As time moves forward, so do the stories of our role models. In our ongoing quest to understand the evolving landscapes of inspiration and achievement, we revisit the luminaries who have graced our platform before. These are not just interviews; they are conversations that bridge past aspirations with present realities, and the enduring legacies of those who continue to shape our world.
Previously on WE SHAPE TECH 😊… Welcome to our series of interviews where we catch up with the inspiring role models we have had the privilege of speaking with in the past. We are thrilled to reconnect and dive into the journeys of these remarkable individuals, exploring the paths they have traveled since our last conversation. Join us as we eagerly explore the latest chapters in their lives, seeking insights, inspirations, lessons learned, and their view on the state of diversity along the way.
Read the original Role Model interview
with Nicole Kleger
It has been a while, since our last interview in Februaray 2024. What has happened since?
A lot has happend since! A highlight was the raise of our first funding round of 2.6M USD in September 2024. Together with the support of non-dilutive funding, and specifically the Migros Pionierfonds, this budget was crucial  for Sallea to reach technical milestones. With our amazing, growing team, we managed to develop fully edible scaffolds, build a cell culture lab and develop the first mini-prototype of our cultivation solution.
On the challenging side, it was challenging to align with the changing needs of the ecosystem, while maintaining the focus on specific technological challenges.
How has your perspective on diversity and inclusion in tech-related academic domains evolved since our last conversation?
It hasn’t really changed, I would say. I still think that it is absolutely crucial to have diversity in the ecosystem, to map as many ideas and mindsets as possible.
On the gender side, I do see more and more initiatives (like We Shape Tech, Female Innovation Forum, Female Founders etc.) supporting women to get inspired by technology. These definitely help to decrease the hurdles to get in contact with tech, but also to connect with peers and potentially role models.
How has your perspective on diversity and inclusion in tech-related academic domains evolved since our last conversation?
There seems to be an increasing awareness that diversity is crucial, from the trainees all the way to leadership. Especially in the tech industry, people are well aware that there needs to be more women on all levels. On the other side, there is still a lot to do: especially when kids and career need to be combined, and flexibility is needed, women (and men) still often struggle to find the support needed.
What challenges have you encountered in promoting diversity and inclusion within the tech sector, and how have you addressed them?
We are trying our best to build a diverse team to fuel new innovations and ideas. We were lucky to have found both outstanding women and men to join our team. Maybe it is because of our female co-founding team that we are aware of potential biases that are held against women in a standard interview / job application process.
In what ways have you seen diversity and inclusion positively impact innovation and productivity in the tech field?
As mentioned further above, I do strongly believe in interfaces to create new ideas – and this can, for example, be a collaboration in a diverse team. Specific situations are tricky to pinpoint, as it is hard to differentiate between an opinion coming just from personality, and what is actually connected to a specific background. A standard one that I observe regularly is how people deal with challenging situations.
Tell us a bit about where you stand today.
From a team perspective, we built an amazing team of 8 FTE, and are currently looking for a food scientist. We are working on challenges across the value chain, starting from 3D printing of ceramic-like materials all the way to cell culture and manufacturing of a hardware component. As a startup, it remains a constant challenge to move fast, cover all relevant topics without loosing focus on the most important points. During the past years, I had the opportunity to learn a lot on all sorts of topics, including leadership, company building, financial planning, networking, but also on very technical aspects like cell biology.
What are your ambitions and wishes for your career moving forward?
Staying curious, and keep learning to bring the best innovations to mankind.
Diversity and its challenges are manyfold. What do you feel is one topic that needs to be tackled as a priority?
Here in Switzerland, gender equality has improved a lot over the years. However, we are far behind when it comes to combining a career with having children. The system is not built to support dual careers when children come into the equation, which ultimately often results in a drastic roadblock in at least one of the two parents’ careers.
How do you envision the future of diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, and what role do you hope to play in shaping it?
I hope to contribute by helping make hidden biases visible. Many biases don’t stem from bad intentions, but from a lack of awareness of how certain structures or assumptions can disadvantage minorities. By surfacing these blind spots and fostering open, constructive dialogue, I want to help build an environment where everyone is equally empowered to contribute, innovate, and thrive.
You shared your advice for other women in tech in our last interview. What advice would you give today, looking back at your experience and what has happened since?
First, build your network. Don’t see it as a distraction or a waste of time, but as an opportunity to learn from others, gain new perspectives, and open doors you may not even know exist yet.
Second, don’t be afraid to ask for help. In our education as scientists and engineers, we’re often trained to solve problems independently. But the truly exciting breakthroughs happen when we collaborate: when we invite others to share their expertise, challenge our thinking, and co-create solutions.
And finally, believe in yourself. Limiting beliefs can be powerful roadblocks, especially for women who are still too often told, explicitly or implicitly, that they’re less capable in fields like math or engineering. Try to recognize those thoughts when they arise, and consciously replace them with evidence of the incredible things you’ve already achieved.
