The UK Government has launched a Women in Tech taskforce to tackle the lack of gender diversity in tech.
One report suggests that the economy loses an estimated £2-£3.5 billion every year because women leave the tech sector or change jobs due to barriers that should not exist.
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall convened the first meeting of the flagship Women in Tech Taskforce at the British Science Association yesterday.
The taskforce aims to bring together industry figures and experts from across the tech ecosystem, who advise government on how to better support diversity in tech.
Men outnumber women 4 to 1 in computer science degrees. Women are less likely to enter tech, stay in the sector, or rise to leadership due to systemic barriers hold them back. A 2023 Fawcett Society study found 20 percent of men in tech believe women are inherently less suited for these roles.
At the current pace, it will take 283 years for women to achieve equal representation in tech and female-founded startups receive 5.9x less funding than male-founded ones, despite delivering 35 percent higher returns on investment.
The Women in Tech Taskforce wants to identify and dismantle barriers to education, training and career progression. It will develop “practical solutions for government and industry to implement side by side, shape policy that encourages diversity and levels the playing field, and drive sustainable and inclusive economic growth by expanding opportunities for women across the UK.”
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“Technology should work for everyone, that is why I have established the Women in Tech Taskforce, to break down the barriers that still hold too many people back, and to partner with industry on practical solutions that make a real difference,” said Kendall in a statement.
“This matters deeply to me. When women are inspired to take on a role in tech and have a seat at the table, the sector can make more representative decisions, build products that serve everyone, and unlock the innovation and growth our economy needs.”
Replicating successful women-led tech firms
Anne-Marie Imafidon, founder of the STEMETTES, has been appointed as the Women in Tech Envoy and in this role will lead the taskforce alongside Secretary of State.
The taskforce will look to replicate the success of women-led UK tech companies, including Ivee, Starling Bank, Peanut, and Koru Kids, and will complement major DSIT initiatives designed to develop and support tech talent in the UK, such as the £187 million TechFirst skills programme and the Regional Tech Booster programme.
The founding members of the Women in Tech Taskforce are:
- Liz Kendall: Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
- Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon: founder – STEMETTES
- Allison Kirkby: CEO – BT Group
- Anna Brailsford: CEO and co-founder – Code First Girls
- Francesca Carlesi: CEO – Revolut
- Louise Archer: academic – Institute of Education
- Karen Blake: tech inclusion strategist, former co-CEO of the Tech Talent Charter
- Sue Daley OBE: director tech and innovation – techUK
- Vinous Ali: deputy executive director – StartUp Coalition
- Charlene Hunter: founder – Coding Black Females
- Dr. Hayaatun Sillem: CEO – Royal Academy of Engineering
- Kate Bell: Assistant general secretary at TUC
- Amelia Miller: co-founder and CEO – iivee
- Dr Ismini Vasileiou: director – East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster
- Emma O’Dwyer: director of public policy – Uber
The government is also standing up the TechFirst skills programme to help more girls develop tech skills and consider a future career in tech.
