Earlier this year, four representatives from Cyprus joined over 500 delegates at the Women in Tech Global Summit 2025 in Osaka. This historic gathering marked the launch of the Osaka Protocol, a global pledge to empower 100 million women and girls by 2030.
Among them was Gala Grigoreva, Organizer of TEDxMolos Women, CMO of Adsterra, and Community Leader of Women in Tech Cyprus. Alongside Tanya Romanyukha, Nelli Shmeis, and Viola Edward, she helped place Cyprus firmly on the map in the global conversation around gender, leadership, and innovation in tech.
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In this interview, Gala reflects on the highlights of the summit, what the Osaka Protocol means for Cyprus, and how the experience is having an effect on the next chapter of Women in Tech Cyprus.
Before we get into the summit itself, how were you selected to represent Cyprus in Osaka, and what did that responsibility mean to you?
Tanya Romanyukha, General Manager of TechIsland and Chapter Director of Women in Tech Cyprus, and I were invited to join the Women in Tech® Global Summit 2025 in Osaka. Two years ago, we founded and began building what is now an official chapter of the global movement — Women in Tech Cyprus.
Our delegation also included Nelli Shmeis, Engineering Team Lead at Pepperstone, and Viola Edward, CEO and Co-Founder of GRIT Academy, who not only participated but also led a workshop as part of the official summit program. The summit was open to participants worldwide, with an open call and special discounts offered to encourage broader access.
Representing Cyprus at such a meaningful global event was both an honor and a powerful responsibility. It was a truly inspiring experience that reinforced our mission: to empower women through education, leadership, networking, and mentorship.
Looking back at the Global Summit in Osaka, what moments stood out most for you, both personally and in your role representing Cyprus?
One of the most powerful moments was the signing of the Osaka Protocol — a landmark global commitment to empower 100 million women and girls globally by 2030 through targeted efforts in education, digital access, workforce participation, and leadership. For us as the Cypriot delegation, being part of this historic milestone underscored Cyprus’s growing role in advancing gender equity within the tech sector.
What is the Osaka Protocol, who can sign it, and what does the commitment mean?
It’s a global initiative open to governmental bodies, businesses, NGOs, and academic institutions that are committed to real, measurable actions. Progress is tracked annually through a shared dashboard to ensure transparency and collective accountability.
For us at Women in Tech Cyprus, it aligns with everything we’re already doing — mentorship, role modelling, educational and networking events, and community building. It also helps us invite more partners to join forces and scale our local impact.
You can read the full text and sign the Protocol at the official website.
The summit brought together delegates from over 60 countries. How did being part of such a global gathering affect your approach to potential challenges and opportunities for women in tech?
Engaging with a diverse group of leaders from government, business, and civil society offered valuable insights into both the shared challenges and creative solutions around gender equity in tech. What stood out most was how similar the core issues are — from the lack of women in leadership and limited access to technology for girls and women, to the constant struggle of balancing work and childcare, unequal pay, and barriers to career progression and funding.
Hearing these patterns echoed across so many countries, albeit at different scales, was a powerful affirmation that Women in Tech Cyprus are moving in the right direction. It reinforced that our current priorities — mentorship, visibility, education, and community-building — are exactly what’s needed. And while the solutions may vary by context, the goal is the same: creating real, lasting change for women in tech.
Were there any discussions or connections during the summit that you believe will lead to tangible collaborations or projects in Cyprus?
Not really, but we’ve established promising connections with the Women in Tech chapters in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which were represented with strong delegations. We also met several interesting speakers from various countries we may invite to events in the future. We’re now exploring collaborations focused on speaker exchange and joint events that will allow us to share expertise.
Since returning from Japan, how has the experience shaped your focus or priorities for the next stage of your work with Women in Tech Cyprus?
The summit in Osaka was a powerful reminder of why we do this work — and how much more we can do. One of the biggest takeaways was the importance of mentorship. That’s why, shortly after coming back, we began promoting our recently-launched free mentorship program for Cyprus. It’s all about connection — matching women in tech with experienced mentors through a simple Telegram bot and a web platform. Easy and accessible for everyone via mentorship.womenintech-cyprus.org.
