7. Soraya Darabi – Co-founder of ZADY, $10 Million
Soraya Darabi is the co-founder of Zady, a
mission-driven content and commerce brand described best as “The Whole
Foods of Fashion.” Zady creates and sells stylish, timeless, sustainably
produced apparel and tells the story of each product, down to the raw
materials. Soraya began her career as Manager of Digital Partnerships
and Social Media at The New York Times, where she kept her finger on the
pulse of today’s ever-changing digital landscape. While at The Times,
she positioned the global news leader on social networks such as
Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, partnered with startups large and small, and
established award winning campaigns. Soraya received her Bachelor of
Arts degree from Georgetown University and now lives in Brooklyn, New
York.
6. Cyma Zarghami – President of Nickelodeon & Viacom
Cyma Zarghami is an Iranian-American cable
television executive currently serving as the president of Nickelodeon
and Viacom Media Networks Kids & Family Group since 2006. Zarghami
joined Nickelodeon as a scheduling clerk in 1985. In 2004, the position
of president of Nickelodeon Television was created for Zarghami, where
she oversaw production and development for the network, along with
marketing, programming and creativity. Zarghami was named Women in Cable
Telecommunications’ Woman of the Year for 2006.
5. Roxanna Varza – Leads Microsoft’s startup activities in France
Roxanne Varza currently leads Microsoft’s
startup activities in France, running both Bizspark and Microsoft
Ventures programs. In April 2013, Business Insider listed her as one of
the top 30 women under 30 in tech. Prior to Microsoft, she worked for
several European startups and was also the Editor of TechCrunch France.
She also co-founded the French and British chapters of Girls in Tech and
is the co-organizer of the Failcon Paris conference. Roxanne is
trilingual, an epilepsy advocate, and holds degrees from UCLA, Sciences
Po Paris and the London School of Economics.
4. Parisa Tabriz – Princess security of Google Chrome
Parisa Tabriz born 1983 is an American computer
security expert. Forbes included her in their, “30 Under 30” list (30
Tech Pioneers under the age of 30) and she now works for Google as the
self-appointed, Security Princess, and head of the team responsible for
Chrome Security. She joined Google just a few months after graduation.
Tabriz was born to a Polish-American mother, a nurse, and an
Iranian-immigrant father, a doctor.
3. Shahrzad Rafati – Founder & CEO of BroadbandTV Corp
This glamorous 34-year-old tech guru and CEO
represents the ultimate success story to us. Despite the fact that
Shahrzad Rafati arrived in Vancouver from Tehran, Iran as a teen with
limited English skills, she quickly mastered computer science and fell
in love with the tech industry. She said that she started her company in
2005, right after graduating from University of British Columbia with a
Bachelors of Computer Science. BroadbandTV now has a staff of 74
employees, and superstar Rafati is the perfect example of an inspiring
rags-to-riches tal
2. Sahar Hashemi – Founder of COFFE REPUBLIC ~ $35 Million
Sahar Hashemi OBE is a UK entrepreneur. She is
best known as co-founder of the coffee chain Coffee Republic and
confectionery brand Skinny Candy. She was appointed Officer of the Order
of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services
to the UK economy and to charity. At the end of July, following the
closure of 18 Bars, Coffee Republic was bought out of administration by
property firm Arab Investment Ltd.
1. Anousheh Ansari – Co-founder of Prodea Systems, $750 Million
Anousheh Ansari born September 12, 1966, in
Mashhad, Iran is an Iranian-American engineer and co-founder and
chairwoman of Prodea Systems. Her previous business accomplishments
include serving as co-founder and CEO of Telecom Technologies, Inc. In
2001 in a stock-for-stock transaction for 10.8 million shares of Sonus
stock. Anousheh Ansari became “a vice president of Sonus and general
manager of Sonus’ new INtelligentIP division.”In 2006, she co-founded
Prodea Systems, and is the current chairman and CEO.
