IWD 2025: Voices of change: Women in tech advocate for gender equality on International Women’s Day 2025

As we mark International Women's Day 2025, the theme 'accelerate action' presents a clear mandate: to ramp up advancements towards gender equality. The tech industry, a frontier of innovation, is both a source of inspiration and a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to bridge the gender divide.

Through conversations with prominent women in tech, entrepreneurship and venture capital, significant challenges and remarkable progress have come to light. These insights offer a candid look at the ongoing journey towards parity, shining a light on these leaders' experiences, achievements and visions for the future.

Overcoming stereotypes and barriers

The history of women in the technology sector is punctuated by their long-standing resilience in the face of stereotyping and systemic barriers. Dr Andrea Cullen, CEO and Co-founder of cyber skills company, CAPSLOCK, has worked in tech for over three decades and recalls: "The field has been male-dominated since I first entered. As a computer science student in both school and university, I was often one of the few women in the room." 

The dynamic in male-heavy tech spaces creates a disparity not in capability, but in confidence, according to Cullen, and leads to "feelings of imposter syndrome", according to Hinada Neiron, Head of Marketing & Alliances and Community Initiator at HR software provider, aconso.

Zuzanna Stamirowska, CEO and Co-founder of deep tech startup, Pathway, underscores a dual standard faced by women, saying: "A smart and competent man is celebrated, while a woman with the same attributes is seen as scary and questioned at every turn." Stamirowska's Co-founder and COO, Claire Nouet, echoes this further, saying that the tech world sometimes resembles a "boys club", spurring unsolicited advice that makes women feel the need to adjust their behaviour to be taken seriously.

Nouet mentions she has been "told 'I shouldn't look like a kid' when coming into a meeting", demonstrating how stereotypes can be particularly difficult for young women to navigate.

In the venture capital world, the sentiment of male-dominance is similar, but Ewa Kompowska, investor at early-stage tech VC firm, RTP Global, assures that transformation is underway. She says: "A growing number of investors are backing female founders" and a focus on more inclusive leadership "ensures gender equality is factored into decision-making processes from the top down."

The growing momentum for change

Increased representation and visibility of powerful female role models is essential for pushing the narrative forward. According to Nouet: "Representation of women in the tech and startup media has increased significantly, largely driven by journalists who are making active efforts to showcase the work of women in the ecosystem. Prominent female role models are the most effective way to accelerate gender equality in tech, which is why media representation is so important. Women, especially those in the early days of their careers, need to see other women accelerating."

In tandem with this, Kompowska notes how gender equality makes for teams that are focused on execution with a culture of high efficiency. She says: "I've seen first-hand how founders with ambitious policies to balance gender in a workforce benefit from a diversity of thought that makes their companies higher performing."

However, progress is not uniform across the board. Neiron stresses: "I don't believe we've created a gender-equal working environment. Women continue to have to work harder, and we still don't have an equal standing. The stories I've heard of derogatory gender-related language being thrown around in workplaces even by younger generations show that this is not a historical or a single organisation's problem." The persistent undercurrents of inequality mean that continuous advocacy for change remains crucial at both organisational and policy levels.

Paths to accelerate action

As the industry looks forward, the focus must be on actionable strategies that cultivate gender equality at all levels of the industry. This includes removing tangible representations of inequality – Stamirowska notes a constant absence of sanitary bins in VC office bathrooms – and promoting a broader case for female-friendly policies. One example of such a policy, according to Stamirowska, would be to give female VCs cheque-writing power on discretionary budgets to empower them to shape investment landscapes. She recalls: "A female VC friend, who has a Partner title, once told me she needs to work 10 times harder with her investment committee to make a deal with a female founder go through, even if small."

Kompowska champions mentorship and diverse leadership. To get more women into the VC industry, she says "we need to do more than just open the doors - we need to actively mentor, amplify, and show what's possible." She stresses that "true success in VC is blind to gender - it comes down to the value you bring as an investor and how effectively you support your founders."

Importantly, the significance of female role models cannot be overstated. As Cullen says: "Creating role models at all levels is essential for helping women access progression opportunities." This link between representation and opportunity exemplifies the broader goal of a truly inclusive tech industry. To achieve this, Cullen calls for recruiters to redefine hiring practices to prioritise "experience and impact skills from a range of disciplines."

Forging an equal future

The challenge of gender inequality in tech is a multifaceted one, deeply woven into the industry's fabric. The voices of female tech leaders offer a roadmap for change that can guide the industry towards a more inclusive future. As Nouet envisions, a future where we no longer speak of "female founders", but simply "founders" reflects a world where gender equality isn't just distinguished, but inherent.

On this International Women's Day, let "accelerate action" be more than a theme for a day. The tech industry must push ahead with deliberate intent to transform rhetoric into reality, creating a future that is inclusive by design.