Celebrating Women’s History Month

The first compiler was written by a women, she also built the first high-level programming language and wrote the first programming book.

As we celebrated International Women's Day last week and Women's History Month, I want to honor the amazing women who have opened doors in the tech field, inspiring my journey and the journeys of so many others.

Today, I’m highlighting Grace Hopper, the mother of modern computing...

When Grace Hopper first applied to a Math Bachelor's in 1924, she was rejected because her Latin scores were too low. But she didn’t let that stop her. She eventually got in and earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Yale University, becoming one of the few women to achieve this.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Grace wanted to serve her country, so she applied to the US Navy but got rejected because of her height and age. She didn't give up, obtained waivers, enlisted, and started on a mission that would forever change the course of computing.

Assigned to work on a computer and inspired by Ada Lovelace, she believed coding should be possible in English rather than through punchcards. She went on to create the first compiler, a crucial tool still used today to translate code written in English into a format that computers can understand.

Grace Hopper's work didn’t stop there; she also wrote the first-ever programming book and built COBOL, a programming language widely used for decades.

Grace Hopper continued serving her country until she retired at 79 and was one of the oldest serving officers due to her invaluable expertise and contributions to computer science.

Today, her legacy for women in tech continues through the Grace Hopper Conference, the largest annual gathering of women in tech

_{The Week’s 10 Biggest Funding Rounds}

In an exciting week for startups, we've seen significant investments across various sectors, from energy to artificial intelligence, biotech, agtech, healthcare, apps, and publishing. Here's a roundup of the top funding rounds that are shaping the future of their respective industries.

1. Alumis:

   • Amount Raised: $259 million.

   • Industry: Biotech.

   • What Happened: Alumis, a biotech company in South San Francisco, raised the largest amount this year for biotech firms. They're working on oral therapies for people with immune-mediated diseases. So far, they've raised a total of $529 million.

2. Axonius:

   • Amount Raised: $200 million.

   • Industry: Asset management.

   • What Happened: Axonius, a cybersecurity company in New York, got an extra $200 million added to their previous funding. They help companies manage their digital assets securely. They've raised a total of $865 million.

3. Sionna Therapeutics:

   • Amount Raised: $182 million.

   • Industry: Biotech.

   • What Happened: Sionna Therapeutics, based in Boston, raised $182 million for their work on treatments for cystic fibrosis. They're focusing on developing small molecules to help people with this condition. Their total raised funds are $292 million.

4. Rakuten Medical:

   • Amount Raised: $119 million.

   • Industry: Biotech.

   • What Happened: Rakuten Medical, from San Diego, raised $119 million for their cell targeting therapies platform. They're working on innovative ways to treat diseases. So far, they've raised nearly $738 million.

5. Claroty:

   • Amount Raised: $100 million.

   • Industry: Security.

   • What Happened: Claroty in New York secured $100 million for industrial cybersecurity. They help protect older industrial systems from cyber threats. They've raised a total of $735 million.

6. RapidSOS:

   • Amount Raised: $75 million.

   • Industry: Public safety.

   • What Happened: RapidSOS, based in New York, raised $75 million for their intelligent safety solutions. They use AI to improve emergency response times. Their total funds raised are nearly $356 million.

7. Nocion Therapeutics:

   • Amount Raised: $62 million.

   • Industry: Biotech.

   • What Happened: Nocion Therapeutics, located in Watertown, Massachusetts, secured $62 million for their work on treatments for serious conditions like cough and itch. They've raised $122 million so far.

8. Overjet:

   • Amount Raised: $53 million.

   • Industry: Artificial intelligence.

   • What Happened: Overjet in Boston raised $53.2 million for their AI-driven dental solutions. They help detect oral diseases accurately. Their total raised funds are approximately $133 million.

9. Dtex Systems:

   • Amount Raised: $50 million.

   • Industry: Cybersecurity.

   • What Happened: Dtex Systems in San Jose, California, closed a $50 million round for their insider threat detection technology. Since 2000, they've raised $138 million.

10. Argonaut Manufacturing Services:

    • Amount Raised: $45 million.

    • Industry: Manufacturing.

    • What Happened: Argonaut Manufacturing Services in Carlsbad, California, raised $45 million. They provide manufacturing services for the biopharma and life sciences industries. So far, they've raised $67 million.