Women in Tech: 2025 impact

In 2025, Women in Tech was shortlisted for Best Women’s Network at the European Diversity Awards, recognising our impact externally. Over the course of the year, we delivered more than 35 events and engaged over 1,000 people. With support from The PA Foundation, we strengthened partnerships with leading organisations including Stemettes and Tech She Can, delivering Python courses, running hackathons, and mentoring and training champions to support the delivery of tech education in schools. This year, we've also formalised our partnership with the Cambridge University WiT Society – now a proud lead sponsor. Together, we are building a future where diversity drives technological innovation and opportunity for all.

As we approach 2026, we celebrate some standout moments from 2025 and the people who supported them, before reflecting on future priorities.

Empowering through learning and development

Our learning and development initiatives are designed to broaden access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and spark early interest in technology, ensuring people develop the skills and confidence needed to thrive in a digital-first future.

Our Data Science experts, Data Engineers and Front-End Web Developers trained 180 women and non-binary participants in web development, Python, and data science, equipping them with skills to succeed in STEM careers. Our partnership with Stemettes saw us deliver a week-long Python course for young people aged 15 to 21, combining exciting presentations, interactive study sessions, and speed networking to inspire future technologists.

We supported PA’s Global Innovation and Technology Centre Innovation Day, where 30 school children explored STEM careers through hands-on activities, and contributed to a House of Commons roundtable on leveraging science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) skills to futureproof the workforce. We also launched a new partnership with Tech She Can and The PA Foundation, which will train champions to deliver school programmes from January 2026.

Driving allyship and inclusion

Allyship was a cornerstone of our activity this year. We focused on moving beyond performative gestures to foster authentic allyship – the kind that drives real cultural change by turning awareness into action. Authentic allyship means consistently advocating equity, challenging bias, and creating spaces where underrepresented voices are heard and valued.

On International Women in Engineering Day we co-hosted an event with our strategic partner, Jacobs, on inclusive design and the future of engineering skills, bringing together over 50 of our experts for a thought-provoking discussion. The group reflected on what inclusive design truly means – creating environments, experiences, and solutions that work for everyone. This included considering diverse characteristics and contexts such as height, disability, age, maternity/paternity, and socio-cultural background.

Elsewhere throughout the year, we hosted engaging workshops on curating a personal brand and practicing authentic allyship, exploring themes such as the power of active allyship and the courage to speak up, even when finding the right words feels challenging. We explored practical ways to strengthen allyship both in the workplace and in everyday life, including listening with intention and amplifying others’ voices in meetings. In the US, our largest event of the year – a hybrid workshop on Practicing active allyship in difficult situations, welcomed over 90 attendees across five offices, while our external speaker event with Lisa Futato from Vicarious Surgical inspired further dialogue on inclusion. These initiatives reinforced our commitment to embedding inclusivity into design, practising active allyship, and preparing for the AI-driven future of engineering.

To foster connection and community, we organised informal meetups such as quiz nights and speed networking, creating a welcoming and supportive environment for colleagues to build relationships and share experiences.

Innovating and networking through hackathons and mentoring

Our WiT Hackathon brought together more than 70 professionals from technology, healthcare, and consultancy sectors to tackle real-world health challenges. The winning solution, Plate by Plate, addressed cultural dietary needs, demonstrating how diverse, multidisciplinary teams can deliver client-relevant innovations that drive inclusion and empowerment. Our volunteers also supported the Stemettes Hackathon, where participants aged five to 25 explored inclusive innovation at the intersection of architecture and bio-design, presenting sustainability-focused solutions to a panel of judges.

Our award-winning mentoring scheme also continued to grow, with 54 mentees and 61 mentors participating in our dedicated scheme in 2025. And, our guest lectures at Cambridge University and STEM sessions for UK school children expanded our reach and helped us engage even more of the next generation of women in STEM.

Looking ahead

This last year was a year of growth, innovation, and community impact. As we move into 2026, WiT will continue to expand its mentoring programmes, deepen partnerships, and create inclusive spaces where women and allies thrive. We’ll broaden our reach by introducing new events in Manchester and contribute even more to our social value offerings – spanning people, planet, and prosperity. We’ll also continue to focus on inclusion and driving forward a positive impact through our community initiatives.