This article highlights 14 women and women-led projects that are playing a significant role in shaping the future of Web3. From decentralized finance to blockchain gaming, these women are leading the charge in developing innovative solutions that will pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable digital future. Through their vision, passion, and hard work, these female innovators are making a substantial impact on the blockchain and cryptocurrency industries, and their contributions are essential in building a better tomorrow for all. Read on to discover the inspiring stories of these female trailblazers and the exciting projects they are working on in the world of Web3.
Web3: Women in the Forefront
The emergence of Web3 has raised eyebrows and initiated conversations regarding its exclusivity to the wealthier crypto enthusiasts, predominantly male. The perception that it is an arena for men has led to the airbrushing of women’s contributions to the industry. Women have been pushing the boundaries to ensure they make an impact in this emerging field. In light of Women’s History Month, we are highlighting women artists, builders, and projects working onboarding and advocating for women’s rights in Web3.
Elise Swopes
Elise Swopes is a digital artist and influencer who has been active in the NFT space since 2020. She is a vocal advocate for women and people of color to get involved in Web3. In addition to educating her followers on social media, she founded Sunrise Art Club, a community and agency dedicated to onboarding women of color. Swopes is also a co-founder of Night On The Yard, an NFT marketplace dedicated to helping onboard incarcerated artists to sell their work as NFTs.
UnicornDAO
UnicornDAO is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) founded by feminist performance artist Nadya Tolokonnikova (Pussy Riot). The organization aims to redistribute wealth and visibility to create equality for women-identified and LGBTQ+ people. The group has collaborated with Sotheby’s to present My Body, My Business, an auction celebrating women artists and championing reproductive healthcare. The collection comprises physical and digital artworks by traditional and crypto-native artists, including Marina Abramović, Jenny Holzer, and Cindy Sherman.
Li Jin
Li Jin is a founding BFF member and the co-founder of Variant Fund, a first-check venture firm investing in Web3 and the ownership economy. She is a champion of the creator economy and has shared her insights in Harvard Business Review and through her Substack newsletter. Variant Fund focuses on investing in software owned and operated by its users, guided by the conviction that the future of consumer software is tied to crypto and decentralized financial systems.
Hug
Hug is an inclusive destination for Web3 artists and collectors. The platform was founded by BFF founding members Randi Zuckerberg and Debbie Soon. It provides aspiring creators with tools, educational programming, social curation, community, and education to connect with a broader audience. Hug’s mission is to build a more diverse and inclusive Web3 ecosystem.
Emileevee
Emileevee is the Head of Marketing at ZenAcademy, which is making tremendous strides to onboard people into Web3. She is an experienced digital marketer, brand builder, and community manager, who is doing wonders educating people on all things Web3. She also co-hosts ZenDaily, the Twitter space that took over from Ryan Carson’s popular Daily Dose.
G.D. Anderson
G.D. Anderson founded Honey Badges, a cheeky NFT collection named after the honey badger. The collection generates royalties to be stored and managed by the Honey Badges DAO with the aim of providing grants to individuals and organizations fighting for improvements in human rights. The artwork for the collection was designed by Aslan Ruby, a creative design studio run by husband and wife team Sarana Haeata and Tom Lee.
Mika Tajima
Mika Tajima is a multidisciplinary artist who has recently entered the world of Web3. Born in Los Angeles, she is now based in New York City. Her first NFT artwork, Bathybius Haeckelii, was featured in Proof’s Grails III collection. Tajima also recently launched her first solo NFT project with Pace Gallery’s Web3 arm Pace Verso, a work that will be the first standalone NFT sale for the Kevin Rose-led entity. Tajima joined Pace’s program in 2022, and her upcoming project, Archive of Feelings, is based on her existing Human Synth series of large-scale installations that use a custom sentiment analysis algorithm to process text-based social media data and forecast collective emotions.
Maggie Mae
Maggie Mae is an OG member of the World of Women community and winner of WoW’s Creative Storytelling Award. She has capitalized on the intellectual property of her WoW NFT (#8738) to create alluring stories and beautiful illustrations that merge with the world of 10KTF.
Swickie
Swickie is a photographer, visual artist, and co-founder of Space Dust, a collective that curates IRL NFT experiences. She was an early pioneer of individual IP usage of NFTs with Kiki, Bored Ape 5273. Swickie is also the co-founder of Otherblock, an initiative to reimagine how people think about Web3 events.
Rhi Madeline
Rhi Madeline is a traditional oil painter turned 3D generalist on a mission to make the world a better place. She lives in Ontario, Canada, and holds an honors degree in Fine Art from Queen’s University and a post-graduate certificate in 3D Animation and Character Design from Fanshawe College. Her work is inspired by light, the beauty of nature, and the spiritual interconnection of all beings. Her work has been selected to show in Paris Hilton’s curated NFT exhibition, “Empowered Women, Empower Women.”
Maliha Abidi
Maliha Abidi is a Pakistani-American multidisciplinary artist and author living between London and Los Angeles. A founding member of BFF, she is also the founder of Women Rise, a Web3 initiative and 10,000-piece NFT collection that focuses on women’s rights and girls’ education, using art as a tool for advocacy.
Maggie Love
Maggie Love is the Founder of SheFi, a platform that has onboarded over 1,000 women and non-binary people from more than 50 countries into the decentralized finance (DeFi) space. The platform provides over 60 hours of accessible Web3 and crypto educational resources as well as community support and networking opportunities for women interested in learning about Web3 and crypto.
Alice Delahunt
Alice Delahunt, founder of the digital fashion platform Syky, is the former Chief Digital and Content Officer at Ralph Lauren and Digital Director at Burberry. She recently raised $9.5M for Syky to bridge the gap between traditional fashion brands and Web3. Delahunt is a proven fashion industry veteran poised to be one of the first to put digital fashion design on the map in a big way.
Chelsea Chung
Chelsea Chung has an 11-year corporate marketing career in consumer packaged goods, medical devices, and consulting. She decided to pursue entrepreneurship as a spiritual life and business coach in 2020. While doing so, she unexpectedly found herself captivated by the decentralized movement and its alignment with what Chung considers her life’s purpose: to be an example of individual sovereignty within collective unity. Chung has since pivoted her business towards Web3.
In conclusion, women are significant contributors to the Web3 industry, and their achievements should not go unnoticed. It is imperative to acknowledge the work of women in Web3 and support them as they navigate a historically exclusive industry. As the Web3 industry continues to thrive, we look forward to seeing more women making strides and breaking new grounds.