The Rise of Women in Tech

In the 21^st century, the technology industry has witnessed a significant rise in the number of women filling tech-centric roles, challenging the long-standing gender disparities in STEM fields. However there are some burning questions.  What is the distribution of women across different tech segments? What progress has already been made in increasing that footprint? How can we continue to break the barriers that exist in achieving gender equality? Understanding the landscape is the first step.

The Current Landscape of Women in Tech

Dividing women in tech into different segments is the first step towards conducting a deeper analysis of their rise and impact in the tech industry. This approach will help us identify specific areas where women are making significant progress as well as areas where gender gaps still exist.

To begin, here are some general statistics, starting with positive trends regarding the increasing representation of women in tech:

• In the third quarter of 2023, 23% of over 17,000 developers surveyed identified as female. This showed a clear increase from 19% in 2021.
• Computing degrees have seen a 23% increase in accepted applications from women since 2019.
• At the internship level, women make up 39% of the tech industry workforce.
• Women hold 32.8% of entry-level positions in computer science-related jobs.
• The share of women leaders in tech companies worldwide peaked at 15% in 2023.

Of course, statistics also highlight persistent disparities:

• Women still only make up 26.7% of the overall tech workforce.
• The representation of women in big tech companies fell by 2.1% between 2020 and 2022.
• Only 20% of computer science undergraduate degrees in the US go to women.
• Just 10.9% of those holding CEO or senior leadership roles in tech are women.

Sources: Women in Tech: Keys Stats for 2024; 70+ Women In Technology Statistics (2024)

So, while the first set of statistics show that progress has been made in breaking stereotypes and barriers, these data points alone will not aid us in discovering viable ways to boost the segmental rise of women in tech roles. So, first, we will identify each segment and then suggest what efforts are needed to attract, retain, and promote women in each of these areas.

Segments of Women in Tech.

A. Technical Roles.

Over the years, women’s representation in technical roles such as web developers, software engineers, and data scientists has experienced a steady incline. However, they continue to be underrepresented compared to their male counterparts. For every 100 men in a technical role, there are only 52 women. This wide gap not only brings to the fore ongoing challenges but also highlights the potential for substantial growth if more initiatives target gender diversity.

Several factors and challenges influence women’s participation in technical roles, including societal stereotypes, gender biases in STEM education, a lack of visible role models, and struggles with work-life balance. Workplace cultures that do not support diversity and inclusion also deter women from pursuing or remaining in technical careers.

Nevertheless, a beacon of hope shines through as more and more success stories of women in tech show that it is possible to overcome these challenges and excel in technical roles as a woman. Initiatives by companies like IBM, Google, Microsoft, and others have focused on promoting gender equality, supporting women in technical roles, and providing mentorship programs to help women advance in their careers. A good example is IBM’s “Technical Women’s Pipeline Program” which mentors women for senior technical roles.

B. Leadership and Management.

Women in leadership roles, such as CEOs, CTOs, CIOs, and IT managers, are slowly becoming more common, yet they remain markedly underrepresented in the upper echelons of technology companies. For instance, only 15% of tech startup founders are female. None of the ‘Big Five’ US tech firms—Alphabet, Apple, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft—have ever had a female CEO. In the US, only 8-9% of women hold management positions in tech companies.

The gender disparities in tech leadership are a result of a variety of systemic factors. These include inherent biases in promotion practices, limited access to venture capital for women-led startups, and the prevalent challenge of work-life balance that disproportionately affect women. Networking opportunities, which are often crucial for climbing the corporate ladder, tend to be less accessible to women, further hindering their rise to leadership positions.

In response to these glaring disparities, organizations are making increasing efforts to promote women’s leadership in the tech industry. For instance, WomenTech Network has created initiatives such as “100 Women in Tech to Watch” and “Women in Tech Awards” to honor the accomplishments of remarkable women leaders in tech and make them visible to other women and girls, offering up role-model encouragement and inspiration.

Additionally, the Center for Creative Leadership suggests a 3-step initiative to improve the retention of talented women as leaders in the tech industry: challenge them to learn new skills, connect them with mentors and sponsors, and invest in them developmentally.

