We had the pleasure of chatting with Lorena Gil, Digital Transformation Manager at ASTI Mobile Robotics, who shared some of the keys to her company’s success in the areas of female leadership, talent, and innovation.
From Burgos to the world
ASTI Mobile Robotics is an example of diversity, resilience, and talent. Throughout its existence, the company has known how to reinvent itself, empower female leadership in the professional world, debunk the myth of an “Emptied Spain,” and demonstrate that talent is everywhere.
The company is part of the ASTI Tech Group, a diversified group specializing in automation technology and engineering. Focusing on mobile robotics, its expertise in Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) has positioned the company at the forefront of robotics worldwide.
In addition to having one of the widest ranges of AGVs on the market, the company—based in Madrigalejo del Monte, a small town in the province of Burgos—also works with different technologies, like augmented reality, for intuitive maintenance and remote assistance; virtual assistance, to improve decision-making; and IoT-powered platforms to connect and monitor its entire fleet of AGVs.
Similarly, the outbreak of COVID-19 prompted the company to design and implement new solutions that help anticipate, minimize, and prevent the spread of the virus. “It dawned on us that we could help with what we know, which is robotics. So Zenzoe was born, a solution that enables us to disinfect with 99.99% reliability and thus help our clients continue working in absolute safety,” explains Lorena Gil, Digital Transformation Manager at ASTI Mobile Robotics.
Championing women and innovation
Experts predict that many jobs of the future will be STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). In Spain alone, more than one million STEM jobs will be created in the coming years.
Still, the presence of women in the fields of science and new technologies is concerning. Currently, women represent a mere 29% of the professionals in STEM disciplines, and if we look to the future, the situation remains unsettling: only 35% of students enrolled in STEM programs globally are women.
This gender imbalance is alarming when we consider that, generally speaking, STEM careers are the driving force of innovation, social wellbeing, inclusive growth, sustainable development, and ultimately, the future.
Doubtless, education, empowerment, and opportunity will be critical in attracting new female talent to STEM careers and advocating the professional development of women. Initiatives like ASTI Mobile Robotics’ STEM Talent Girl fortify female corporate leadership and promote innovation and technical disciplines among women and girls. “The STEM Talent Girl project promotes STEM from an early age. We’ve found that we can influence girls around this age, and we can create models and references that help them see things much clearer,” concludes Lorena Gil, Digital Transformation Manager at ASTI Mobile Robotics.
