Sophomores launched DiversaTech, Penn’s first technology advisory club.

Four high school students founded the Penn chapter of DiversaTech, a technology consulting club focused on bringing together engineering, design and business backgrounds.

Launched last semester, DiversaTech brings together students with diverse backgrounds to provide technical solutions ranging from web development, UI/UX and data analytics to companies across industries.

College and Wharton sophomore and co-president Shriya Shah said she was interested in starting a chapter at Penn after sitting in on the DiversaTech summit at the University of California, Berkeley, while visiting a friend. She told The Daily Pennsylvanian that she saw an opportunity to bring the club to Penn and provide technology experience to underrepresented students in the technology space.

“When I first met them, I told them this is where I want to be,” Shah said.

From windsurfing to geospatial mapping, Diversatech consultants focus on the use of technology in a variety of fields, he said.

There is more to the technology than the one definition we are told. That is what we are trying to say here,” said Shah. “It’s about making your own way in it.”

In the fall 2022 semester, the club worked on three mentoring projects.

The first team was tasked with conducting analysis of the European and Latin American kriptovalyutnyh market to inform Coinbase’s go-to-market strategy. The second team worked with retail cell phone charging station company ChargeItSpot to identify entry opportunities through healthcare market analysis. A third group redesigned the website for Resilience Education, a nonprofit that empowers formerly incarcerated individuals with technology.

DiversaTech’s leadership consists of an all-female executive board, which Shah added is exciting to see in the technology space.

College and Engineering Sophomore and Associate President Victoria Zammit said her favorite part of DiversaTech is bringing students together to explore the relationship between business and technology, and creating products that can be delivered in the real world.

“It’s hard for people to learn more about emerging technology industries, so allowing a diverse group of members with different skill sets to work together on a project can be very powerful,” Zammit said.

Zammit said she enjoys being an entrepreneur, whether it’s recruiting students or working with companies to start a club.

“It was a great experience for all of us to know what it takes to start something and to be able to run it and recruit students,” she said. “Also, on the other hand, we need to be able to market to companies why they should work with us.”

Wharton sophomore and vice president of projects Sophie Courtney said DiversaTech prioritizes projects that uniquely create value for customers and students.

“It’s hard to find a position where you can work with a company that does exciting things but gives you the right amount of responsibility,” she says. “Diversatech does more to achieve that balance than any other club I’ve seen.”

Vice President of Engineering Sophomore and International Anna Bay added that the club’s goals for next semester include getting more customers and building the club’s reputation.

“We’re looking to expand our reach to include more underrepresented groups and give our members more resources to make a meaningful impact in the industry,” he said.