- Sirius Labs offers curated AI and tech training programs and mentorship to females across MENA
- Addresses lack of female representation in tech - only 19% of global tech workforce are women
Dubai, U.A.E: Melda Akin, an award-winning computer scientist and the founder of D14.AI – the true AI company solving businesses’ complicated optimization challenges – launches Sirius Labs, an AI-driven training app that aims to improve women’s tech skills and set them up for promising career paths.
Inspired by her own journey as a female forging a successful career in computer science and the challenges faced, Melda is launching Sirius Labs to break down barriers for women in tech and to support improved career pathways for future female talent.
Through the launch of Sirius Labs, Melda’s mission is to use the power of tech to teach tech, while addressing the lack of female representation in tech roles. In 2022, the number of women in big tech fell by 2.1% and only 19% of the global technology sector workforce are women.
The Sirius Labs platform evaluates each student when first enrolled onto the program and uses AI to dynamically create a personalized learning pathway tailored to their individual needs. The students are mentored in technology and taught key skills to land tech-based jobs through workshops, bootcamps and women-empowerment events with top technology companies.
In the next six months, Sirius Labs aims to train 100 MENA and Turkey-based women to land their dream tech job and sign 20 hiring contracts for technology roles.
Melda Akin, CEO and Founder of Sirius Labs, said:
“I believe in the power of tech to solve the world’s biggest challenges. Sirius Labs brings curated, personalized learning paths to enable women the best chance possible to succeed in the technology sector. Through our AI engine, we continuously track, learn, and improve content recommendations for our students to create the most efficient learning journey.
“With the number of women pursuing STEM subjects in higher education on the decline and only 18% of women achieving new computer science degrees, it is important that we collaborate with key players within the space and provide support and mentoring to females who want to pursue a career in technology. I look forward to demonstrating the transformative potential of Sirius Labs, and AI-driven training, for women in tech and helping them secure their dream jobs.”
The Sirius Labs program will cover a variety of technology-focused subjects including product management, project management, IOS development, Android development, introduction to AI, data science and software development. It also offers advice on important soft skills needed to succeed in the technology sector, as well as interview preparation, negotiation and communication skills, conflict resolution, public speaking and storytelling.
The initiative will collaborate with leading technology companies across MENA. Sirius Labs will help them source and retain the best talent whilst also empowering the future female tech workforce through managing Bootcamp sessions and sponsorship opportunities. Sirius Labs is open to partnering with companies from across different industries looking to recruit tech talent or carry out tech training for their employees.
Sirius Labs' founder Melda Akin is ranked one of the Top 20 Women in Tech MENA 2022 and 2021, and Top 10 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands 2021 by Forbes. Melda was also selected as ‘Women Entrepreneur of the Year’ in 2022 at the Middle East Womens Leader Summit and is a mentor in the United Nations and NAMA Women Empowerment organization. Melda was the first woman in the world to organize and conduct AI and machine learning training for women in the region – in collaboration with the Cyber Defence and Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of the Kingdom of the Saudi Arabia.
Melda is also the Founder and CEO of D14.Ai - an AI-startup delivering optimization-as-a-service solutions to businesses globally. D14 helps companies grow via efficiency-enhancing AI solutions that remove the complexity of automation, scheduling and team management. Its proprietary core AI technology, backed by cutting edge academic research, solve exponentially hard optimization problems, capable of evaluating millions of combinations in minutes, up to 3,000x faster than competing solutions.
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Further information
Johanna Lawson-Dick
j.lawsondick@thoburns.com
About Melda Akin
Melda Akin is the CEO and the founder of D14.AI and Sirius Labs. D14.AI is a startup delivering optimization-as-a-service solutions to businesses globally. The platform helps companies grow via efficiency-enhancing AI solutions that remove the complexity of automation, scheduling and team management in an easy, secure and affordable way.
Before launching D14.AI into Dubai’s burgeoning tech start-up scene, Akin set up her first company to serve digital transformation consultancy to help companies grow revenue through digital solutions. Previously, she took a role as a software developer, system analyst, lecturer in computer and software engineering departments, project manager and was promoted as a youngest director and management team member at international tech companies to lead operational growth and manage the software development center. Melda Akin graduated from BSc Computer Engineering, and MSc in Intelligent Engineering Systems.
Akin was selected among 200 candidates as one of the best eight female-founded start-ups in the Middle East and Africa region. Awarded by Standard Chartered Bank, selected as one of the best seven women in tech entrepreneur in Turkey by Microsoft. Named as one of the top 100 Women Founders in Turkey according to their turnover. She collaborated with the Cyber Defense and Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of the Kingdom of the Saudi Arabia about AI and machine learning training as the first woman in the world to organize and conduct this training for women in the region. She was selected as ‘New Entrepreneur of the year 2020’ by Gulf Capital. Selected to Top 10 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands 2021 list by Forbes Middle East. D14 was recognized as a finalist both on ‘Gulf Capital Business of the Year’ and ‘Business Innovation of the Year’, 2021. Melda Akin serves as a mentor in United Nations & Nama Women Empowerment organization. Recently selected to Top 20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands 2022 list by Forbes Middle East.