We were also inspired to begin thinking about developing a school outreach program, where women from the local tech scene visit schools to share their stories. The goal is simple but powerful: help young people, especially girls, see that a future in STEM is absolutely possible for them. This program is at the stage of development, and we plan to implement it soon and attract as many corporations and schools as possible. We’re incredibly grateful for the support of the Gender Equality Commissioner of Cyprus.
Many countries are rolling back DEI efforts. How is your team thinking about this change, and what protocols are you bringing forward to stay effective in the current climate?
Yes, the global conversation around DEI is shifting — but that’s exactly why it’s important to stay grounded and focused. Politics change quickly. We see this clearly in the U.S., where every new cycle seems to swing the pendulum in a different direction. What’s being questioned now might be celebrated again in a year or two.
Some companies have quietly scaled back their DEI efforts or just stopped talking about them altogether. Others — like Apple and Delta Air Lines — have stayed the course, recognizing that inclusive cultures are built by people, for people, and aren’t something to be abandoned when public sentiment changes.
For us at Women in Tech Cyprus, DEI is not a buzzword or a political slogan — it’s about building better, more human workplaces. Unfortunately, it has become a topic that’s too often politicized, exaggerated, or used for the wrong reasons. And when that happens, people tend to swing to extremes and lose sight of what actually matters.
That’s why we’re committed to staying measured, reasonable, and impact-driven. We focus on what truly works, avoid the noise, and keep building a culture that reflects the people it serves, not the latest headline.
In your respective leadership roles, how has this global exposure informed your thinking around the three “i’s”: inclusion, innovation, and impact?
The summit really highlighted how deeply connected inclusion, innovation, and impact are. Hearing global success stories and strategies reaffirmed that inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s a key driver of innovation and long-term success.
This global exposure has also inspired new ways to embed inclusive practices into our work, not as an add-on, but as a foundation for meaningful change. It also strengthened our focus on finding long-term sponsors and volunteers, as well as synchronizing with other women in STEM networks and movements (Women Techmakers Cyprus, Girls in STEAM Academy, ACMs Women in Computing, Women4Cyber Foundation Cyprus, Cyprus Computer Society – CCS-Women, BPW Cyprus, and Young BPW Cyprus), allowing us to amplify our local impact through shared goals and collective action.
The Osaka Protocol sets ambitious goals for empowering women by 2030. What concrete steps do you believe are essential to achieving this vision in Cyprus?
Achieving the goals of the Osaka Protocol in Cyprus requires expanding educational programs, improving digital access, increasing workforce participation, and promoting leadership among women in tech. Women in Tech Cyprus’s ongoing initiatives, including mentorship, role model programs, educational and networking events, as well as the Women in STEM Forum held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, are key components of this strategy.
Were there any challenges discussed at the summit that reflect the current realities faced by women in Cyprus’s tech sector?
Absolutely — the challenges discussed at the summit, such as gender bias, leadership gaps, and the struggle to retain women in tech, deeply reflect what we see in Cyprus as well. These are not distant issues; they’re part of the lived experience for many women in our local tech community.
The challenges highlighted at the summit—such as gender bias, leadership gaps, while women constitute 44% of the science and engineering workforce in Cyprus, they are underrepresented in ICT roles, holding only 19.4% of these positions as of 2023. These gaps aren’t just statistics — they point to systemic barriers that need sustained attention, from unconscious bias to lack of flexible career support.
And finally, what would you say to the next generation of women in tech — in Cyprus or anywhere — who are just starting in today’s fast-changing environment?
Life is a vibrant journey filled with opportunities to learn, evolve, and shine. Seek out communities that uplift and inspire you, and remember that every challenge is a stepping stone to greater strength and wisdom. Celebrate each step forward, no matter how small, and let your resilience be the spark that lights your path to personal and professional fulfilment.
