Q&A: ATX Women in Web3 founder Megan Murray
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Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Courtesy of Megan Murray.
Artificial intelligence may be the new, shiny object of South by Southwest, but there's still plenty of buzz around the Web3 movement.
Catch up quick: Web3 is an attempt by developers and investors to build the third generation of the internet, this time on a foundation of cryptocurrency and blockchain tech, Axios' Scott Rosenberg writes.
- Cryptocurrency enthusiasts and their venture-capitalist backers — all mostly men — have raised tens of billions of dollars to build it.
By the numbers: A recent report from BCG X, the tech build and design unit of Boston Consulting Group, found that only 13% of Web3 founding teams include a woman and only 3% of companies have a team that is exclusively female.
Why it matters: Building new technology and an online world without diverse founders risks replicating the same biases that exist in the physical world, according to BCG.
We caught up with Megan Murray, a co-founder of ATX Women in Web3, in the midst of SXSW to chat about addressing the gender gap in Web3.
- The Q&A has been lightly edited.
Q: What was the motivation behind creating ATX Women in Web3?
A: Many other women feel more comfortable when they know that there's other women around. … We just thought if we can be the collaborative space that brings people together, that that would be a good place to start.
Q: To what do you attribute the gender divide among Web3 founders?
A: With any new technology, we see this. We see a huge influx of men. We really need to focus on onboarding women in the early stages of new technology, otherwise it's just not going to happen.
Q: Have you felt that Austin's tech industry is a welcoming space for you and other women in technology?
A: Absolutely. I think innovation and technology are a cornerstone of Austin as a city. … Ownership and independence (in web3) really play nicely into the spirit of Texas. When you add in that overlap, it really creates a perfect place to be launching and building.
What's next: Expect to see ATX Women in Web3 during the Consensus conference in Austin later this year.
- Women and non-binary Web3 enthusiasts can be invited to future Women in Web3 events by filling out the group's contact form.