About us
It's not the seat that counts, it's the voice.
herAI.tech® is not a women's network. We are a movement with two tracks: influence at the top and access at the base. We don't measure who is on stage, but who decides.
Two tracks, one movement
Women empower AI.
Influence at the top. We bring women to the places where AI decisions are made: who builds it, who funds it, and who gets to say: we stop this.
AI empowers women.
Access at the base. Women without obvious access must benefit from AI too. From boardroom to classroom.
What we are not
- Not a network where women talk to women about the lack of women.
- Not a general AI trainer. Everything we do is aimed at women.
- Not a consultancy for executive teams, and not a quality mark for fair algorithms.
Our attitude
Strength that doesn't need to roar
Limburg already has a lion: crowned, roaring and armed, on the provincial coat of arms. We turned that symbol around. Same animal, different lead role. What we left out is exactly our attitude.
Left out
- The crownNo one stands above the room.
- The maneWe let results speak, not status.
- Claws and swordWe fight no one.
- The shieldNot an institution, but a movement.
Kept
- Facing youWe speak to you directly, at eye level.
- Mouth closedSelf-assured, never loud.
- Chin slightly upWe don't wait for permission.
- Hunts in a prideThe group is the hero, not one person.
Launched on 10 September 2026
herAI.tech® was launched at Brightlands in Heerlen, during the campus's tenth anniversary. That day the campus also got a new name: Brightlands Data & AI Campus.
The same morning, Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands spoke with founder Liesbeth Wijlaars about who builds AI, and for whom. The campus also launched the Crossborder AI Valley, with digitalHUB Aachen and Corda Campus Hasselt. For us, it is a springboard to the top of Germany, Belgium and the rest of Europe.
Power Shift Partners
Organisations that publicly commit to a goal
A Power Shift Partner publicly commits to a measurable goal to shift the balance of power in AI. The goal and the effort belong to the partner. herAI.tech® provides the standard, the measurement and the guidance.
A goal, not money
No public, measurable goal, no Power Shift Partner. Not even with a large contribution.
Businesslike and clear
Power Shift Partner to the outside world, client in the contract.
No head start
A Power Shift Partner promises a shift. Earned Seat tests whether it happened.
“If in 2036 we are still mainly funding, appointing and promoting men, it wasn't for lack of female talent. Then we as leaders have failed.”
The first Power Shift Partner is The Innovation Playground. Brightlands Data & AI Campus followed after Mike van Rijswijk, CEO of The Innovation Playground, spoke with Walter Pijls: not just putting a woman on stage, but making real work of it together with herAI.tech®.
See all Power Shift Partners, their goals and the lionesses earned
The team
Who carries herAI.tech®
Liesbeth Wijlaars
Founder
At company after company, Liesbeth saw that it was mostly men raising their hands to work with AI. She decided it was time for change.
As CEO of The AI Playground, she implements AI at organisations every day. She brings that knowledge and her cross-sector network to herAI.tech®.
Monique van den Boogaard
Chair of the Advisory Board
Monique has mentored many young women in traditionally male-dominated environments. She connects people, sectors and borders so more women take an active role in AI.
The Advisory Board has eight members from education, business, government and civil society.
Members of the Advisory Board
- Lois Isa Frahm
- Marjon Epema
- Linda Verlinden
- Joëlle Souren
- Anne Jaspers-Pieters
An international movement, based in Limburg
Our office is at Brightlands Data & AI Campus in Heerlen. Our playing field is the top: we work with Power Shift Partners from the Netherlands' top 500 and are expanding to Germany, Belgium and the rest of Europe.
From 2027, at least 10% of revenue from training and speaking engagements goes to a charitable fund.