Cape Town, South Africa — April 2026
Global leaders, innovators, and changemakers gathered in Cape Town this week for the WOMEN IN TECH® Global Summit 2026 — a landmark convening of voices from more than sixty countries shaping the future of inclusive innovation.
At the centre of the conversation was a shared mission:
use technology to create a safer, more equitable world.
That mission is exactly why WanderSafe exists.
A Global Stage for a Global Mission
The summit explored the intersection of AI, digital inclusion, cybersecurity, and human-centred innovation, with a strong focus on empowering women and underserved communities — and on Africa's growing role as an innovation leader.
These are not abstract ideas. They are real-world challenges, especially for travellers, women, and vulnerable populations navigating unfamiliar environments.
WanderSafe was built to meet that moment.
EMPOWHER: Mastering the Power of Resilience
WanderSafe Co-Founder, CMO, and Global Ambassador Stephenie Rodriguez joined the WOMEN IN TECH® South Africa community for "EMPOWHER: Mastering the Power of Resilience" — a session presented in partnership with Old Mutual that brought together survivors, founders, and operators to talk honestly about what it takes to keep going.
Recognised globally as a digital transformation leader, a TEDx speaker, a WOMEN IN TECH® "Top 100 Speaker" honoree, a Global Fund Changemaker, and a Paralympic athlete, Stephenie's mission is clear:
**Impact a billion lives by making safety accessible to everyone.** > Safety is not a privilege. It is a fundamental human right.
That conviction is the through-line from her own story — surviving cerebral malaria, learning to walk again, and choosing to build — to the platform WanderSafe serves today.
On the Panel
Stephenie also joined a panel conversation alongside fellow innovators and operators — discussing how resilience, accessibility, and frontier technology can be designed into products from the start, rather than bolted on afterwards.
Where WanderSafe Fits In
WanderSafe sits at the convergence of:
- Artificial intelligence — JENI, the in-app safety assistant - Real-time safety intelligence — heatmaps, alerts, and contextual awareness - Community-driven data — voted-in incidents from a global user base - Personal emergency response — one-touch SOS, silent activation, precise location
From the JENI AI safety assistant to the WanderSafe Beacon and SOS ecosystem, the platform reflects exactly what the summit called for: technology that serves people first.
Why Cape Town Matters
Hosting the WOMEN IN TECH® Global Summit in Cape Town signals something bigger:
- A shift toward global inclusion - Recognition of emerging markets as innovation leaders - A commitment to solutions that scale beyond borders
WanderSafe's global-first approach aligns directly with this vision — building a platform that works anywhere, for anyone.
From Conversation to Action
Events like the Global Summit are not just about ideas. They are about execution, partnerships, and measurable impact.
For WanderSafe, that means:
- Expanding adoption across new markets - Strengthening enterprise partnerships and duty-of-care programs - Continuing to ship technology that protects people in real-world scenarios
Looking Ahead
The future of safety will not be built by one company, one country, or one perspective. It will be built through collaboration, innovation, and leadership — and it will increasingly be built from places like Cape Town, Lagos, Mumbai, and São Paulo, not only from Silicon Valley.
WanderSafe is proud to stand alongside the global leaders at WOMEN IN TECH® — working toward a world where everyone can go anywhere, better and safer.
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This is the second WOMEN IN TECH® Global moment Stephenie has shared with our community this season. You can also watch her earlier appearance on the WOMEN IN TECH® Global 24 hr Tour for a longer conversation about survival, innovation, and building women-led safety technology.
Stay safe. Stay informed. Stay connected.
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Stay safe. Stay informed. Stay connected.