A self-confessed geek who became a billionaire in his twenties by breaking new frontiers in computer technology, Shuttleworth launched the HIP2B2 brand five years ago with the intention of making science, maths and technology 'sexy' to all high school learners.

In this light and in order to encourage and inspire their fellow 'sisters' to persevere with the study of maths and science, the female HIP2B2 Brand Ambassadors throughout South Africa have, this Woman's Day, co-ordinated and invited learners from all communities to attend an interactive presentations in order to raise awareness of STEM (science, technology, entrepreneurship and maths).

The HIP2B2 Brand Ambassadors have also invited prominent women in the maths and science arenas in the various centres to speak to the learners about the importance of maths and science in furthering their career opportunities.

"My aim is to inspire and show fellow female pupils how STEM is interesting and useful and how it underpins our everyday lives", says HIP2B2 Brand Ambassador Ogo (short for Ogochukwu) Nkado's from Johannesburg.

Nkado has an impeccable academic record and received the top achiever award at the end of Grade 8. At this year's Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, she and Megan Mina (another Brand Ambassador who attends the same school as Ogo) created an ingenious project involving the conversion of factory pollutants into safe products. Nkado, Mina and Ashleigh Waterson will present to over 700 female learners at the Sci-Bono Centre on Saturday 9 August.

"Our lives would be very different today if the great female brains of this century hadn't been able to apply their maths, science and technology skills," adds Mina.

"There are many famous women in the fields of maths and science who throughout the years have been operating in traditionally male domains," says HIP2B2 Brand Ambassador Senaly Singh from KwaZulu-Natal.

Singh has won trophies for maths, published poems, and is vice-president of Teenagers Against Drugs. In particular, she has excelled in the field of Mathematics, winning numerous gold medals and trophies in the AMESA Mathematics Challenges. Singh will present to learners at St Mary's College along with fellow HIP2B2 Brand Ambassadors Hayley Minter and Tegan Liesegang.

"Our former mothers of invention include Marie Curie, also known as Madame Curie, who discovered radium and furthered x-ray technology; Mary Anderson, who invented the windshield wiper; Randice-Lisa Altschul, who invented the world's first disposable cell phone; Helen Free, inventor of the home diabetes test and Ann Tsukamoto, co-patenter of a process to isolate the human stem cell – the list is endless," says Singh.

Closer to home Singh's fellow HIP2B2 Brand Ambassador, seventeen-year-old Simone Abramson from Cape Town has patented a new means of identifying people by photographing the back of the eye.

Abramson's invention is receiving world-wide attention as it has the potential to replace 'finger printing'. Abramson represented South Africa at the International Science Expo in Beijing, which only takes place every four years and was the only representative from South Africa.

Abramson's Woman's Day presentation will take place at the Green Point Stadium and she has invited UCT mathematics masters student Thyla van der Merwe to join her presentation to students.

According to HIP2B2 Brand Ambassador Jessica West from East London, when Mark Shuttleworth returned from space in 2002 he realised that he wanted to give something back to the South African youth – a powerful message. "The message is that you – male or female – can do anything that you set your mind to and that the sciences provide you with the biggest opportunity for personal and professional growth – and equip you with a crucial advantage upon leaving school."

West, who excels at maths, says it is her favourite subject (along with science) and she has a passion for puzzle solving. She is a keen participant in Maths competitions, as well as an avid horse rider. However, her love of poetry, taking part in SACEE poetry competitions and public speaking, also proves that you don't have to be a closet nerd to embrace the sciences.