As a woman with decades of experience in the science industry, ReNetX’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Erika Smith has been called “bossy” more than a few times. She has started to cut “my apologies” from her emails. And she’s ready to help others learn how to navigate the male-dominated world of STEM Entrepreneurship. 

Smith came to Brown in late April, in a panel jointly hosted by the Brown Biomedical Engineering Board (BMEB)’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) and Corporate Outreach Committees. Alec McCall, Co-Chair of the Corporate Outreach Committee, said his committee has been hoping to center equity in their events, which connect students with industry professionals. 

“STEM entrepreneurship is an area that women aren’t dominant in,” McCall said. He added that Smith had “a special character and special kind of boldness” that enabled her to navigate the field. Carolina Gomez Casas, Chair of the D&I Committee, emphasized the importance of highlighting powerful women within STEM industries.

“There’s always this image of white men that have leading roles. Sometimes, as women, we don’t see ourselves as capable of reaching that,” Gomez Casas said. Seeing “other people that have accomplished so much shows us that we’re capable of having those big roles,” she added. 

Smith is a prime example of a successful woman in the science industry. She was honored as Entrepreneur of the Year by BioCT, named a member of the Power 25 and Tech 25 by New Haven Biz, and recognized as an Industry Superstar by the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. She helped launch the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale, the Yale Innovation Fund, and the Center for Innovative Technology BioLife Fund. 

Smith emphasized at the event that her path to success was nonlinear. She worked as a quality engineer, an investment director, and a lecturer before landing in her current position as CEO of ReNetX where she leads a team to help treat damage to the central nervous system. “I never regretted anything in my career,” she said. “I would say I’ve learned from … interesting experiences.” Gomez Casas said she loved hearing that “it’s never too late” to change your career path. 

Gomez Casas and McCall were inspired not just by Smith’s impressive resumé, but also by her bold and inspiring personality. At the event, “she had this bright pink blazer on,” McCall recalled. Smith talked about how she attended a STEM business event and was “appalled by how it was just all blue suits,” he said. So, Smith and several of her female colleagues decided to wear pink blazers at upcoming conferences.

A stylish pink blazer was just one way Smith underscored that women can find community in STEM entrepreneurship. Smith is “constantly trying to build a community and create a support network between other women,” said Gomez Casas. In her slideshow, Smith showed a picture of her surrounded by other female members of a group called the Biotech CEO Sisterhood. The women are “coming together as leaders in the community,” Smith said, to chat and discuss various questions popping up in their work. 

Smith said many women think they aren’t ready to be “a part of the next generation of leaders.” She encourages people to recognize that when you start, “you’re not going to know everything. You’re going to learn as you go through this.”

Beyond encouraging women to face their fears and pursue STEM business pathways, Smith discussed practical questions audience members had about the industry. She formatted the event as a conversation and addressed the audience’s interest in learning more about work-life balance, navigating motherhood as a working parent, mentorship, team diversity, and fundraising. At the end of the event, Smith encouraged students to stay in touch with her. McCall said he loved that Smith was “very open to connection.” 

McCall said he hopes to collaborate with the D&I Committee again for events next year. Gomez Casas aims to host advocates for other marginalized communities, such as individuals with disabilities. “It’s definitely worth bringing other facets from D&I into the conversation,” she said.