Julia Stephan Last updated on: 6. May 2026
For years, the conversation around women in tech has focused on gender balance. How many women work in the industry? How many hold leadership roles? How large is the gap?
Those questions matter. But we have long moved beyond just looking for answers to those.
Technology shapes how we communicate, build businesses, and information, document history, deliver healthcare, fight crime, and publish news . As technology is a fixed part of our everyday lives and its prevalence is still growing, the responsibility of those building technology has never been greater.
Who designs systems, defines workflows, and builds digital infrastructure directly influences how technology serves society.
Therefore, the more interesting conversation today is not about how many women work in tech. It is about what they are building, about their impact as innovators, decision-makers, and creators.
Understanding how technology is used in the real world Building meaningful technology happens when it fits naturally into the work people do every day.
At Fotoware, customer-facing teams spend a lot of time understanding how organizations manage content in practice. Newsrooms, healthcare providers, public sector institutions, and global businesses depend on digital asset management to handle critical workflows. When systems work well, they simplify complex processes and allow teams to focus on their core work.
For Nina Metzger, Customer Success Lead at Fotoware, the impact of this technology becomes especially clear in day-to-day conversations. Seeing how deeply Fotoware's Digital Asset Management platform is embedded in customers' workflows is a constant reminder that this is not just software, but an essential part of how many organizations operate.
Helping customers manage business-critical image workflows more smoothly, securely, and efficiently is what makes the work meaningful.
Listening as a driver of innovation Supporting those organizations requires more than technical knowledge. It involves listening carefully to how customers work, identifying friction points, and finding ways to make processes seamless and more reliable. Everyday conversations with users often reveal the insights that lead to practical improvements in the platform.
- We're often the closest link between the platform and real-world use. Every project is an opportunity to improve something - usability, clarity, performance, or relationships. I help customers build a DAM that becomes a central piece of their ecosystem, connecting teams, tools, and processes. Listening carefully is one of the most powerful tools in tech.
Alexandra Borgeaud
Professional Services Manager at Fotoware
Sometimes the changes are small: improving documentation, simplifying an interface, or refining a workflow. Over time, these adjustments add up and help create a platform that feels intuitive and reliable for the people who depend on it.
Building stronger technology through diverse perspectives
- Building great technology today means asking better questions. Who are we building for? What problems are we solving? How will this decision scale? Diverse perspectives sharpen those questions - and improve the answers.
Janniche Moe
Chief Product & Technology Officer at Fotoware
When teams approach questions from different perspectives, they are more likely to uncover blind spots and explore better solutions. Engineers, designers, product managers, and specialists across the company all contribute insights that help shape the platform.
This collaborative approach ensures that technology continues to evolve alongside the people and organizations that rely on it.
Connecting strategy with real customer needs Growth in technology companies is often measured in numbers, but sustainable growth depends on understanding people.
The commercial team at Fotoware focuses on how technology fits into different industries and markets. Organizations use digital asset management in many different ways, and recognizing those differences helps ensure that solutions remain relevant and useful. Successful strategy comes from understanding those needs deeply and building technology that supports them.
For Radmila Stoltz, Chief Commercial Officer at Fotoware, the pace of technological change creates significant opportunities, but only when growth is guided by real customer needs.
Her focus is on ensuring the company expands in ways that genuinely serve the organizations using its platform, rather than simply chasing revenue targets. Understanding how different industries operate, and how their needs vary across markets, helps shape strategies that go beyond numbers and instead support long-term value for customers.
Leadership with equality at the core For Fotoware CEO Anne Gretland, diversity and belonging are essential parts of building a strong technology company, not just as a metric but as a core leadership principle.
Organizations make better decisions when different perspectives are present and when people feel confident contributing their ideas.
Creating that kind of environment requires intentional leadership and a culture where open discussion is encouraged.
Read more: Inclusive leadership in practice - 6 principles at Fotoware
- Diversity is a competitive advantage. When people feel safe to challenge ideas and contribute fully, innovation becomes stronger, decisions become better, and technology becomes more responsible.
Anne Gretland
Chief Executive Officer at Fotoware
Under Anne's leadership, Fotoware has grown from around 20 employees to more than 80 while maintaining a strong focus on fairness in hiring and career development. The company has implemented hiring practices designed to reduce unconscious bias and ensure qualified candidates are evaluated based on their skills and
