the progress I’ve made, not just as a founder, but also as a role model for other women who may one day follow in my footsteps. My journey with Swapped is a testament to the power of perseverance and vision. You can read more about my journey and the milestones I’ve achieved here: https://www.weareswapped.com/aboutus.
Dr. Liz Zijing Li
Liz is Co-founder & COO at MimiCrete Ltd. Mimicrete’s purpose is to enable smart concrete through self-healing technologies. Liz is a ‘Women In Innovation’ winner from 2023 and highlights her milestones and successes since winning the award, and her advocacy and advice for other women entering the construction industry and scaling-up.
Championing Women in Innovation & Advancing Sustainable Construction
Since receiving the Innovate UK ‘Women in Innovation’ Award, I have been committed to driving progress—not only in sustainable construction but also in supporting and uplifting other women in STEM and entrepreneurship. As a mentor at the Cambridge Judge Business School Entrepreneurship Centre, I guide future leaders in STEM, helping them navigate challenges and maximize their potential. Additionally, I’ve contributed to Founders4Schools during the Women in Innovation program, ensuring aspiring female entrepreneurs receive the support and visibility they deserve.
Beyond mentorship, I actively participate in industry discussions, particularly in the male-dominated construction sector. As a Chartered Fellow at the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), I attend their Female Fellows meetings quarterly, engaging with leaders to shape a more inclusive industry. I’ve also shared my journey as a speaker at Cambridge Judge Business School and contributed insights to major platforms, including Construction Management Magazine, Business Weekly, and the BBC. These opportunities have allowed me to elevate conversations around female entrepreneurship, innovation, and the future of construction.
Since winning the Women in Innovation Award, our company Mimicrete has made significant strides. We successfully secured a major railway project, received additional investment, and gained traction both in the UK and internationally. Our participation in the Global Innovation Programme (GIP) to Singapore has been instrumental in forging key strategic partnerships, strengthening investor confidence, and expanding our global footprint.
We are also proud to have received industry recognition, including an Innovate UK Purple Plaque Award, which highlights women making a tangible impact in innovation. Additionally, validation from the Chartered Institute of Building reinforces the importance of our work in advancing sustainable materials science.
Looking ahead, our focus is on scaling our impact globally. In the next year, we aim to:
- Further validate our technology in the marketplace
- Expand our presence in new markets globally, leveraging existing relationships
- Establish automation and manufacturing best practices with industry leaders in Germany
- Successfully close our current funding round to accelerate our next phase of growth
While the construction industry is evolving, more support is still needed for female entrepreneurs, particularly in areas like fundraising, visibility, and leadership opportunities. My advice to women entering industry is to be bold, stay focused, and leverage every opportunity—from funding programs to mentorship networks. The landscape is changing, and by stepping forward, we help pave the way for those who follow.
