Feeback on the largest intergenerational event gathering women and girls in Tech from the 16th to 19th of June 2021 on the occasion of Vivatech: Mega Women & Girls In Tech.
For the first time this year, the VivaTech partner event was organized under the impetus of Simplon, BNP Paribas, and the association Digital ladies & Allies, and in collaboration with all the collectives and networks of women in tech.
These partners, all part of the Women & Girls in Tech collective, want to see more women in the digital field. Today more than ever with Artificial intelligence and digitalization, it is important that women and girls reengage in tech for it is subject to labor shortages (170,000 to 212,000 digital jobs may not be filled in France in 2022) and low gender diversity (women only represent 16% of tech worker and 10% of students in IT engineering school.)
The main goal of this gathering is to emphasize the quantity and diversity of women candidates and generate interest among the female audience by showing professional women and young girls still uncertain about their future that they have a full part to play in tech. To do so, Women & Girls in Tech focuses on the intergenerational approach to inspire more women and girls to move towards the technological field.
Considering the sanitary situation in 2021, there was a need to adapt and create a hybrid format for Viva Technology 2021. 140,000 visitors were gathered in Paris (Porte de Versailles), including 26,000 between the 16th and the 19th of June.
Everyone was satisfied with this half-remote half on-site event: those who could not attend it, either because of long distance or health risks, as well as those who wanted to enjoy the atmosphere of the event, discover, and build their network.
This hybrid edition opened its gates to Mega Women & Girls in Tech, relayed on social media with the hashtag #WoGiTech. The partners behind this initiative, Simplon.co, BNP Paribas and the do-tank Digital Ladies & Allies, in collaboration with the collectives and networks of women in tech, hosted more than 60 workshops, discussions and round tables (online and on-site). They gathered more than 150 speakers, along with a Sketchnotes exhibition presenting #WomeninTech’s yesterday and today role models, as well as digital jobs, demystified and presented from a female perspective.
We wanted to honor Julie Ranty (CEO of VivaTech and entrepreneur), particularly committed to the cause of women in tech and digital fields.
– A quota of 40% women speakers was imposed during this event to increase their representativity in the field, a field in which they are often poorly represented.
– A contest called Female Founder Challenge to boost entrepreneurial projects, with funding assistance, visibility, and coaching was initiated.
– Salesforce has established the Equality Lounge to address topics such as salary issues, access to company positions, inclusivity and even LGBTQI+ related themes.
Make Movement, Disrupt the Lines!
#WoGiTech
#InWomenWeTrust
