The Northern Territory (NT) Government originally founded the Women’s Innovation Network NT (WINNT) in 2020, in line with its commitment to developing the next generation of STEAMM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, and medicine) enabled entrepreneurial innovators in the Territory.
Since then, the network has grown to include representatives from almost every industry across the Territory and has a dedicated group of women volunteering on the committee to bring value in this area.
The purpose of the WINNT is to increase diversity and gender equity in innovation and STEAMM through retention, attraction and elevation of women.
The network is working towards the following outcomes:
- representation of women in innovation and STEAMM in the Territory is strengthened
- a pipeline of opportunities and pathways to encourage and attract girls and young women into innovation where STEAMM is embedded
- women are empowered to engage with the Territory’s innovation ecosystem and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities
- availability and visibility of support and development opportunities are increased.
If you would like to be kept up to date on the latest WINNT news, events and information.
Join the Women's Innovation Network NT
We would also love to welcome you as a committee member, where you will attend monthly meetings, engage and contribute to our strategy and purpose.
Please submit your expression of interest to innovation@nt.gov.au.
WINNT Leadership
Leadership
Chairperson - Dr Ulrike Kachel
Dr Ulrike Kachel is a course coordinator and lecturer in entrepreneurship and innovation at Charles Darwin University. She is passionate about developing students’ creative thinking and knowledge through experiential learning and real-world applications. Students participate in start-up events and design thinking challenges, particularly focusing on sustainability. Ulrike also loves mentoring some of her students and graduates when developing their start-ups.
Ulrike’s personal experience in this field stems from her professional career before moving into academia. She has a degree in systems analysis and worked in IT management and consultancy before becoming an entrepreneur and successfully running an IT company focusing on developing customised online systems and platforms for a wide range of clients. One of her strengths is developing solutions in creative ways, and she is excited to bring her experiences and passion to the WIN NT chair role.
Secretariat - Sara Dhakal
Sara Dhakal is a computer science graduate who is currently working as end user computing engineer at NEC Australia and is an accomplished ICT professional. Sara came to the NT as an international student who completed her master’s in information systems and data science and aspires to become a data scientist.
She has shown a lot of enthusiasm by volunteering in multiple networking events in NT and was an active member of GovHack NT 2022. Sara aspires to be an encouragement to all emerging young professionals and women in the fields of science and technology. Working as a secretary with WINNT for over a year, Sara is excited to contribute more to the committee and learn from it.
