Ella Cullen
Your organization field and mission
I work at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and global supply chains — which sounds serious, but at its heart it’s about one simple idea: products should be honest about where they come from. At Minespider, we build Digital Product Passports and Digital Battery Passports that allow companies to trace the origin, carbon footprint, and lifecycle of the materials inside their products — from tin and gold to EV batteries and solar panels. Companies like Google, Renault, Ford Otosan, Microvast, Minsur, ABB, Tata Elxsi, PTL, and TEMSA use our technology to bring transparency into industries that historically operated behind spreadsheets and closed doors. Our mission is big: every product in the world should be traceable. Because when you can see where something comes from, you can improve it.
Please tell us briefly about your role in the company / at your organization
I now lead sales, marketing, and design, which means I sit right at the crossroads of vision and execution. I love that space. I get to tell our story to the world, work directly with global partners, and help shape how our technology evolves. I live in Lisbon now, and our team is fully remote — something I advocated for early on. Remote work has brought so much flexibility and richness to my life. We hire talent wherever it exists, and we’ve built a culture that’s diverse, international, and genuinely supportive. I feel incredibly lucky to work with a team that cares deeply about both technology and impact.
Your interest in STEM
I didn’t grow up dreaming of working in blockchain or mining. I grew up on a farm in rural New Zealand. What I did learn there was how to solve problems and how to build things from scratch.
When I moved to Europe and discovered blockchain technology, something clicked. I realised this wasn’t just about cryptocurrency — it could be used to make global supply chains transparent and accountable. That idea fascinated me. Suddenly STEM wasn’t abstract — it was a powerful tool to reshape entire industries.
And honestly? It’s been so much fun. This space moves quickly. You’re constantly learning. You’re surrounded by builders.
I didn’t have visible role models in tech growing up, which is probably why I care so much about being one now.
My early role models were my parents — practical, entrepreneurial, resilient. Today, I’m inspired by women who combine technical confidence with empathy. I’m especially inspired by the women on my own team who have grown into leadership roles and found their voices in a space that isn’t always welcoming at first.
Your studies
Studying across Italy, Portugal, and Denmark meant constantly adapting — new cultures, new expectations, new systems. The biggest challenge was building confidence in rooms where I often felt young or out of place.
That experience turned out to be the best preparation possible for working in male-dominated industries like mining and blockchain.
You don’t need to fit a stereotype to belong in STEM.
Curiosity is more important than perfection. The ability to learn quickly is more important than knowing everything already. And most people you admire are figuring things out as they go. Also, find your community. It makes the journey so much more worthwhile!
You at work
Inclusion at Minespider is practical, not performative.
We’re fully remote, which opens doors for women in regions where tech opportunities are limited.
We doubled the number of women on our team over the years.
We actively support flexible schedules, especially for parents.
In projects like Raw Material Radar in West Africa, we help train women to become mineral traders, opening access to responsible global markets. And honestly, one of the best parts of working in this industry is seeing women step into technical and commercial roles where they were previously underrepresented.
I’m proud that we’ve helped track roughly 10% of the world’s tin.
I’m proud that responsible operators in Rwanda and Uganda gained access to European markets through Digital Product Passports.
But most of all, I’m proud of my team. The women who now speak on panels, lead major projects, and confidently navigate regulatory conversations that once felt intimidating.
Your point of view
Technology empowers women when it increases access — to markets, to information, to networks, to flexible work.
Remote work has transformed my own life. It allows me to live in Lisbon, collaborate globally, and design a career that fits my life rather than the other way around.
When technology is designed inclusively, it becomes a tool for freedom.
Don’t let traditional industries scare you. Mining, supply chains, manufacturing — they’re some of the most exciting spaces right now because they’re undergoing massive transformation.
There’s so much opportunity to shape the future, and you absolutely belong there.
By 2030, I’d love to see gender balance become normal — not something we celebrate as exceptional.
I’d love to see more women in technical leadership roles in mining and supply chain tech. And I’d love for young girls to see blockchain and industrial innovation as creative, impactful, and open to them.
To finish with
Curiosity. Integrity. Courage.
And a strong belief that transparency improves everything — products, companies, and communities.
Scaling responsibly as Digital Product Passports become mandatory across Europe. Growth is exciting — but maintaining culture, inclusion, and impact as we grow will be the real leadership challenge.
By 2030, I hope Minespider is one of the global standards for Digital Product and Digital Battery Passports.
And I hope that a girl growing up somewhere remote, like I did, can look at industries like mining and deep tech and think: “That looks exciting. I could do that.
The current activity has been implemented in the framework of the Project: Code4Europe,
GA Number: 101158834. Official project website : https://codeweek.eu/
