The annual Women in AI Benelux Gala was proudly hosted on 7 February 2025 here in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and it was nothing short of extraordinary. A night dedicated to celebrating achievements, fostering connections, and setting new ambitions, it brought together some of the most inspiring women in AI from across the Benelux region and beyond.
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News and updates from the Women in AI Benelux community.
Sara Colombo is an Assistant Professor at TU Delft and Director of the Feminist Generative AI Lab, leading groundbreaking research on ethical, responsible, and feminist AI. Her work integrates design, AI, and human values, ensuring AI systems are inclusive, just, and empowering.
Judith Dijk is an AI researcher whose work transforms camera data analysis for defense, surveillance, and autonomous systems, making the world safer through trustworthy AI. Now working at the European Defence Agency (EDA), she bridges fundamental research and real-world applications, ensuring AI solutions are ethical, effective, and future-proof.
Nienke Bakx is a medical AI expert whose work is transforming cancer treatment by implementing AI models in radiotherapy to optimize breast cancer scans and improve treatment workflows. Her efforts bridges the gap between technical innovation and clinical practice, ensuring AI is used responsibly in hospitals.
Dzera Kaytati is an impact entrepreneur merging AI, neuroscience, and human-centered design to create technology that truly understands and supports human emotions. Her pioneering work in neuroadaptive AI is redefining human-computer interaction, bringing emotion-aware AI from academia into real-world applications in automotive, insurance, and lifestyle sectors.
Sara Okhuijsen is a scientific entrepreneur revolutionizing ethical AI in healthcare. As the co-leader of OASYS NOW, Sara is driving innovation with tools like ELaiGIBLE and CoMPai. Her work ensures secure, transparent, and patient-centered AI solutions that protect data while accelerating medical breakthroughs.
Maryna Chepeleva, is a PhD student at the Luxembourg Institute of Health and an innovator in bioinformatics and cancer research. Through her groundbreaking work in multi-omics data analysis, Maryna is advancing AI-driven personalized medicine. From identifying biomarkers in drug-resistant melanoma to developing AI tools like the consICA R package, her research is unlocking new possibilities in understanding disease mechanisms and improving patient outcomes.
Anitha is an inspiring entrepreneur that is revolutionizing the processing industry through her AI-driven company, Senergetics. After transitioning from her career as an assistant professor in India to founding Senergetics in the Netherlands, Anitha has proven that resilience and innovation can create impactful change.
Lola Botman is a researcher revolutionizing energy forecasting to create a more sustainable future. Lola’s work at KU Leuven focuses on improving electricity forecasting for energy suppliers, optimizing resource use, and even creating AI-powered smart plug systems to reduce energy consumption by up to 20%!
Samin Bayat is an AI entrepreneur that revolutionized stroke diagnosis. Her groundbreaking platform uses AI to deliver life-saving results within seconds, ensuring faster and more equitable healthcare access worldwide.
We'd like to introduce Judith Zoë Blijden, a philosopher, lawyer, and founder of ‘Is This Art Maybe’—a platform dedicated to exploring the societal impact of technology. Judith uses her expertise to help organizations navigate the legal and ethical complexities of AI.
Arlette van Wissen is the lead in Responsible and Sustainable AI at Philips. With over a decade of experience, Arlette combines her expertise in linguistics, philosophy, computer science, and psychology to champion ethical, inclusive, and sustainable AI practices.