Kia ora
October already! Goodness, this year has flown. For me, our annual Ada Lovelace Day event always marks the final quarter of the year. Spring has sprung, the birds are singing at 4:30am, and flowers are beginning to bloom. Work goes bonkers as we all try to cram three months’ work into eight weeks, while people start planning summer holidays and Secret Santas. We haven’t even reached Halloween yet, and Christmas chocolate boxes are already on supermarket shelves.
Speaking of which, our next event is our in-person end-of-year Christmas networking event, hosted by CyberCX, part of Accenture. See below for details.
This year has seen the continued success of ShadowTech, with growth in participants, hosts and supporters. Check out our Podcast to hear from a student who participated, her mum, who was a host, and other members of Tech Women.
Mentoring Circles are also in full flow around the country, with sessions taking place in Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Christchurch, Queenstown and online. Participants have been grouped around shared goals and interests, and four rounds of sessions are now underway. Conversations have covered everything from career growth and leadership to AI, challenges and personal experiences. It has been wonderful to see women building connections and a supportive community through advice, shared learning and introductions across their networks.
We are now heading into the final sessions of the 2026 programme, which wraps up in November — bringing women together to learn, grow, build confidence and support one another in their careers.
Deloitte hosted this year’s Ada Lovelace Day event, celebrating women in STEM. Read more below about our Demystifying AI — From Curiosity to Confidence workshop, delivered across Wellington, Auckland and online.
As we head into the final stretch of the year, I hope you’ll keep exploring, connecting and backing one another along the way.
Ngā mihi nui,
Amanda Watson
Tech Women Executive Team
Event Highlights
Ada Lovelace Day 2026: Demystifying AI – From Curiosity to Confidence
This year, we took a slightly different approach, delivering a practical workshop across Wellington, Auckland and online. Demystifying AI — From Curiosity to Confidence gave attendees the opportunity to explore AI tools through prompts, scenarios, and tips and tricks for getting the most from Copilot, Claude and ChatGPT.
Our Co-Chair Eva hosted from Deloitte’s Wellington office, while Deloitte facilitators Ruby Osborne and Kensa Randle facilitated the Auckland session. Tech Women Executive Team members Amanda Veldman and Hanieh Khalesi supported online attendees, ensuring the workshop was accessible to our members across Aotearoa. Special thanks to Deloitte for hosting this year’s Ada Lovelace Day event, celebrating women in STEM. Check out an overview of the event in our latest podcast.
Rage, Rise, Radiate: Menopause Unfiltered
Last month we were proud to partner with CyberCX, part of Accenture, for Rage. Rise. Radiate: Menopause Unfiltered. It was a candid, practical conversation on menopause and workplace wellbeing with expert insights from Niki Bezzant, Kyra Seiler and Tatum Greeff.
Attendees explored the physical, professional and personal realities of menopause, from science-backed health information to strength training and wellbeing practices. As menopausal women become the fastest-growing demographic in the workforce, creating informed, supportive workplaces is not just important — it’s essential.
Upcoming Events
Tech Women & CyberCX – End of Year Celebration 2026
Join Tech Women and CyberCX, part of Accenture, in Auckland or Wellington to celebrate the end of 2026. Connect with women across Aotearoa’s tech sector, enjoy refreshments, hear from inspiring voices, and get a first look at what’s ahead in 2027.
Auckland: Wednesday 2 December, 5.00–7.30pm
Wellington: Thursday 3 December, 5.00–7.30pm
Free for members; $30 incl. GST for non-members.
Places are limited — register early.
Register here.
Read full news here: AI confidence, community connection & our end-of-year celebration | October Newsletter