Celebrating the 2025 Women in Tech hackathon

This all-day event brought together women across multiple industries to tackle complex health challenges, specifically exploring how technology can be used to give people more ownership over their health. Participants worked in teams, to ideate, develop, and present innovative solutions.

The energy in the room was palpable as cross-functional teams collaborated under time pressure, combining diverse perspectives from tech, healthcare, consultancy, and beyond.

Keynote speaker Jackie Kinsey (Chief People Officer at Genomics England​) kicked off the day reflecting on her career journey in health innovation. She shared candid stories about navigating a complex industry, the power of persistence, and her findings from the health world.

The teams had lots of ideas, from digital platforms for women’s health, to mobile apps that examine children’s health through visual animations.

The collaborative spirit was matched by a healthy sense of competition, culminating in team presentations to a panel of expert judges. After much deliberation, the winning team was crowned. Their idea, ‘Plate by Plate’, a unique web application offering healthier alternatives to traditional recipes, thoughtfully designed specifically for South Asian people, considering the cultural, dietary, and health needs of the community.

In the afternoon, a panel discussion brought together professionals from the tech and health sectors to share their experiences. Panellists Neil Smith (CEO and Founder of Mettle), Dominique Antiglio (Founder of BeSophro), Sashi Sangala (Co-Founder and COO of MyRenalCare), and, PA Chief Medical Advisor, Hilary Thomas discussed building inclusive technology, navigating career growth, and the future of preventative digital health. A recurring theme was the value of multidisciplinary collaboration and the need for more women in decision-making roles to drive innovation that truly reflects diverse needs.

Key takeaways

1. User-centred design is critical in health tech. Successful solutions must start from a deep understanding of real user needs, especially for communities that are often overlooked.
2. Diversity fuels innovation. Teams that combined a mix of technical, clinical, and lived experience backgrounds consistently developed the most impactful ideas.
3. Storytelling matters. From pitching solutions to sharing career journeys, the ability to clearly communicate purpose and impact was a powerful tool throughout the day.

Health empowerment is both a technical and cultural challenge. Technology can provide the platform, but behavioural change, accessibility, and trust will lead to real engagement.

The event was a vibrant platform for creative problem-solving, and a safe space for connection, mentorship, and inspiration. Attendees left with new ideas, new contacts, and a renewed sense of motivation to build technology that serves real human needs.

If you missed this year’s hackathon, don’t worry - this is just the beginning. The energy, creativity, and insight shared throughout the day highlighted the vital role women play in shaping the future of tech and health. Look out for our next WiT hackathon announced in 2026. We can’t wait to see you there!