Curiosity AND Reaching for the Stars: Anousheh Ansari on becoming the first Iranian woman in space

Imagine. Be the change. Inspire - these are the words that Anousheh Ansari had made into a badge for her spacesuit as she became the first Iranian woman to fly into space! They are also the principles that led her to become a successful, sustainable CEO. Anousheh and Ilham have a fascinating conversation about the importance of having big dreams and reaching for the stars, why we need more women in STEM, and what it takes to become a sustainable entrepreneur and leader, and much more. Timstamps 1:29 - Childhood, love of stars and inspiration for going to space 6:06 - The importance of education - leading to engineering degree 9:45 - First Iranian Muslim woman to fly to space! 14:46 - Why we need to democratize space travel 20:13 - CEO of XPRIZE 23:52 - Advice for entrepreneurs 27:14 - The importance of having more women in STEM 30:51 - Imagine, be the change, inspire Anousheh Ansari is an engineer, a highly successful entrepreneur, and the first Iranian and Muslim woman and the first private explorer to travel to space. She is the CEO of the XPRIZE, which aims to accelerate technological breakthroughs that will benefit humanity through the power of large scale public competitions. Ansari and her family sponsored XPRIZE’s first venture in 1994: the $10 million Ansari XPRIZE that ignited a new era for commercial spaceflight. She began serving on its Board of Directors and became CEO of XPRIZE in 2018, leading and scaling the foundation to its highest impact period in its history. To date, XPRIZE has launched 30 prizes offering over $500 million in prize purses, hosting over 35,000 innovators from around the world to participate in its competitions. She is a global presence in future-positive tech markets and a resonant voice for women within STEM, business, and the entrepreneurial industries. For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast