The Committed Innovator: Women Continue to Change the World
Sometimes heroes go unnoticed. They work hard, focus on their goals, and don’t expect recognition or reverence because they are simply deeply passionate about pursuing their dreams and challenging the status quo. There are many women to celebrate in the world right now who are facing the hardest challenges of all: securing a safe place to spend the night; finding food, water, and shelter for their children and elders; or getting access to basic hygiene and medical care. McKinsey research shows women have felt the greatest impact from the global pandemic. Many, including displaced refugees, still face even tougher times.
We started profiling women innovators in early 2021 on International Women’s Day to celebrate and recognize unsung pioneers, because every list we could find of leading innovators was largely dominated by men. Our objective was not to create a ranking system but to document a set of profiles, similar to the Getty Images Lean In Collection, that could inspire us with examples. The original article generated a groundswell of excitement and support from our McKinsey colleagues, friends, clients, and other readers, who were inspired to send us more examples for future lists. This edition of Top Women Innovators, largely sourced from those responses, is dedicated to the heroic women currently facing extreme conditions. In the spirit of perseverance, we’re highlighting corporate, academic, and entrepreneurial women from different parts of the globe who are creating breakthroughs across the world’s most challenging topics. These women leaders are pioneering new frontiers and building legacies in agriculture, banking, beauty, education, fashion, healthcare, and high tech.
We started profiling women innovators in early 2021 on International Women’s Day to celebrate and recognize unsung pioneers, because every list we could find of leading innovators was largely dominated by men. Our objective was not to create a ranking system but to document a set of profiles, similar to the Getty Images Lean In Collection, that could inspire us with examples. The original article generated a groundswell of excitement and support from our McKinsey colleagues, friends, clients, and other readers, who were inspired to send us more examples for future lists. This edition of Top Women Innovators, largely sourced from those responses, is dedicated to the heroic women currently facing extreme conditions. In the spirit of perseverance, we’re highlighting corporate, academic, and entrepreneurial women from different parts of the globe who are creating breakthroughs across the world’s most challenging topics. These women leaders are pioneering new frontiers and building legacies in agriculture, banking, beauty, education, fashion, healthcare, and high tech.