Sayaka Tanaka is a social entrepreneur and policy leader addressing structural gender inequality in Japan—an OECD country with the lowest proportion of women in engineering education. She works at the intersection of gender equity, digital skills, and public policy to dismantle systemic barriers that exclude women and gender-diverse individuals from technology-driven economic opportunities.

Tanaka is the founder of Waffle, a leading Japanese nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in technology. Through Waffle, she has designed and delivered AI and digital empowerment programs for girls and non-binary middle and high school students, while also advancing evidence-based policy advocacy at the national level. Her work bridges grassroots education with systemic reform, contributing to measurable progress in Japan’s digital inclusion agenda.

She has held multiple government advisory roles, including serving as a member of the Cabinet Office Youth Roundtable (2021) and as an expert on the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Study Group on Digital Extracurricular Education. In 2025, Tanaka was appointed to the Information and Technology Working Group of Japan’s Central Council for Education (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), where she currently plays a leading role in advancing the gender mainstreaming of information and technology education within Japan’s compulsory education system.

In recognition of her leadership and impact, Tanaka was selected as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader 2024. Her work has also been honored with the Japan SDGs Award, presented by the Prime Minister of Japan, and her selection to Forbes JAPAN 30 Under 30. In 2023, she authored Me × IT = The Strongest Career Strategy, a practical guide empowering girls and gender minorities to pursue careers in the technology sector.

Bringing a practitioner’s perspective, Tanaka demonstrates how the integration of gender equity, digital skills, and policy reform can accelerate inclusive growth. Her insights are highly relevant to global discussions on the future of work, technology governance, and economic resilience, positioning her as a compelling voice in international policy and innovation ecosystems.