As 2024 comes to a close, TechWomen reflects on an incredible year of achievements, connections, and advancements for women in Aotearoa New Zealand’s tech sector. From inspiring events and impactful initiatives to increased industry collaboration, this year has been a testament to the power of fostering diversity and inclusion in technology. Join us as we look back on the highlights that made 2024 a remarkable year.
Record Community Growth
The TechWomen community now has nearly 800 members, up 25% and still growing, with a wider network of over 3,000 subscribers to our newsletter and LinkedIn group.
Our Foundation Partners
As we reflect on 2024, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible foundation partners, Deloitte New Zealand and Westpac New Zealand, for their unwavering support and commitment to our shared goals.
Deloitte New Zealand once again demonstrated their invaluable support for our key programs, hosting mentoring circles in Wellington and Hamilton, as well as ShadowTech events in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. Their unparalleled expertise in digital, cloud services, and innovation, combined with their commitment to fostering an equitable and sustainable world, aligns seamlessly with our values. We deeply appreciate their investment in sustainability, Māori business services, and AI, and the meaningful impact they continue to make across communities and through their partnership with TechWomen.
Westpac New Zealand supports our mission through ShadowTech to inspire young girls and boost diversity in tech, and their commitment to gender equality, climate action, and reducing financial exclusion is inspiring. On Ada Lovelace Day, we joined forces with Westpac to celebrate the incredible achievements of women in tech through a Female Tech Leaders Panel. Our inspiring panellists — Annie Vella, Sara Stockley-Smith, Lydia Paul, Julie Bremner, and Perrin Rowland shared their journeys, challenges, and the opportunities they’ve embraced in their careers.
Thank you, Deloitte New Zealand and Westpac New Zealand, for your continued support and partnership in empowering women and advancing technology for a better future. We look forward to the exciting work ahead as we continue to create meaningful change together.
Welcoming our new Associate and Supporting Partners
This year, we were thrilled to welcome CyberCX as a new associate partner. As a leading independent trans-Tasman provider of cyber security services, CyberCX shares our commitment to advancing gender equity and diversirt, particularly in the cyber security industry. Throughout the year, they hosted our Christchurch Mentoring Circles program in their office, and supported ShadowTech Day. We are excited to continue building our relationship with CyberCX and to work together to create positive change.
We were also excited to partner with Tuatahi First Fibre, a key player in Aotearoa’s ultrafast broadband space. With their extensive fibre optic network across 6,000 km, Tuatahi has been supporting our ShadowTech Day and Mentoring Circles in the Waikato region. We’re excited to continue working with them to create positive change and empower women in tech.
And a big welcome to Ricoh as our newest supporting partner! As a global technology provider, Ricoh helps empower digital workplaces. We’re delighted to have Ricoh’s support and look forward to working together to reach and empower more wāhine across Aotearoa’s tech ecosystem.
Women Across Generations Series
In celebration of TechWeek24, our Women Across Generations Series highlighted the career journeys of women from Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Featuring interviews with Amanda Watson, Esther Wafula, Vanessa Leite, Meg Ryan, and Amanda Veldman, this series explored how they relate to the stereotypes of their generation, the impact of ShadowTech on our younger wāhine, and the opportunities available for women in tech today.
If you haven’t already, you can read more below:
Events
This year, we hosted seven events, bringing together over 1,000 attendees in total. Starting with International Women’s Day in March, we explored a range of engaging topics, including lessons from pop culture, strategies for encouraging and attracting women into IT, female leadership, and the evolving role of AI. We wrapped up the year with end-of-year celebrations in Wellington and Auckland, generously hosted by CyberCX.
ShadowTech
This year, participation in ShadowTech grew by an incredible 60%, with over 1,000 girls in Years 9–11 spending the day with businesses across the country. They gained firsthand experience of what working in tech is all about, sparking inspiration to explore career pathways in the industry.
We also continued to expand to new regions, adding Gisborne and Timaru to our existing locations: Hamilton, Cambridge, Wellington, Tauranga, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Auckland.
Save the date: ShadowTech25 is happening from Tuesday, 5 – Thursday, 14 August 2025. Registrations will open in the new year!
“The kids really enjoyed themselves and had a great day. They had plenty of questions for the panel at the end, wanted to take heaps of photos, and say goodbye to everyone. The interactive sessions were really engaging, as were the talks from the different departments. Overall, it was an awesome experience for the girls, which I hope they keep in mind as they get older and think about careers. We appreciate the mahi of all involved.” – Feedback from Waitakere College.
Check out the ShadowTech highlights here:
Mentoring Circles
Once again, we saw a significant increase in participation—over 60%, with more than 200 participants across 20 in-person circles (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, and Queenstown) and 10 virtual circles. These discussions lay the foundation for empowering our women in tech to excel and set them up for future success.
Each of our circles is as unique as its mentees and mentors, ranging from our newest graduates to aspiring product owners and those ready to make their mark in senior leadership. Some of this year’s topics included career growth, diversity and inclusion, executive influence, building cross-functional teams, and work-life integration. Learn more.
“I really enjoyed the chance to talk to people outside of my organisation and getting different perspectives. It was very insightful and helpful, and also realising that I could also share my experiences, advice, and ideas. After each mentor circle session, I felt really empowered and more confident.” – Mentee, 2024
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of TechWomen in 2024. Your support, involvement, and dedication are what make this community thrive, and we couldn’t have done it without you!
