[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#f2f2f2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”23px||6px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ header_3_font=”Poppins|600|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#404040″ header_3_font_size=”26px” header_3_line_height=”1.2em” header_5_font=”Poppins|300|||||||” header_5_text_color=”#0c8f45″ header_5_font_size=”18px” custom_margin=”2px|||||” custom_padding=”|||10px|false|false” border_width_left=”2px” border_color_left=”#0c8f45″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_team_member name=”Matshepo Soto” position=”Founder of Movemates SA and Thuma Mina Tech Foundation” image_url=”https:\/\/womeninit.org.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Matshepo-Soto-2025-03-26.jpeg” linkedin_url=”https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/matshepo-soto-86692b209\/” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Matshepo Soto is the founder of Movemates SA and Thuma Mina Tech
Foundation , a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching technology to autistic children. Her journey in technology is driven by a passionfor problem-solving and a desire to create meaningful change.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Career Journey<\/strong><\/p>\n She started her journey in technology by studying Software Engineering at WeThinkCode, where she developed a deep interest in coding and innovation. Challenges & Triumphs<\/strong><\/p>\n Like many women in ICT, Matshepo has faced challenges such as the Impact & Contributions<\/strong><\/p>\n Matshepo is deeply committed to mentoring young people in the tech industry. Beyond mentorship, Matshepo has also been involved in initiatives that provide Advice for Aspiring Women in IT<\/strong><\/p>\n To all aspiring women in technology, Matshepo’s advice is simple: keep going, Final Thoughts & Call to Action<\/strong><\/p>\n As Matshepo continues to grow in her career, she remains committed to advancing the cause of gender equality and mentorship in the tech space. If you\u2019re Together, we can create a more inclusive and innovative future for women [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Meet Some Of SA\u2019s Leading And Emerging WIIT Stars Women may be under-represented in South African IT, but there are still hundreds of dynamic women making their mark across the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-21721","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/womeninit.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/womeninit.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/womeninit.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/womeninit.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/womeninit.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21721"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/womeninit.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21721\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22216,"href":"https:\/\/womeninit.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21721\/revisions\/22216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/womeninit.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Over the years, she has been fortunate to win seven hackathons, which helped shape her career and allowed her to build innovative solutions. In recognition of her contributions to the field, she received the Dynamism in ICT Youth Award from IITPSA in 2024 and the Rising Star in Coding Award from Wired 4 Women. As the founder of MoveMates, she now leads a team that is transforming the moving industry with an Uber-like platform, enabling users to access moving services at the touch of a button.<\/p>\n
underrepresentation of women in the tech industry and being one of the few women in her field. However, these challenges have only fuelled her determination to push forward. She has\u00a0 learned to use her voice to advocate for inclusivity and equality, particularly through mentorship and community-building initiatives such as her foundation. One of her proudest moments has been being recognised as one of the top 100 influential women in tech by ITWeb and being part of the top 15 \u201ctop geeks\u201d by Geekulcha. These recognitions reinforce her belief that women can\u2014and should\u2014be leaders in technology.<\/p>\n
Over the years, she has had the privilege of mentoring at various hackathons, where she offers guidance, support, and encouragement to aspiring developers. Many of these young stars are still early in their tech careers, and she takes great pride in helping them build confidence
and develop their skills. Additionally, she is passionate about promoting gender equality in tech by advocating for more women to enter the field and encouraging those already there to strive for leadership positions.<\/p>\n
opportunities for underrepresented groups in tech. She believes in the power of diversity in innovation, and\u00a0 actively seeks to amplify the voices of women and minorities in the tech space. Whether it’s through sharing her own experiences, providing practical advice, or simply being
a sounding board, She is dedicated to helping others navigate their paths in the tech industry.<\/p>\n
even when it feels hard. The tech industry may be challenging, but remember that your skills and ideas matter. Stay focused on learning, seek out mentors, and never underestimate your potential. It\u2019s a long
journey, but with perseverance and determination, you will not only succeed, but you will also inspire others to follow in your footsteps.<\/p>\n
interested in collaborating or learning more about how you can get involved in initiatives that empower women in tech, Matshepo would love to connect with you. Feel free to reach out via her LinkedIn profile: Matshepo Soto – https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/matshepo-soto-86692b209\/<\/a><\/p>\n
in technology.<\/p>\n