Sky calls for outstanding women in STEM to pursue €30,000 bursary

28 Mar 2019

From left: Current Sky Women in Tech scholars Hannah Blair, Oishi Deb and Kike Oniwinde. Image: Sky

Current Sky scholars have already achieved global recognition.

Broadcaster and telecoms player Sky is calling for women excelling in science and technology to join the second cycle of its Women in Tech Scholars programme.

This is part of Sky’s Bigger Picture programme, investing in the next generation of talent across media, sports and technology.

‘Our hope is that the scholarships will make a real difference to the careers of these women’
– ELAINE BUCKNOR

This year, five outstanding women with a passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and a drive to make a difference will be selected as Sky Scholars.

In addition to winning a £25,000 (€30,000) bursary, the Women in Tech Scholars will be paired with an expert mentor in their chosen field. Over the course of the one-year scheme, their mentor will be on hand to provide technical support as well as access to a network of business contacts to develop and nurture the talented entrepreneurs.

Formula to succeed

In the last 12 months, Sky’s female entrepreneurs have gone on to work with companies such as Rolls-Royce and Airbnb, and one scholar, Kike Oniwinde, has even been recognised in the 2019 Forbes 30 under 30 for founding the Black Young Professionals Networking app.

“This scholarship from Sky has contributed to my development as an entrepreneur,” Oniwinde said. “Having that access to expert support has been beneficial and I’m incredibly grateful I’m part of a community here, with people who are invested in helping me succeed.

Applications are now open until 8 April 2019 to women in the UK and Ireland of any age and across any field of technology, including software development, broadcast engineering, AI and machine learning, robotics, and digital.

“Our hope is that the scholarships will make a real difference to the careers of these women; it will give them a chance to explore new avenues and build new skills and create successful businesses with the support of Sky,” said Elaine Bucknor, director of group technology strategy at Sky.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com