Girls in Tech was a global non-profit organization focused on the engagement, education, and empowerment of women in technology.[1] Founded in 2007 by Adriana Gascoigne, the organization had grown from San Francisco to more than 50 chapters located in North America, Europe, Asia, The Middle East, Africa, and South America.[2][3] On July 8, 2024 the CEO announced they would be closing due to lack of funding.[4] It had 130,000 members across 38 countries.
 | |
| Industry | Global Non-Profit |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founders | Adriana Gascoigne |
| Defunct | 2024 (announced) |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Key people | Adriana Gascoigne (Founder, CEO) |
| Website | girlsintech |
History
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In February 2007, Gascoigne Launched Girls in Tech in San Francisco after noticing she was one of the only females at her tech company.[5]
In July 2008, the second chapter of Girls in Tech launched in Los Angeles.[6]
In December 2008, Girls in Tech New York launched.[7]
In January 2009, the first international chapter of Girls in Tech launched in London simultaneously with new chapters in Austin, Boston, and Portland.[8]
In April 2015, at a Girls in Tech conference in Phoenix, Tania Katan introduced "It Was Never a Dress", that re-imagined the generic symbol for a woman on bathroom signs as wearing a cape instead of a dress.[9]
As of July 2015, there were 47 chapters around the world.[10]
In January 2016, ESPN Women partnered with Girls in Tech for a Hackathon ahead of the Super Bowl.[11]
In May 2016, Girls in Tech partnered with Traction Labs to offer free San Francisco office space to women and minority entrepreneurs.[12]
In 2022 they moved their headquarters to Nashville from San Francisco.[citation needed]
On July 8, 2024, Girls in Tech announced on X that the organization was closing.[4]
Programs
editIn March 2021, Girls in Tech launched an initiative to end gender disparity in boardrooms. Dubbed "Half the Board: 50/50 by 2025," the initiative called upon organizations to commit to gender parity in their boardrooms by 2025. Half the Board: 50/50 by 2025 asked organizations and individuals to commit to taking action to ensure women comprise at least 50 percent of corporate boards in the technology industry. The effort included an open letter penned by Girls in Tech board members to tech leaders demanding gender parity by Dec. 24, 2024. The campaign launched as part of the organization's efforts supporting Women's History Month and International Women's Day, and Girls in Tech Founder and CEO Adriana Gascoigne wrote an op-ed that ran in Newsweek about the need for a "gender parity moonshot" that amplified the initiative. [13] [14]
Girls in Tech has created a number of programs to increase the number of women working in technology, including Global Classroom, an online learning platform that provides access to online courses and resources to improve knowledge in STEM related fields.[15] Other programs include the Amplify Pitch Competition,[16] Mentorship,[17] and tech job openings, amongst others.[18]
In October 2021, Girls in Tech teamed with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to get more women into public sector jobs through a mentorship and training initiative. [citation needed]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "10 Women in Tech Orgs You Should Know". The Huffington Post. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
- ^ "How 'Girls In Tech Indonesia' is Aiming to Engage and Inspire". Tech In Asia. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ "Girls in Tech: Engaging Women in The Tech Space". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ a b "Girls in Tech shutting down due to lack of funding". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
- ^ "Adriana Gascoigne on How Girls in Tech Can Get Women to Infiltrate Silicon Valley". VentureBeat. 4 September 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
- ^ "Hard Out There for a Chick: Girls in Tech Starts L.A. Chapter". Los Angeles Times. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2008.
- ^ "No Men Allowed: Girls in Tech Expands to New York, LA, And Beyond". Silicon Valley Watcher. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
- ^ "What's It Like To Be a Girl in Tech". Fast Company. 19 January 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
- ^ "The Women's Bathroom Sign You Can't Unsee (And Won't Want To)". The Huffington Post. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
- ^ "Girls in Tech: Engaging Women in The Tech Space". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ^ "espnW Presents: Girls in Tech Super Football App Challenge". ESPN. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ "Silicon Valley Marketing Tech Firm Offers Free Office Space to Women and Minority Entrepreneurs". VentureBeat. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
- ^ "'Half the Board': Demanding Gender Parity in Tech Boardrooms by 2025 - Ms. Magazine". 6 March 2021.
- ^ "Time for a gender parity 'moonshot' in tech boardrooms | Opinion". Newsweek. 24 March 2021.
- ^ "Girls in Tech Launches The Global Classroom". Dev Battles. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2007.
- ^ "It's Time For Women with Great Ideas to Ignite Their Company's Visibility and Growth". Vator.tv. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- ^ "Top Five Women Tech Organizations: Building Networks and Bridging the Gap". The Huffington Post. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
- ^ "Women in Technology: No Progress on Inequality for 10 Years". The Guardian. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.