At a pivotal moment for women in technology, the Ladies Who Tech: AI Era conference emerged not just as an event, but as a powerful testament to community-driven resilience. On 21st November 2025, over 220 female tech leaders filled etc. venues County Hall, with its breathtaking backdrop of the Westminster skyline, creating a vital space for support and strategy at a time when major corporations are notably scaling back dedicated women career and educational programs.
The sold-out conference served as a clear signal: in the isolating age of AI and amidst shifting corporate priorities, women are proactively building the essential networks they need to thrive, lead, and uplift one another.
Community as the Critical Infrastructure
“As intelligence becomes artificial, belonging becomes essential,” was more than a track theme – it was the day’s lived reality. The event demonstrated that peer-to-peer mentorship, founder advice and shared experiences are becoming the most reliable career infrastructure available. Sessions on entrepreneurial journeys, executive leadership, and navigating fintech and legal tech provided the practical, real-world guidance that formal programs once offered.
The conference visibly rejected the notion that tech leadership and motherhood exist in separate spheres. Here, the mothers in the room were not attendees with a side role; they were the ‘ladies who tech,’ participating fully. This active inclusivity proved that a true community doesn’t accommodate but fundamentally embraces every facet of its members’ lives.
A Thriving Ecosystem Built by and for Women
While corporate programs retract, the Ladies Who Tech ecosystem, boasting over 2,000 global members, is expanding. The afternoon’s twelve deep-dive tracks, from AI in Healthcare to Transformation of Software Development, were led by practitioners actively shaping the industry.
This peer-led knowledge exchange ensures that expertise and opportunity circulate within the community, creating a self-sustaining engine for growth.
Keynotes Champion the Human Imperative
The conference’s intellectual core reinforced why this community is indispensable:
Jo Bird championed “The Power of Personality in an AI World,” arguing that our unique human voices are our greatest professional assets – assets best honed in community.
Sophie Neary of Google addressed gender gaps head-on, highlighting that progress now depends on intentional, collective advocacy.
Dr. Emily Hunter Blair (Flo Health) and Natallia Miranchuk (SOULA) focused on the irreplaceable value of human expertise and emotional intelligence – qualities fostered through connection and shared understanding. “Every morning send 10 messages to your girls. Find your village,” shared her core philosophy Miranchuk.
Where Communities Converge
Ladies Who Tech is built on the principle that real change happens at the intersection of communities. By intentionally inviting and uniting diverse partners, such as Affina Space, Bloom UK, BYP Network, Founders Connect, La Visionnaire, LSESU Entrepreneurs, She Shapes AI and Women@Tech, the platform creates a powerful, unified front.
This collaborative model proves that fostering women in tech transcends any single organisation; it is a shared mission that strengthens the entire technological ecosystem.
Maria MacDonald, Co-Founder, Ladies Who Tech
“The idea of the conference was simple – to create all-women stage because we can. Many of us saw numerous tech conferences where they have been the only females on stage. We saw this as an opportunity to say – there are so many ladies in tech, and they surely have something to say.
“Representation matters. We are not revolutionising anything as it’s common to boast in press-releases, we just give more light to those who already work in tech as it is. We cherry-pick professionals who can present at any event – from Web Summit to Fintech conferences.”
Anna Sholina, Co-Founder, Ladies Who Tech
“AI is transforming industries at extraordinary speed, but technology alone doesn’t build sustainable progress – people do. What we saw at AI Era was not just knowledge exchange, but collective strategy. Women across fintech, legal tech, health and software are stepping forward not to adapt to change, but to direct it. When you bring 220 ambitious women into one room with a shared purpose, you’re not hosting an event – you’re accelerating an ecosystem. The future of AI cannot be shaped in rooms where women are underrepresented, and as a solution – we’re building rooms where they lead.”
A Statement of Autonomy and Strength
The conference was organised and led by a team of senior women – VC partners, founders, product leaders, and coaches – symbolising a move towards self-determined support systems. In doing so, Ladies Who Tech sent a powerful message: women in tech are not waiting for permission or provision. They are architecting their own platforms, defining their own leadership, and ensuring that as AI transforms the industry, women are not merely included but are instrumental in guiding its direction.
The resounding sentiment from attendees captured the essence: “a room full of women who had each other’s back.”
For more information or to join the community, visit https://ladieswhotech.co.uk or follow us on LinkedIn. Next conference is planned for May, 2026.
About Ladies Who Tech
Ladies Who Tech is a London-based platform started by Maria MacDonald and Anna Sholina closing the gender gap in STEM and serving as a connector for women’s communities with a similar mission. It provides a space for visibility, connection, and practical support, empowering women to lead and shape an inclusive technological future.
