International Women’s Day celebrates the progress made in the pursuit of gender equality. But to truly appreciate this progress, we must first correct the historical narrative that has long overlooked women’s groundbreaking contributions. For years, many women’s inventions and achievements went unrecognised or were under-documented, obscuring a complete picture of our shared progress. By telling their stories, we not only honour the ingenuity, courage, and leadership of women in business, science, and beyond, but also pave the way for a future where every woman and girl can thrive, dream, and lead.
Here, we celebrate 10 visionary women whose innovations have reshaped industries and created entirely new markets, reminding us of the rich legacy waiting to be fully acknowledged.
Alice Parker
Born in 1895 40 miles east of New York, Alice Parker understood the challenge of keeping a family home warm during harsh East Coast winters. After graduating from university with honours in 1910, Parker set out to revolutionise the traditional coal and wood fireplace heating methods used to warm buildings in the 19th and early 20th centuries. She selected gas as a heating fuel because of its safety and availability, and it didn’t require a fireplace.
In 1919, Parker’s innovative design earned a patent for a furnace that used a centralised heat exchange process to circulate warm air through vents into individual rooms. This breakthrough laid the groundwork for modern ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems — a market projected to exceed $387 billion by 2032.
Ann Tsukamoto
Motivated to find a cure for cancer, Dr Ann Tsukamoto revolutionised medical research in 1991 by inventing a method of isolating blood-forming stem cells. This breakthrough not only deepened our understanding of the circulatory systems in cancer patients but also paved the way for advancements in biotechnology and regenerative medicine.
A California native, Dr Tsukamoto continues to lead and publish research on human central nervous system stem cells and their application and potential in treating disease. Her visionary work has saved countless lives and significantly impacted the advanced biotechnology and regenerative medicine industries, serving as a powerful example of how innovative thinking can create lasting, global impact.
Hedy Lamarr
Best known for her captivating performance as Delilah in the 1949 film Samson and Delilah, Hedy Lamarr, the Austrian-born American actress, was much more than a celebrated actress – her work ultimately provided the foundation for today’s ubiquitous communication technology.
A gifted amateur inventor, Lamarr partnered with creative composer George Antheil to develop weapons applications that would give Allied forces an advantage in World War II. In 1941, they patented their frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) technology designed to guide torpedoes and prevent signal interference or jamming from German warships. This ingenious invention laid the foundation for today’s wireless communications, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, fundamentally changing how we connect with the world and serving as a reminder that creativity can cross traditional boundaries.
Dr Hayat Sindi
Born and raised in Saudi Arabia, Dr Hayat Sindi witnessed the challenges of accessing reliable healthcare resources and technology in developing regions. Determined to make a difference, she pursued an impressive academic journey — studying at King’s College London, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before earning her PhD in biotechnology from Cambridge University in 2001. As the first woman from the Persian Gulf to receive a doctorate in the field, Dr Sindi went on to co-found Diagnostics for All in 2007, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to producing low-cost disease diagnostic devices for use in developing nations.
Considered one of the world’s leading biotechnologists, Dr Sindi’s inventions, including a biochemical sensor with thermoelastic probes and the Magnetic Acoustic Resonance Sensor (MARS), have helped propel the world’s advanced global health tech and affordable diagnostics industries.
Patsy Sherman
While working at 3M, chemist Patsy Sherman and colleague Sam Smith created the fabric treatment “Scotchgard”, one of the world’s most iconic stain-repellency products. The breakthrough came from an accidental discovery when a spill of chemical rubber revealed a natural resistance to water and oil-based liquids.
Introduced in 1956 as a treatment for wool, the innovation soon expanded to clothing, linens, upholstery, and carpeting. In the late 1960s, Sherman and Smith refined the formula to repel stains while also easing the removal of oily soils from synthetic fabrics. Their work not only revolutionized fabric care but also helped launch a global market in stain-resistant products expected to surpass $68 billion by 2032.
Lisa Seacat DeLuca
A leader in the world of technology, Lisa Seacat DeLuca has secured more than 450 patents in IoT, blockchain, and AI, earning her the title of IBM’s most prolific female inventor. During her 16 years at IBM, where she served as a Distinguished Engineer and Director of Product Management, she developed groundbreaking innovations — from enhancing secure identity control in cloud computing and natural language AI to location software and digital fingerprint IDs. Inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame in 2017, DeLuca has shaped smart technologies across sectors such as retail, healthcare, and logistics.
Sarah E. Goode
A true pioneer, Sarah E. Goode broke barriers as one of the first African American women to receive a U.S. patent after revolutionising the space-saving furniture industry in 1885. Following the Civil War, Goode and her husband relocated to Chicago, opening a furniture store but soon realising that many of their working-class customers lived in small apartments with little room for furniture. In response, she invented a “folding bed” that operated similarly to a Murphy bed today — when not in use, it could double as a roll-top desk with compartments for stationery and writing supplies. Her inventive solution maximized limited space and laid the foundation for the space-saving furniture industry, a market that is projected to exceed $15 billion by 2030.
Anne Wojcicki
Entrepreneur Anne Wojcicki, alongside co-founders Linda Avey and Paul Cusenza, pioneered the direct-to-consumer genetics testing industry with their revolutionary 23andMe platform. A former healthcare investment analyst, Wojcicki turned her focus to biological research, eventually launching and serving as CEO of the California-based direct-to-consumer DNA testing company in 2006.
Named after the 23 pairs of chromosomes in a human cell, 23andMe went public in 2021 as a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) with a valuation of $3.5 billion. Today, the company continues to popularise genetic testing and expand an industry projected to reach over $17 billion by 2033.
Stephanie Kwolek
Fuelled by her love of fabrics and an interest in polymer research, Stephanie Kwolek joined DuPont as a chemist in 1946 and later made an unexpected discovery in 1965 that would launch a new industry valued at nearly $5 billion today.
Kwolek’s development of exceptionally strong synthetic fibres that could repel even steel bullets led to the creation of products that protect and save thousands of lives. Kevlar, the heat-resistant material that is five times stronger than steel but lighter than fibreglass, owes its creation to Stephanie Kwolek’s polyamide molecular breakthrough. It is currently used in hundreds of applications, ranging from bulletproof vests and spacecraft to helmets, tyres, and tennis racquets. Stephanie Kwolek served as the head polymer research at DuPont’s Pioneering Lab until her retirement in 1986.
Tracy Young
While working as a construction project engineer, Tracy Young realised the industry wasn’t using technology efficiently or leveraging it to build better buildings. In 2011, she teamed up with four friends to launch PlanGrid, a startup that specialised in digitising paper blueprints and documents for the construction industry. The platform attracted around 12,000 customers from 85 countries before being acquired by software giant Autodesk in 2018. After helping to establish the nearly $10 billion cloud-based construction software industry, Young went on to found startup TigerEye in 2021, an AI-powered planning and revenue management software company for businesses.