Women have the skills and ambition to stay in tech, but too many hurdles are forcing them out, writes Vanessa Vallely in today’s Notebook

Women are being driven out of tech

Women in tech only make up 20 per cent of the tech industry, but the ones who are here are building products, leading teams, solving problems and driving innovation. But when the promotions, opportunities and senior roles are handed out, suddenly it’s ‘Error 404: Woman Not Found’. As a result women are leaving the industry twice as fast as men. Women have the ambition and skills to progress in tech, but too many hurdles stand in their way. From a lack of visibility to career progression, strategic relationships, difficult conversations, workplace politics, mentoring, sponsorship and advocacy.

It’s a business-critical failure for the UK, and one that puts our ability to lead in tech, particularly in AI, at serious risk. The Love Lace report found that the tech industry is losing between £2bn and £3.5bn every year due to a broken career framework – one that is driving talent out of the sector, with women disproportionately affected. If we want the UK to remain globally competitive, we need more women entering, staying and progressing within the technology sector.

My new book: ‘404 Women Not Found: How women can survive, thrive and shape the future of tech’ is a manual to give women the chance to get that advice from female tech legends who have been in their shoes, and know first-hand the barriers and how to break them.

Women in technology do not need more warm words about the scale of the problem; they need access to skills, networks and opportunities that help them move forward. This is a problem for all of us. Technology is integral to all of our lives, and it shouldn’t be underpinned by half of the population alone.

Women in Tech Week

100 free events across the UK have been announced for Women in Tech Week 2026, 12th–16th October, to attract, develop, retain and celebrate women in technology. The UK’s only national week dedicated to championing women in technology brings together an ecosystem of global technology companies and financial institutions, charities, professional networks and community groups.

Free of charge, this year’s events cover artificial intelligence, data, cyber security, career development, leadership, confidence, wellbeing, and future skills. Participating organisations include Lloyds, Accenture, Bank of America, Nimble Approach, PwC, NatWest, Oliver Wyman, House of Commons, Northern Trust, Colt Technology Services and PA Consulting.

Quote of the week

Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you

Ruth Bader Ginsberg; We have to turn the gender tide, and to do that we need to take men and women on that journey together.

Taking time out

We spend so much of our lives rushing from one thing to the next that sometimes we need to physically stop and reset. The Revival Shed in Leigh-on-Sea is all about doing exactly that. Through cold water immersion, breathwork and taking time away from the everyday noise, it gives you an opportunity to slow down, challenge yourself and reset your system. There is something incredibly powerful about stepping into that cold bath, controlling your breathing and focusing on absolutely nothing else but that moment. For me, it is also a reminder that looking after ourselves has to be part of the diary, not something we squeeze in when everything else is done. Sometimes taking time out, breathing and doing something completely different is exactly the reset we need.

My podcast pick

On my podcast, 404: Women Not Found, we have honest conversations with female tech legends including Edwina Dunn OBE, Professor Sue Black OBE, Jacqueline de Rojas CBE, Dr Heather Melville OBE, Sheridan Ash MBE, Vivienne Artz OBE, Debbie Forster MBE and many more. We rip the plaster off topics that matter most to women, from confidence to sponsorship and AI. Raw conversations with remarkable women that have been there, done it and have advice for the next generation.

Vanessa Vallely OBE is a leading voice of gender equity in business and the founder of We are the City