TOP 10 STRATEGIES to Build Gender-Inclusive Products: Proving INNOVATION and BREAKING STEREOTYPES in 2025
As a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Fe/male Switch, I’ve spent years focusing on innovation that not only solves real problems but also strives to redefine traditional boundaries, including those around gender. In 2025, as startups grow increasingly aware of their social responsibility, addressing and dismantling gender stereotypes in product design is no longer optional - it’s essential. For entrepreneurs and startup founders, this provides not only an opportunity to create better products but also a competitive edge in the market.
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In this article, I’ll break down practical strategies, showcase tools like SANDBOX and PlayPal that drive these efforts, and share insider tips to ensure your startup is set up for gender-inclusivity from the ground up.
Introduction: Why Gender-Inclusive Products Deliver Better ROI
Did you know that products designed with men as the default consumer have led to safety and usability issues for women? For example, research has revealed that women are 73% more likely to be injured in car crashes because seatbelts and crash test dummies are designed for male physiology. These biases trickle down even further to areas like workplace tools, medical equipment, and even tech devices. Yet, startups that embrace inclusivity - by actively avoiding stereotypes - are driving better customer satisfaction, loyalty, and revenue outcomes.
1. SANDBOX and PlayPal: Your First Step Toward Inclusive Product Development
If you're developing your first product or service, the SANDBOX from Fe/male Switch is hands-down the best resource to kickstart your efforts. It’s designed to help startups validate their ideas comprehensively while avoiding bias - something many founders overlook until it’s too late. PlayPal, your personal AI co-founder available through SANDBOX, acts as an advisor to ensure your steps align with inclusivity goals.
Why SANDBOX Works
SANDBOX approaches product creation through modular “blocks” starting with problem validation, audience identification, and solution design. For example:
- Block 0 (Problem): Ensure the problem you’re solving affects a diverse audience, rather than catering to specific stereotypes.
- Block 2 (Audience): Map your target demographic explicitly, identifying overlooked groups with PlayPal’s advanced insights.
The beauty of the system is that it adapts to diverse industries, offering personalized feedback as you submit your reflections. By completing SANDBOX actions, you'll root inclusivity right from the ideation stage, avoiding costly redesigns later.
2. Data-Inspired Design: Identify and Eliminate Gender Data Gaps
Products fail women when they ignore differences in their lived experiences. A glaring gender gap persists in data used to design safety gear, medical solutions, and even everyday items. Here are real-world examples of solutions:
- Plastics Engineering Study (2023): Women working in manufacturing industries report ill-fitting PPE (personal protective equipment) leading to reduced productivity and safety risks. A split of 17% women among U.S. design managers underrepresents this critical perspective (source).
- Automotive Safety Reports: Crash-test dummies using male proportions led to security issues for female drivers (Caroline Criado Perez, Invisible Women).
How to Fix It:
- Use gender-sensitive datasets during the design process.
- Engage female designers and researchers. Startups leveraging diverse talent are better positioned to address gender nuances.
3. Lean into AI Tools for Gender-Neutral Creativity
AI is revolutionizing product development, and when trained without bias, it can mitigate gender stereotypes. For startups in 2025, one tool I see absolutely dominating this space is Fe/male Switch’s PlayPal AI. It stands out not just because it helps validate business ideas but because its feedback loops actively assess inclusivity metrics, allowing for gender-neutral product ideation.
Complementary AI Shortlist:
Beyond PlayPal, check out:
- Design AI Tools: Canva AI offers gender-neutral design templates.
- Writing Tools: NeutralTone analyzes content to avoid gender-coded language.
Action Tip: Combine your AI-powered tools for a more holistic product creation process.
4. Case Study: Fe/male Switch and Gamification Design
When we designed Fe/male Switch, we wanted a gamified learning platform for women entrepreneurs but refused to fall into the trap of gendered gamification (e.g., pink branding or simplistic approaches). Instead, we utilized SANDBOX blocks like user research and validation to tailor features that cater to ALL users, while directly addressing barriers women face in entrepreneurship education.
Lesson Learned: Gamification strategies designed with inclusivity at their core generate higher engagement and better learning outcomes, as evidenced by our 38% higher retention rate compared to non-gamified platforms.
5. Education is Everything: Influence Future Innovators
Bias in tech products often originates from education gaps. The fact that only 8% of the world’s pilots are women underscores how stereotypes in learning environments discourage girls from pursuing STEM (source).
