May Yang is the co-founder of thegurucool.ai, a professional development tool that coaches teachers for AI-readiness in the classroom. Specialized in chemical and biomolecular
Here, she shares how she prioritizes human connections in a male-dominated, AI-heavy space, embracing the changes and opportunities that come along the way.
Shiwon Oh: How have your experiences been as a woman in tech? What trends and challenges surprised you most, especially as a co-founder?
May Yang: The experience really varies. If you join as a junior, there’s a lot of exposure and opportunity, which is great, because you accelerate your career quickly. But the higher you go, the thinner your resources. In my case, someone I used to report to became my peer, and in the end, reported to me. The dynamic was challenging.
I noticed that a lot of the struggle came from fellow women, which was initially surprising. Why are we doing this to ourselves? Why are we complaining we don’t receive support, but refuse to support each other? When I got my senior role I understood.
We all endure difficult journeys to get to where we are, so we have a high barrier for everyone else. We’re not here just for the diversity quota—we’re fighting our male and female counterparts, and it gets lonely.
SO: How do you leverage your expertise and knowledge when speaking in important decision-making rooms where you might be one of the only women present?
MY: First, establish your credentials. You might assume that, in these rooms, people may have already checked your LinkedIn and already know who you are. You choose not to talk about yourself. As women in tech, we tend to talk more about the product than ourselves. But in the startup world, we’re a part of the product. We have the empathy to understand our client’s pain points, and to know what they need to hear.
For instance, if they’re more numbers-driven, I’ll establish that we need to provide more substantial data. In the process of understanding who we’re talking to and what they seek, our allies and sponsors can hopefully help support some of our arguments as well.
SO: How can current women leaders take initiative to learn today’s tech and strengthen their presence, even in spaces where they’re underrepresented?
MY: Start small, but make your efforts routine; everything compounds. Enjoy Youtube videos? Watch educational clips more frequently. Listen to podcasts? Take them with you while you’re exercising. Your knowledge will compound and come back when you least expect it.
You also need to network. We believe that our work will speak for itself, and that we don’t need to meet people. But even carving out an hour, two hours from our day to connect with someone else, can really make a difference.
Consider volunteering. You get to interact with different departments and gain visibility. The more often someone sees you and hears your name, the more they’ll remember you when thinking about different opportunities. If you don’t put yourself out there, people will know you as an email address.
As a startup founder back in Singapore, I wondered how I could get in touch with the AI startup community. There was one that began forming on OpenClaw, so I signed up for a meetup and offered to help host and MC the event. Doing so opened many doors for me—now, I have access to an entire network of startup leaders, all because I took that leap of faith.
Looking to expand your network of women leaders and share your story? Our CCWomen+ table is open for you.