Women in Innovation: Alethia Barceinas

What are you working on?

The ACT is a leader in renewable energy and has greatly contributed to shaping the systems and networks of the future. The journey of the ACT has been recognised at a national and international level. This trajectory has only been possible because of the innovation and great effort that constitute the ACT Renewables Ecosystem.

My role as the ACT Renewables Hub manager is to build local and international linkages through a comprehensive program of networking, mentoring, information sharing, and other innovation capacity-building activities and events.

I am also gratified to be part of the team of the Smart Energy Council which has been recently appointed as new manager of the Hub on behalf of the ACT Government.

Why is innovation important to you?

Innovation is not something we do, but a way of life. Innovation is simply looking at problems as opportunities of improvement and being brave enough to look at them from a different perspective.

I have decided to live my life that way and I’m passionate about sharing it with all the people I come in contact with.

Professionally, I have seen the benefits of choosing this path firsthand, but I am also a witness of great examples of innovation in the Renewables Industry and that makes all the effort worth it.

What drives you to make a difference?

I have been in the Innovation Spectrum for a while now, but it’s only been 3 years since I was introduced to the cleantech and renewable energy space.

I feel humbled everyday because it is not only about enjoying what I do, but knowing that my work can actually have an impact in -literally- saving the world; that makes me want to give it my all.

Do you have any advice for getting more women into the innovation ecosystem?

Start from earlier stages in life. I think that if we make a conscience [effort] from when people are younger about the infinite of possibilities available through innovation, many more would find, as me, that it is simply a way of living!

What are you proud of right now?

When I started in innovation, I counted with the support of a few people, but unfortunately not enough. My journey was tough, I had to play all the possible roles one can professionally play (something that I know is very common among entrepreneurs).

However, today I am proud to say, that because of those hard times and sleepless nights of learning how to apply law, finance, production systems, process engineering, marketing, sales, web developing, strategy, etc into my projects, I am now a wildcard!

I developed a skill of adaptation and speed-of-light learning which has brought me to a whole other level of understanding the general dynamics of business.