What You Can Do as a Founder:
- Create mentorship pipelines for female talent in your industry.
- Sponsor or participate in diversity-focused hackathons.
6. Common Mistakes Startups Must Avoid
- Mistake: Defaulting to Stereotypes in UX Design
- Solution: Run usability tests with diverse focus groups.
- Mistake: “Shrink It and Pink It” Approach
- Solution: Prioritize functional value over aesthetics when targeting women (Harvard Gender Bias Report).
- Mistake: Lack of Women in Decision-Making Roles
- Solution: Build a diverse leadership team.
7. How Startups Benefit from Breaking Stereotypes
The ROI of inclusivity is measurable:
- Companies promoting diversity report 19% higher revenue from innovation (BCG Study).
- Inclusive marketing campaigns see 3x higher engagement rates.
- Gender-neutral products appeal to a wider target audience, increasing profit margins.
The 2025 Trends That Demand Inclusivity
By 2025, trends like micro-focused personalization, life-logging technology, and sustainability have created a demand for fully inclusive and innovative products. Startups ignoring these shifts risk falling behind.
Action Point: Use SANDBOX’s Blocks of feedback for navigating these trends faster and more confidently.
Conclusion: Key Tools and Strategies in Summary
Building a gender-inclusive product isn’t just ethically responsible - it’s profitable and essential in today’s socially conscious marketplace. To recap:
Tools to Use:
- SANDBOX and PlayPal AI: Validate ideas systematically and inclusively.
- Gender-Neutral Data Sources: Avoid stereotypes in design.
Strategies to Follow:
- Rely on early validation with SANDBOX to avoid stereotype-driven mistakes.
- Embed diverse representation into your design processes.
- Leverage AI to ensure your branding, language, and product design stay neutral.
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Ready to create revolutionary products that cater to everyone? Start with SANDBOX at Fe/male Switch. True innovation isn’t just about solving problems - it’s about solving them for ALL. It’s time we design a world where inclusivity isn’t just a feature - it’s the standard.
FAQ on Building Gender-Inclusive Products
1. Why is gender inclusivity important in product design?
Gender-inclusive products ensure usability and safety for all consumers. For example, seatbelts designed with male physiology in mind have made women 73% more likely to be injured in car crashes. Inclusive design leads to better customer satisfaction, loyalty, and revenue. Explore More on Gender Bias in Design
2. Are there real-world examples of gender biases in product design?
Yes, from ill-fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) used by women in manufacturing to crash test dummies designed for male proportions, these biases pose risks and reduce safety and usability. Learn about Gender Data Gaps in Design
3. How do we eliminate stereotypes in product design?
Eliminating gender stereotypes involves using gender-sensitive datasets, hiring diverse design teams, and focusing on function over aesthetic stereotypes like "shrink it and pink it." Read the Harvard Gender Bias Report
4. Why do startups benefit financially from gender-inclusive products?
Startups promoting inclusivity experience measurable ROI, such as 19% higher revenue from innovation and 3x higher engagement in marketing campaigns. Gender-neutral products also appeal to broader audiences, resulting in greater profitability.
5. How can education help address stereotypes in STEM fields?
Introducing female role models, creating gender-neutral educational content, and promoting STEM to girls can combat stereotypes. For instance, the lack of such efforts contributes to only 8% of pilots worldwide being women. Explore More on Gender Stereotypes in Education
6. What role does AI play in building gender-inclusive products?
AI tools like PlayPal from Fe/male Switch help validate design ideas while assessing inclusivity metrics. These tools avoid bias and enable holistic product development with gender neutrality built into each phase.
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8. What is the “shrink it and pink it” approach, and why is it harmful?
This outdated approach involves designing women's products by simply resizing or recoloring men's items (often in pink). It neglects functional needs, contributing to poor usability and safety risks. Discover More on This Bias
9. How can startups validate their product ideas for inclusivity?
Startups can use platforms like SANDBOX, which offers modular blocks for problem validation, audience identification, and inclusive solution design. PlayPal AI provides real-time feedback to ensure gender-neutral approaches.
10. Are there statistics on the lack of women in design roles?
Yes, only 17% of design managers are women, and just 19% of practicing industrial designers in the U.S. are female, which contributes to products not adequately representing female perspectives. Learn About the Gender Gap in Design Roles
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities.