#DigiWomenKA: Kerstin Stier

by Katharina Iyen

Female role models are important. They point out possibilities, they help us to define our own goals and we can learn from their experiences. In our blog series #DigiWomenKA, Katharina Iyen meets one such role model from the Karlsruhe digital industry to find out more about her, her experiences and her commitment – today in a special edition “#DigiWomenKA meets DLFX2024” with finalist Kerstin Stier, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of engomo. The Digital Female Leader X-Change (DFLX) has been recognizing and promoting women in leadership positions in the digital industry since 2018.

It’s a warm Friday afternoon when I meet Kerstin Stier. We settle down in a charming café. “I love coming to Karlsruhe. It’s a kind of adopted home for me,” says Stier. Over raspberry chocolate tartlets and a relaxed conversation, she talks about her journey as an entrepreneur and mother, her nomination for the Digital Female Leader Award and her vision for digitalization in the SME sector.

Interested in IT since school

Kerstin Stier comes from an agricultural family that later switched to industrial production. She was enthusiastic about technology from an early age and studied computer science at grammar school. After graduating from high school, she decided to study business administration at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. “The degree gave me a huge advantage because I was able to understand computer science and production processes,” she says. After working at Daimler and Brandmaker, she laid the foundations for her future career in the IT industry, which culminated in her nomination for the DFLX award.

Nomination confirms work and vision

The news of her nomination for the Digital Female Leader Award moved Kerstin Stier to tears: “I couldn’t believe it at first.” As part of the top 10 in the IT tech category, she prepared an application video, even though video is not her preferred medium. “It went faster than I thought and I was happy with the result,” she laughs. For her, the nomination is a confirmation of her work and her vision of making SMEs fit for the future through digitalization.

engomo: Digitization made easy

Together with her husband Jens, she founded engomo in 2014, a low-code platform that enables companies to create individual apps for their business processes – without extensive IT knowledge. “Our goal has always been to enable SMEs to implement digital solutions independently,” she explains. Over 450 companies now rely on engomo, which gives them the freedom to shape their own digitalization.

Challenges as an entrepreneur and mother

Kerstin Stier is not only an entrepreneur, but also a mother – a challenge that she masters above all by sharing responsibility. “Women often tend to want to do everything themselves, even though others would be willing to take on tasks,” she says. For her, it was important to share responsibility at work and at home and to communicate openly.

A strong network and role models

Stier sees Karlsruhe as an important center for innovation and technology. The city is characterized by a lively start-up scene, which shows how important role models – both in women-specific and mixed networks – are for personal development. She had a formative experience at Mercedes, where a mentor recognized her potential: “He saw more in me than just a graduate and recognized my genuine interest.” People like this, who encourage and take people seriously, are crucial for professional success. This support helped her to assert herself in the tech industry – an experience that she wants to pass on today. She wants to encourage young women in particular to believe in their abilities: “Girls can achieve anything they want.”

Digital Female Leader X-Change

The Digital Female Leader X-Change (DFLX), formerly the Digital Female Leader Award (DFLA), will take place on 7. and November 8, 2024 in Karlsruhe for the second time. The DFLX includes workshops, panels and best-practice examples on topics such as sustainability, diversity and innovation. The highlight is the award show, which recognizes and honours outstanding women in the digital industry. DFLX is backed by Global Digital Women (GDW), a leading diversity company in Germany. Founded by Tijen Onaran, GDW has been promoting women in the digital industry with the event since 2018 and offers them a platform for networking and visibility.
As a digital location with close links between business, science, administration and culture, Karlsruhe offers the ideal setting for this event. We are delighted not only to be supporting the event as a media and cooperation partner, but also to be actively involved: At the DFL Forum, participants* will have the opportunity to take part in the exclusive “karlsruhe.digital-Rundfahrt Smart City Karlsruhe”.

Register now and be part of it!

The DFLX 2024 offers a varied program that will take place on 7. and 8. November in Karlsruhe. It starts with the DFL Forum, which offers inspiring keynotes, panels and interactive workshops on topics such as sustainability, diversity, leadership and innovation. In addition, the DFL Community Connect enables exclusive networking between finalists, jury members and invited guests. On the second day, the DFL Lunch Club invites attendees to engage in thematic discussions in small groups before the event culminates in the glamorous DFL Award Show in the Garden Hall. The best women in the digital industry will be honored here.
Details on the content will be published this week. Secure your ticket now and be part of this unique event!