Veni’s Bio
Veni Kunche is an Entrepreneur and Web Developer. She earned her B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
She has been in tech for over 15 years and considers herself a Jill of all trades. She has done database migrations, server setup, backend development, frontend development, and hybrid-mobile application development. She works as a senior Software Engineer at the US Geological Survey.
She was named a Powerful Woman Programmer twice by DCFemTech. She is passionate about getting more women into tech and supporting them on their journey. She started Code with Veni, a newsletter for women learning to code. The newsletter focuses on success stories of women in tech to inspire those getting started. She is also the founder of Diversify Tech, a platform connecting underrepresented people to opportunities in tech.
With groups creating programs to encourage females to consider STEM, what is the biggest barrier to entry that is still prevalent today?
Employers. There are many barriers to entry, and I believe one of the biggest ones are employers who are not adapting to changing times.
A woman can overcome societal bias, focus on STEM, and succeed. But if an employer doesn’t hire her because she doesn’t fit the mold (that employer’s bias of who should be in STEM), then it discourages her to pursue a career in STEM.
What or who inspires you?
My dad inspires me. He came from a low-income family in India and got through college on a scholarship and ended up in tech.
Being in tech opened up a lot of doors for him and our family. I live a very different life compared to our family back in India. He inspired me to pursue a career in technology.
My 1-year old daughter also inspires me. She is a little bundle of energy, of drive, of living with no limitations. She inspires me to make the world a better place for awesome girls like her.
What is your proudest moment/accomplishment?
One of my proudest accomplishments is launching my startup Diversify Tech this year. When I was younger, I used to be timid and cautious. As I’ve grown older, I’ve become more bold and learned to take more calculated risks. While managing a stressful year as a first-time mom, I launched this project for a cause that is important to me.