Lisa Love, the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Tanoshi, a company that aims to bridge the digital divide, has revealed her three-point plan to close the gender gap in technology. Love, an Ivy League-educated brand and retail marketing professional with 20 years of experience, successfully pitched the Tanoshi 2-in-1 Kids Computer on the hit TV show Shark Tank in 2020, securing a $500,000 investment from “shark” Daymond John.
The Tanoshi 2-in-1 Kids Computer is a tablet with a detachable keyboard designed to provide affordable and accessible technology to children from low-income neighbourhoods. Priced at less than $200, the device aims to allow every child to develop 21st-century computer skills needed to excel in today’s school environment.
Love believes diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to closing the gender gap in technology. She explains that while people often use “equality” and “equity” interchangeably, they are different. Equality affords everyone the same opportunity, regardless of their background. At the same time, equity considers a person’s history and acknowledges that they may be starting at a relative disadvantage to others.
For Love, the key to closing the digital gender gap is to #EmbraceEquity by welcoming differences and providing a path to success based on those differences. Her three-point plan includes:
- Providing equal access to technology.
- Building a support community.
- Promoting digital literacy among women and girls.
In 2020, Love’s achievements were recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine, which named her one of the 100 Powerful Women of 2020, and Inc. Magazine, which named her one of the Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs of 2020. Her success on Shark Tank and commitment to closing the digital gender gap has made her a role model for women in technology and beyond.