WE SHAPE TECH is entering a new partnership with fAIr: female AI Rise, a premium ecosystem dedicated to empowering female leaders to translate artificial intelligence into tangible business value. This collaboration brings together two communities that share a common goal: making tech more inclusive while ensuring it creates real, sustainable impact.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve at speed, many organisations and professionals find themselves caught between technical complexity and unclear business outcomes. fAIr addresses exactly this gap. Their approach goes beyond the hype surrounding AI by combining deep technical understanding with a clear focus on business ROI and long-term sustainability. At the same time, they integrate mindful leadership principles, recognising that the way technology is implemented is just as important as the technology itself.
For WE SHAPE TECH, this partnership is a natural extension of our mission. We believe that diversity in tech is not only about representation, but also about who gets to shape how technology is built, understood, and applied. By joining forces with fAIr, we are strengthening our ability to support individuals and organisations in navigating AI in a way that is both responsible and impactful.
Our community will benefit from direct access to a highly curated ecosystem of experts and leaders who are actively working at the intersection of AI, business, and leadership. This means more opportunities to build practical AI literacy, not just at a conceptual level, but in ways that can be applied to real-world challenges and decision-making. It also opens the door to deeper conversations around how AI can be implemented sustainably, avoiding short-term thinking and instead focusing on long-term value creation.
In addition, this collaboration creates space for more advanced learning and exchange formats that go beyond introductory discussions. Community members will be able to engage with perspectives that connect technical depth with strategic thinking, helping them better position themselves in an increasingly AI-driven landscape. Just as importantly, they will be part of a network that actively supports diverse leadership in shaping the future of technology.
Ultimately, this partnership is about moving from awareness to action. Together with fAIr, WE SHAPE TECH aims to equip our community with the tools, knowledge, and networks needed to not only understand AI, but to actively use it to drive meaningful, responsible innovation.
More details on upcoming initiatives and formats will follow soon, but for a start, check out the “AI Retreat” under Events.
Meet the Founders of fAIr
Behind fAIr are two founders who bring deeply personal and professional perspectives to the intersection of AI, leadership, and inclusion. Kai Grace Zhang and Veronika “Vero” Sallenbach combine global tech experience, long-standing expertise in AI, and a strong focus on human-centred leadership.
Kai Grace Zhang
Veronika Sallenbach
To give our community a clearer sense of what drives fAIr, what gaps they are addressing, and how their approach translates into real impact, we asked them a few questions about their journey, their vision, and what participants can expect from the experience.
Could you briefly introduce yourself and share what drives your interest in AI?
Kai:
As a global citizen who has led first-of-its-kind innovation projects across China, the USA, and Europe in a variety of domains and industries, I’ve seen how technology can either build bridges or create barriers.
My path to AI was shaped by my time immersed in Ivy League engineering circles, a specialization at ETH with a focus on coding and technical fundamentals of machine learning and AI, and a close, hands-on network of Tech Giant veterans and software engineers with whom I regularly discussed the true potential of these tools.
I believe adopting AI is one of the most practical ways to close the diversity gap. Women hold multi-faceted roles in life; they deserve powerful, intuitive tools that don’t just help them “juggle” their responsibilities, but give them the strategic breathing room to lead and thrive in a globalized world.
Vero:
I am a leadership coach and visionary, but my relationship with technology goes back much further than my professional career. You could say AI is in my DNA; my father was working on AI projects with IBM as early as the 60s. I’ve been a tech enthusiast since I was a kid and have been working professionally with AI for over 10 years now.
Today, I don’t just use AI for business; it’s my secret weapon for managing the mental load of my family life. My goal is to ensure that as we adopt these powerful tools, we don’t lose our inner clarity. I want to help women use AI to reclaim their time and lead from a state of abundance, not overwhelm.
What inspired you to create fAIr – female AI Rise? Was there a specific gap or need you wanted to address, especially when it comes to promoting diversity and inclusiveness in AI?
Kai:
The inspiration comes from a combination of personal experience and the current reality. Over 15 years and having been involved in nearly a hundred tech-driven projects, I have consistently seen women remain in the minority. AI’s arrival threatens to widen that gap even further. This gap isn’t just about access, but a growing disparity in technical confidence, leadership in building AI, and the influence over how it is actually integrated into our businesses. From my side, fAIr brings forward the equality we strive for, where women should not be bystanders in this revolution. We don’t just “use” AI; we need to be the architects of our own systems. We want to give women the motivation and mastery to ensure they aren’t just displaced by technology, but are the ones steering it.
Vero:
My inspiration came from being ‘the only one.’ During my time at the UBS Innovation Lab, I was frequently the only woman in the room. I saw firsthand that women face significantly higher barriers to entry in tech, often due to a lack of female role models. I wanted to share my own story to show that tech is a tool for empowerment, not a barrier. We created the fAIr Retreat to address the “Stress Gap” and the “Role Model Gap” simultaneously, offering a “Safe & Social” environment where high-tech meets high-touch, designed specifically to help women overcome those internal and external hurdles.
Who is the fAIr Retreat and Programme designed for?
Kai & Vero:
We designed fAIr for the high-achieving “multitasker” – the corporate professional, fractional leader, or entrepreneur who is successful but constantly battling an endless to-do list. It is for women who are ready to move past the curiosity phase and start reclaiming 10+ hours of their week through practical, hands-on AI applications. Whether you are leading a large corporate team or scaling your own venture, fAIr is for the woman who wants to stop “hustling” and start leading her life and business with a clear vision, backed by a supportive network of like-minded peers who believe that technology should serve our lives, not drain them.
What can participants expect from the experience, and what makes the fAIr Initiative unique?
Kai & Vero:
What truly sets us apart is our dual-track approach: AI Mastery + Mindful Mastery. Participants don’t just leave with a list of tools; they leave with an “Agentic Workflow” – essentially an automated team that handles the heavy lifting while they focus on high-level strategy and life. But technical advancement is only half the story. We integrate breathwork and mindset shifts throughout the day to ensure they learn from a place of tranquility and empowerment, not anxiety. Our participants will bring home an elevated sense of motivation and confidence, as well as awareness for maintaining mental balance.
From the Kick-Off Event on 30 April towards the end of the 6-week programme that follows, you can expect an immersive experience where technology transforms from a burden into a strategic partner, allowing you to step into a future of independence and confidence.
Thank you Kai and Vero.
WE SHAPE TECH is excited to join forces with fAIr and bring this collaboration to life for our community. Together, we look forward to creating meaningful opportunities to build practical AI skills, strengthen confident leadership, and connect with a network that is actively shaping responsible, inclusive innovation. This is just the beginning, and we are excited for what lies ahead.
