Entain has announced a partnership with the Berlin University of Technology (BU) and the Nexus Institute for Cooperation Management and Interdisciplinary Research, with the aim of enhancing diversity and R&D.

The collaboration between the FTSE100 firm’s Entain Foundation and the two institutions will focus on the impacts of gendered perspectives on the R&D process, with the company supporting the organisations’ Gendered Innovations executive training programme.

Gendered Innovations aims to create new knowledge in medicine, engineering, information and communication technology by leveraging methods of sex, gender and intersectional analysis.

“The gender perspective, like the diversity perspective, is an eye-opener for new, innovative products and services,” Dienel commented. “We intend to convey this perspective in our executive programme.”

Led by Professor Hans-Liudger Dienel – the head of the Department of Work, Technology and Participation at the Institute for Vocational Education and Work Education at Berlin University of Technology and Director of the Nexus institute – the initiative aims to ‘close the gap’ concerning education on Gendered Innovations.

The programme consists of seven modules, combining theoretical teaching with practical tips for implementing participants’ organisations, with the first four modules focusing on ways for companies to connect the theoretical background into their operational setting.

Following on from this, participants will develop their own project ideas and apply their knowledge to the practical sphere. The course ends with a pitching session, in which participants present and discuss their ideas.

Additionally, the programme aims to provide ‘inspiration’ and background information, with the goal of enabling participating companies to push for Gendered Innovations in their own workplace. The initiative also plans to develop an interactive map for geocoded Gendered innovations next year, which can be presented by relevant projects. 

The partnership with BU and the Nexus Institute is the latest in a series of agreements secured by the Entain Foundation, following on from the reiteration of the group’s support for grassroots football via the Pitching In initiative last month, in cooperation with the Trident Community Foundation (TCF).

Franziska van Almsick, Ambassador of the Entain Foundation, remarked: “Some products and services on the market were developed from a male perspective and can have negative consequences for women when using such products. 

“For example, facial recognition technologies trained with biased datasets may be worse at recognising women than men. I’m delighted that the Entain Foundation is addressing this important issue, and I’m very impressed by its dedication to promoting diversity in the technology sector.”