A powerful panel discussion at the Women in Tech Day at Birmingham Tech Week has shone a spotlight on the barriers that women still face in the tech sector, from unconscious bias to rigid working structures and a lack of visibility at senior levels.
Birmingham-based AI entrepreneur Davina Schonle (Founder, HumanVantage AI) shared her personal experience of being turned away from a high-profile industry event earlier this year, simply because she had her baby with her.
Davina said: “So many of us get unintentionally excluded due to subconscious bias. As a new parent and a business founder, I’m constantly navigating overlapping challenges, such as what’s considered disruptive, and what’s deemed acceptable. These are issues that affect all parents, but they’ve historically impacted women more.”
“When I was refused entry to an event because I had my young baby with me, it wasn’t out of malice – it was because the organisers hadn’t even considered that a tech entrepreneur might also be a parent. It was an afterthought.”
The media attention that followed allowed Davina to raise awareness of a wider issue that affects women across all sectors, not just tech. She emphasised that real progress relies on active male allyship, which must be demonstrated through action rather than intention. To her, meaningful support includes mentorship, access to networks, and shared visibility.
Davina also highlighted flexible working as a key equaliser. “In my experience, many women leave tech because the working patterns are too rigid. It shouldn’t be about working set hours, it should be about achieving key outcomes. More flexible policies would benefit employees across all levels, especially for those balancing demanding roles with caregiving.”
The panel, hosted by Elisabeth Lewis-Jones, CEO of Liquid, also featured Alex Bellingham (Director of Growth Lending Tech Sector, HSBC), Lin Lowdon (Head of EMS at Good Growth), and Rebecca Bignold (CEO and Co-Founder of Fibraxis Ltd).
Lin Lowdon highlighted the lack of female representation in the C-suite, suggesting that confidence may be holding some women back from pursuing senior roles. Rebecca Bignold pointed to the fear of non-linear career paths as a deterrent for many aspiring female entrepreneurs.
Closing the session, Alex Bellingham offered a message of empowerment: “We often focus on what we don’t have when we look at others, but what we should be doing is focusing on what we do have that makes us great and different from the rest. And then do the same for others – tell them they’re great.”