As an organization specializing in large events management, WomenTech Network has curated a list of tech hubs worldwide that prioritize creating women-friendly environments in the tech industry. Tech hubs play a vital role in housing tech companies and providing them with access to a skilled workforce capable of fulfilling various tech job vacancies. These cities, and the respective hibs featured below, prioritize fostering an inclusive and supportive atmosphere for women in technology.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands possesses a thriving tech scene alongside a vibrant cultural milieu, and serves as the headquarters for numerous prominent tech companies and startups. Despite its modest population of 800,000 inhabitants, this city offers an exceptional quality of life enriched by its picturesque rivers and extensive cycling paths, fostering a harmonious work-life balance. Amsterdam has gained renown for its ability to attract tech professionals by implementing an "ex-pat tax," a favorable tax system tailored for individuals who opt to relocate to Amsterdam for employment purposes.
Our pick for a women-friendly tech hub in Amsterdam goes to ASIF Ventures.
ASIF Ventures, headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage startups that focus on innovative solutions in sustainability and social impact. Their primary goal is to provide funding, mentorship, and networking resources to support the growth and success of these startups. ASIF Ventures is driven by a mission to contribute to a sustainable future while delivering financial returns to their investors.
Austin
Austin, Texas (U.S.) continues to grow into an emerging tech hub as more and more unicorns and tech giants are planting roots.
As Californians flee the high living costs of California, the migration of tech companies from Silicon Valley to Austin seems natural with the rise of remote work. Austin's attractive features, including no personal income tax and a lower cost of living, have made it appealing to both workers and employers.
Even with the intense competition, Howdy.com tops our list as a women-friendly tech hub in Austin.
Howdy helps companies hire product-oriented developers at unparalleled rates, available to work in your time zone, with the highest retention rate in the industry.
They take care of everything: from sourcing and vetting to payroll, compliance, and procurement. In fact, they have a physical presence in the cities where they operate. This instantly validates who is working for you, and improves their retention, team culture, and overall communication. These are aspects that no freelancer platform can provide.
We bolster our business by employing talented women with an engineering background as mentors. They provide support to both our talents and partners, enabling them to thrive in their careers and businesses. These mentors bring unique knowledge, experiences, and values to our business that raise the bar and help us distinguish ourselves from the competition.
Barcelona
Barcelona stands out as one of the most prominent tech hubs in Europe, drawing a significant number of developers due to its amalgamation of developer communities, cultural richness, and its close proximity to both beaches and nature. Barcelona presents an appealing work-life balance, accompanied by a pleasant climate and abundant opportunities for immersing oneself in a vibrant cultural experience.
New Relic earns our vote as a women-friendly tech hub in Barcelona. The company helps engineers and developers excel using data throughout the software lifecycle. Their powerful cloud-based platform, New Relic One, enables companies to create superior software. Trust New Relic for improved performance, scalability, and accelerated time to market.
DE&I is part of everything we do at New Relic. Creating a place of belonging empowers our employees to do their best work. Our mission is to create and sustain a diverse and inclusive environment for Relics through a foundation of equity and systemic organizational change. Our culture is genuine, honest, and inclusive, and encourages each of us to be ourselves at work, every day.
Dublin
Ireland, known as the 'Silicon Valley of Europe,' is home to major global tech companies. With an annual €16bn contribution to the economy, it ranks second in software service exports, just after the US. Dublin's journey as a leading European tech hub started over 60 years ago with IBM, followed by HP, Microsoft, Dell, Intel, SAP, and more. Today, it hosts renowned giants like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn, Yahoo, and eBay, solidifying its significance in the tech scene.
Qualtrics Opens New EMEA Headquarters in Dublin City Centre & Unveils Plans for Innovation Centre
The opening of the state-of-the-art building marks 10 years of investment and expansion in Ireland by Qualtrics since the US-headquartered company set up a Dublin base as its first office outside of the United States in 2013. Costello House is Qualtric's largest office in EMEA and the base for the company to target further international expansion.
The depth of talent we are able to access in Ireland makes it a perfect place for our EMEA headquarters,” said Brad Anderson, President of Products and Engineering at Qualtrics. “As we continue to build across EMEA, the XM Innovation Centre will be central to our ability to drive innovation with unrivalled uses of new technologies to deliver exceptional experiences to organisations worldwide.
Lisbon
Lisbon, Portugal has recently gained prominence as a notable tech hub in Europe. The city provides an inclusive community, a delightful climate, affordable living expenses, and a flourishing startup ecosystem. For individuals seeking a work environment that evokes a holiday atmosphere while working with computers, we highly recommend considering Lisbon.
Synopsys is the go-to women-friendly tech hub in Lisbon, according to our selection.
Synopsys enables leading companies to incorporate intelligence, security, and safety into their next-gen products. From silicon to software, they assist customers in meeting essential goals for power, speed, connectivity, mobility, and reliability that are crucial for the future of Smart Everything.