The way forward is fostering inclusivity and diversity in tech across all intersections

C. Entrepreneurship and Startups.

The number of women-led startups and entrepreneurial ventures in the tech sector has also experienced significant growth. This has been mainly driven by the expansion of resources aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs.

Still, female tech-preneurs face several obstacles that impede their success. One of the most prominent, as mentioned earlier, is disproportionate challenges in securing venture capital funding. Studies show that women-led startups receive significantly less venture capital than those led by men. In addition, societal stereotypes about gender roles and the dominance of male networks in tech entrepreneurship often leave women at a disadvantage, both in terms of gaining traction in the industry and achieving long-term sustainability.

Following the challenge of capital funding, organizations have sprung up to actively offer female tech-preneurs funding, mentorship, education, networking, and community building. Some of these organizations and initiatives include:

• 37 Angels: 37 Angels is a community of women investors that offers investor boot camps and pitch opportunities for female (and male) founders.
• The BOSS Network: The BOSS Network is a networking platform and membership organization primarily for African American women that supports their small business and professional development.
• Digital Undivided: Digital Undivided leads high-potential Black and Latinx women founders through startup incubator programs, research initiatives, and networking events.
• Female Founders Fund: This venture capital firm invests in early-stage female-founded technology companies.
• SoGal Ventures: SoGal Ventures is a female-led millennial venture capital firm that invests diversely, especially in female founders.
• Tory Burch Foundation: The Tory Burch Foundation provides capital, education, and fellowship programs to empower female entrepreneurs.

IV. Intersectionality in Women’s Participation in Tech.

Intersectionality plays a crucial role in the experiences of women in the tech industry, where other factors such as race, ethnicity, socio-economic background, and LGBTQ+ identity compound the challenges posed by gender. Research into these multifaceted identities reveals that women from minority racial backgrounds or lower socio-economic statuses, as well as those who identify as LGBTQ+, often face additional barriers, including higher levels of discrimination and fewer opportunities for advancement.

Within the larger community of women in tech circles, these underrepresented groups encounter unique challenges that intensify feelings of isolation and hinder professional growth. For example, Black and Latinx women in tech fields frequently report feeling both under-scrutinized and micromanaged, which negatively affects their career progression and sense of belonging in the workplace.

The way forward is fostering inclusivity and diversity in tech across all intersections. Effective strategies to achieve this include raising awareness of unconscious biases; establishing mentorship programs to support underrepresented groups; fostering workplace cultures that respect differences and provide equal opportunities; and encouraging diversity not only in terms of gender and race but also in skillsets to create dynamic work environments.

Implications and Future Outlook.

Diverse representation in tech is more than just about fairness and equity; it’s a key driver of innovation and progress. More women in tech will produce more innovative solutions and boost the achievement of superior outcomes in the tech industry via a richer breadth of ideas and approaches.

On the other hand, failure to address existing gender disparities will attract the opposite. Think massive talent waste, huge economic losses, reduced competitiveness, and a perpetuation of inequality. If the tech industry does not make determined efforts at inclusivity, it risks losing potential innovators and leaders, ultimately hampering technological advancement and societal progress.

So how do we prevent this? Here are a few strategies to further empower women across all segments of the tech industry:

1. Technical Roles: Improving the participation of women in technical roles can be achieved by creating more inclusive educational programs, mentoring opportunities, and organizational policies that actively promote gender equality in tech companies.
2. Leadership and Management: Effective strategies here include policy changes within companies; broader cultural shifts to redefine norms and expectations around leadership and gender; a crack-down on the “boys club” mentality within organizations; and actively working to create and retain women leaders.
3. Entrepreneurship and Startups: Initiatives like dedicated incubators, funding programs, and networking groups specifically for women have helped and will continue to help fuel the growth of women-led startups and entrepreneurial ventures.
4. Intersectionality: Targeted support systems and policies that acknowledge and actively address the layers of diversity within the tech sector are what will solve the challenges of intersectionality.

Conclusion.

It is incredibly important for women to be present across all segments of the tech industry. Now is the time to drive meaningful change. And to do this, stakeholders across the industry must actively implement and support initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion. Proactively boosting the rise and distribution of women in tech roles is something we must do to foster a more equitable and innovative future in technology.