---
title: Some Women I Admire In The Local Startup Scene. Go Big!
date: 2009-07-24T16:53:23Z
modified: 2009-07-24T16:53:23Z
permalink: "https://redmonk.com/jgovernor/some-women-i-admire-in-the-local-startup-scene-go-big/"
type: post
status: publish
excerpt: ""
wpid: 2135
categories:
  - Uncategorized
timestamp: 2009-07-24T16:53:23Z
tags:
  - Uncategorized
---

I got a question from a client at HP today:

> “Would appreciate your insight into bleeding edge of web-based businesses out there just now, and how many of them have women in key roles. Do you have a view on the half dozen or so most impressive women out there doing smart things with technology? Its for a speech at the EU.”

Ah the perennial question… I see [Tim](http://radar.oreilly.com/tim/) is taking some heat about representation of women in tech this week, and [handling it with class](http://act.ly/bh).

So – what did I sent to HP?

**Zuzanna Pasierbinska-Wilson**

Huddle is emerging as one of the most interesting collaboration platforms around. It’s a UK startup. It just won a [Europas award](http://blog.huddle.net/simply-the-best-huddle-net-wins-the-europas-award). [@huddlesuz](http://twitter.com/huddlesuz) runs marketing. She is doing an awesome job, again making particularly good use of twitter. Huddle is a good example of the new confidence coursing through the London tech scene.

Great bio: “Zuzanna Pasierbinska-Wilson is responsible for marketing. Her life goal is that every man, woman and child falls asleep with Huddle on their lips.”

**Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino**

Just don’t call her Alexandra. A major force building the Internet of Things, recently profiled in Wired UK, Alex is the CEO of a company called tinker.it, the commercial arm of the arduino open-source electronics prototyping platform. Its the kind of thing that allows [plants to tweet when they are thirsty](http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/02/how_to_make_plants_talk_t.html). Alex is very talented, and arduino is quite literally popping up all over the place.

The next one is courtesy of my office mate [James Stewart](http://jystewart.net/process/)

**Rachel Andrew**

Rachel is a great example of someone just doing “the agency thing” well. See [Edge of My Seat](http://www.edgeofmyseat.com/). They just launched a nice little micro-content management platform called [Perch](http://www.edgeofmyseat.com/blog/introducing-perch) designed for when a site like Drupal or WordPress is too heavywieght. A drop in, ultralight weight CMS – its selling very well. Yes that’s right – selling… licenses for £35! Old school.

**Emily Bell**

Emily is The Guardian’s online editor. You’re probably thinking.. but the Guardian isn’t a startup. True True – but its beginning to act like one, and any newspaper that wants to survive the ongoing shakeout better do just that. I am a huge Bell fan. She is doing some very important things and writes about digital policy masterfully. See my post [here](http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2009/07/02/activate-09-the-guardians-catalyst-for-uk-open-culture/).

**Amanda Rose**

One person that really shone this year is Amanda Rose, a Canadian living in London, the driving force behind [Twestival](http://twestival.com/). She is a great example of the use of new social technology – in this case twitter – for charity fund-raising. Twestival which went from one London party to a worldwide network in under six months, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity:water. Respect! The next Twestival in this September – groups in more than 200 cities are taking part. I am proud to know @amanda. She Works On Stuff That Matters.

Here is a video of Amanda [cutting the tape on a new well in Ethopia](http://www.charitywater.org/twestival/)

wondering about the title of the piece? If you ever see or hear me use [Go Big](http://gobigalways.com/) its Sam’s fault. Always.