Irina Karagyaur believes leadership begins with confidence.
As CEO of BQ9 Agency, Karagyaur has helped build an international business while navigating an industry that remains heavily male dominated. Yet despite the persistent gender gap in Web3 and emerging technologies, she remains optimistic about the opportunities available to women who are prepared to learn, network and lead.
For Karagyaur, leadership is not about hierarchy or authority. It is about creating the conditions in which others can succeed.
“As a woman in an industry that still has a significant gender gap, I’ve learned that confidence, consistency and resilience matter a lot,” she says. “You need to know your value, speak clearly and not wait for permission to lead.”
At the same time, she rejects the idea that success is ever achieved alone.
“Regardless of gender, to grow in any industry you need a strong support system and a talented team.”
That philosophy underpins her approach to leadership. Building a company requires bringing the right people together, aligning them around a shared vision and creating an environment where they feel ownership of the mission. Leadership, she believes, is ultimately about trust.
Web3 is often described as a meritocratic industry, one where decentralisation creates opportunities based on contribution rather than traditional credentials. Karagyaur agrees that the sector has improved upon some of the power structures found in traditional technology companies, but she is realistic about how much progress still needs to be made.
“It is true that power dynamics are slightly better in this industry than in big tech,” she says. “However, from my personal experience there is still a way to go to close the gender gap.”
She points to communities such as World of Women, SheFi and Solana Superteams as examples of initiatives helping women enter the space through education, networking and support. At the same time, she believes many opportunities remain hidden within informal networks.
“Work opportunities are typically shared in small circles, but many women are still too shy to embrace networking, particularly those with technical backgrounds.”
Like many women in senior leadership positions, Karagyaur acknowledges that navigating executive environments can require developing resilience.
“In executive rooms there is always a subtle power game going on,” she says. “If you have a soft character, it will take some work to develop a thick skin if you want to build a career and achieve your goals.”
Trust remains one of the most interesting paradoxes within Web3. While blockchain technology is often described as creating trustless systems, Karagyaur believes human relationships remain central to every successful business and community.
“Trust remains fundamental to human relationships, and I believe we need to strengthen it through transparency, not undermine it,” she says.
For her, trust is built through consistency and reliability rather than technology alone.
“Trust is something we build over time by showing consistency and doing what we say we will do.”
This focus on meaningful relationships has shaped both her professional and personal life. She speaks warmly about the people she has encountered throughout the technology sector and credits those connections with helping sustain her enthusiasm for the industry.
“Building meaningful relationships that go beyond transactions is very important to me. These relationships give my life meaning.”
Although Web3 is often viewed as highly technical, Karagyaur believes there are multiple paths into the industry, including for those without a technical background. Her advice is to focus first on understanding real-world applications.
“The best way for non-technical people to approach this field is to look for ways to apply technology to the real world.”
She argues that technologies survive only when they solve genuine problems. When products have clear practical value, understanding and communicating their benefits becomes much easier.
Karagyaur also encourages newcomers to take advantage of the openness that still exists within the Web3 ecosystem.
“Web3 is a space where CTOs are very open and accessible and willing to share more about their work and the advancements of the space,” she says. “Have courage and ask, be willing to dive deep and be open to learn.”
One of the more striking observations from the interview is her concern that grassroots communities are becoming less influential as institutional players enter the sector.
“Unfortunately, I’m observing that the grassroots communities are going extinct while the space is becoming more and more institutionalised,” she says. “It shouldn’t be that way, and I hope there’s a reset going back to basics.”
In recent years, Karagyaur has increasingly expanded her focus into artificial intelligence. She sees AI as the defining technological revolution of the decade and believes women have a vital role to play in shaping its future.
“The way I see it, AI is the biggest tech revolution we are witnessing this decade,” she says.
Rather than fearing job displacement, she believes the real divide will emerge between those who understand AI and those who do not.
“I believe AI will not take over jobs, but people who master it will.”
She is equally passionate about ensuring women participate actively in AI governance and ethics discussions, arguing that female perspectives are essential in addressing both the opportunities and challenges presented by rapidly advancing technologies.
Reflecting on her own journey, Karagyaur notes that support networks have evolved significantly over time. While ambassador programmes played an important role in 2020, she now values broader professional networks that bring together women from multiple industries.
“We are at the point when Web3 and AI are transforming absolutely all industries, and for me the most interesting exchange happens among women leading the change.”
Three Tips for Women Entering Web3
Be open and willing to learn
Web3 and AI evolve rapidly. Curiosity, adaptability and a willingness to continuously learn remain essential qualities for anyone entering the sector.
Seek mentors
Karagyaur encourages women to connect with established male and female leaders in the industry and actively seek mentorship. Learning from those who have already navigated the challenges can accelerate both confidence and career growth.
Master communication and storytelling
Technical expertise matters, but the ability to explain ideas, communicate clearly and tell compelling stories remains one of the most valuable skills in any leadership role.
For Karagyaur, the future belongs to those who are prepared to embrace change, build meaningful relationships and continue learning. As Web3 and AI reshape industries around the world, she believes women have a critical role to play not only in adopting these technologies but in helping shape their direction.
