Tanya Sharma expressed her views on women in the pharma industry in this detailed article by Bioprocess International. Read more below as she shares the current landscape for women entrepreneurs and the shift needed in the pharma and biotech industry.
Women make up a significant percentage of the people who have established careers in the biopharmaceutical industry. However, the industry still needs to work toward creating equal representation in C-suite positions and helping women entrepreneurs start their companies. We also need to increase women’s overall representation among leading companies, with women sitting on boards of directors and making important decisions. We need to have more conversations about promoting women into leadership and positions of power.
It is hard to believe that the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remains significant even in 2023, with women comprising only 28% of the STEM workforce. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that under 10% of 250 start-ups by MIT faculty were established by women, who make up 22% of the faculty. If men and women started companies at the same rate, then an estimated 40 more biotechnology companies would exist today. A separate study found that only 11% of start-ups spun out from Stanford University were started by women, who make up 25% of the faculty. I want to help build a movement that supports women in their efforts to broaden their opportunities and celebrate themselves along the way.