At the core of cutting-edge advancements in work and entertainment, Synopsys technology drives transformative innovations. Autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, the cloud, and 5G are revolutionizing the way we live and interact.
Women have an important place in technology and at Synopsys women are empowered. We actively partner with our ally organizations, drive strategic initiatives, host and attend events, and engage in social media campaigns to promote women in semiconductor and STEM fields around the globe.
With an emphasis on supporting gender equality, we champion an environment of respect for every individual—where women in tech are recruited, valued, and celebrated for the talents and expertise they bring to our business.
London
London, renowned as the largest tech hub in Europe, boasts a thriving technological landscape where startups and tech giants thrive. This multifaceted city offers an array of advantages, including a myriad of tech companies to explore and countless activities to engage in. Moreover, developers are generously compensated for their work. However, akin to many global capitals, London confronts the challenges of exorbitant living expenses and extensive commuting durations. For food enthusiasts, London stands as an epicurean paradise, offering diverse culinary experiences from across the globe.
We highly recommend Yelp as a women-friendly tech hub in the vibrant city of London.
Yelp serves as a platform that connects individuals with exceptional local businesses. Offering an unparalleled range of local business information, photos, and reviews, Yelp provides consumers with a comprehensive and convenient platform to discover, connect with, and engage local businesses of various scales. From requesting quotes and joining waitlists to making reservations, appointments, or purchases, Yelp simplifies the process for users. Established in 2004, Yelp originated in San Francisco.
“Yelp is a global, remote-first workplace that values authenticity. We create an inclusive environment where people feel they belong and are empowered to make meaningful contributions both inside and outside work. Over the years our employee resource groups, such as Awesome Women in Engineering and Women in Product, continue to promote mentorship and networking opportunities for women, non-binary folks, and our allies. We believe in empowering women and creating a valued and supportive environment where they can thrive.” Grace Jiras Yuan, Director of Technical Talent Operations
Madrid
Madrid is renowned for its vibrant art scene, thrilling nightlife, and its role as the cultural heart of Spain. In addition to these qualities, the Spanish capital has emerged as a buzzing hotspot for startups, boasting success stories like Cabify and Spotahome, among others. It houses various innovation hubs such as ImpactHub, TheCube, and Utopicus, while hosting notable events like Women in Tech Madrid amongst others. With its impressive ranking as the third-largest global hub for coworking spaces, the city offers abundant and affordable office spaces
Taxfix is an exemplary tech hub fostering inclusivity and gender equality in Madrid, according to our assessment. Headquartered in Germany, it strives to simplify the process of filing taxes for individuals. Combining human expertise with digital power, they provide a personalized and efficient tax-filing experience. Their user-friendly app guides users through each step of their tax return, ensuring they benefit from all applicable deductions. With over 5 million app downloads in Germany, Italy and SpainTaxfix is Europe's leading mobile tax platform. In addition, the company has garnered recognition for its innovative approach, including being named one of the 50 Best Fintechs to Work For in 2021 by Fintech Magazine.
"Taxfix is a trailblazer in fostering gender equality and empowering women to thrive as leaders within the company. By providing a supportive and inclusive environment, Taxfix cultivates opportunities for women to excel and make their mark in the tax tech industry. Through their commitment to equality and diversity, Taxfix is not just transforming the tax-filing experience but also shaping a future where women can rise, lead, and achieve their fullest potential."
Romina Aswani, Lead Product Manager at Taxfix
Toronto
Toronto's tech workforce is experiencing a rapid growth rate surpassing any tech hub in the United States. Unlike many other cities, Toronto possesses the necessary resources to sustain this trend. As the fourth-largest city in North America, with a population of around three million in the city and over six million in the metropolitan area, Toronto ranks only behind Mexico City, New York, and Los Angeles in terms of size. Moreover, the city boasts deep-rooted connections to the technology industry.
Rakuten Kobo stands out as our recommended women-friendly tech hub in Toronto.
Rakuten Kobo is a global digital bookseller that connects book lovers to stories worldwide. Owned by Rakuten Group, Inc. and based in Toronto, it offers a vast selection of eBooks and audiobooks, accessible anytime, anywhere, and on any device. With a focus on making reading lives better for all, Rakuten Kobo provides personalized curation of eBooks and audiobooks, along with dedicated eReaders and apps. Their open platform allows readers to enjoy books in more moments of their busy lives.
At Rakuten Kobo, we pride ourselves on our inclusive and collaborative work culture. We know that innovation requires an environment that prioritizes diversity of thought. From recruiting for a new role to onboarding an employee, we support training and development with career advancement opportunities. Our success is made possible by the hardworking people that make Kobo not only a great product but a great place to work and grow your career,”
Jacqueline Bezely, Manager, Global Recruitment, Rakuten Kobo.
If you didn't come across your hub on the list, please feel free to reach out to us if you're interested in getting involved in the community and/or participating in Part 2 of the round-up focusing on women in tech-friendly hubs. We welcome your engagement and would be glad to hear from you!
