Diverse Voices: Building an Inclusive IoT Future

Bordeaux's IoT scene attracts diverse talent, each bringing unique perspectives to connecting the physical and digital worlds.

Aminata Diallo, who immigrated from Mali, leads sensor development at an agtech startup: "I grew up in farming communities where precision meant survival. IoT just digitizes what good farmers always knew—observe everything, waste nothing."

Carlos Rodriguez, a Spanish engineer who chose Bordeaux over Barcelona, appreciates the pace: "Spanish tech scenes are frenetic. Here, we think long-term. IoT infrastructure lasts decades—you can't just 'move fast and break things.'"

Gender diversity in hardware remains challenging but improves. Dr. Mei-Ling Wu, who leads an IoT research team, observes: "Hardware was very male-dominated, but IoT requires diverse skills—software, design, business models. That opens doors."

Students find unique opportunities. Tom Anderson, studying at Bordeaux INP, interns with both vineyard tech and smart city projects: "Where else could I debug grape sensors Monday and traffic systems Friday? The variety is incredible."

The sustainability focus attracts purpose-driven talent. Emma Larsson, a Swedish developer, chose Bordeaux specifically for green IoT: "Every project here considers environmental impact. That's not universal in tech."

However, challenges persist. Mohammed Benali, a French-Moroccan engineer, notes: "The wine world can be conservative. Some château owners still question if someone who looks like me understands their needs. It's changing, but slowly."