TechWM launches Women in Tech Special Interest Group

Published by

Nicky Godding

TechWM, which supports the thriving West Midlands tech sector, has launched a new Women in Tech Special Interest Group, aimed at promoting gender equality and empowering women in the tech sector.

The group's mission aligns with TechWM's strategic goal of fostering growth in the region's digital economy and establishing the West Midlands as an internationally recognised tech hub.

The Women in Tech Special Interest Group aims to elevate the voices and contributions of women in the sector. The launch event, scheduled for this Thursday 18 April at Bruntwood SciTech’s Enterprise Wharf, will bring together industry leaders to recognise and celebrate the achievements of women across the tech ecosystem.

Chairing the group is Tara Attfield Tomes, founder of EAST VILLAGE., a PR agency working with tech brands that empower underserved communities. Tara emphasises the urgency of addressing gender disparities in the tech industry and highlights the group's focus on fostering diversity, supporting female founders, and promoting leadership opportunities for women.

The launch event will feature keynote speakers Lisa Slade, Managing Director at Accenture, and Jordan Dargue, Co-Founder of Lifted Ventures, along with an interactive panel discussion chaired by Kellie Kwarteng, Founder of Halzak, and host of the Elevate Women in Tech podcast. Panelists include prominent women from the region's tech scene, offering insights and perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for women in tech.

Kath Fuller, COO at TechWM, underscores the group's commitment to empowering women across the industry and announces plans for future Special Interest Groups in key areas such as cybersecurity and ESG.

This event is sponsored by the West Midlands Innovation Accelerator.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.