Tech Women Community: candid conversations about the role of women in the tech industry
IT ClusterOn October 12th, an incredible meeting of the Tech Women Community took place, organized by Kharkiv IT Cluster, with a focus on “Key Challenges for Women in the Tech Industry. Building Relationships. The Role of Women in the Tech Sector.” The event was part of the IT Cluster in the Cloud project, supported by the USAID “Competitive Economy of Ukraine” program, aimed at supporting small and medium-sized companies that have partially relocated their teams due to geopolitical and economic challenges.
Why are women true powerhouses in Ukrainian IT, and what challenges do female leaders and professionals face? The event became a lively dialogue among experts, exchanging expectations and thoughts, inspiring further development in the field of IT, and emphasizing the vital role of women in the technology industry.
The event featured speakers from small and medium-sized IT companies with expertise in various areas:
📌 Iva Kozlovska, CEO and co-founder of Qubit Labs, WiT Ukraine.
📌 Marta Romanyak, VP of Global Branding at Avenga.
📌 Irina Dovganyk, CFO of Sombra.
As an additional bonus, the event invited Elena Samborska, Managing Director/HR Operations Director for Ukraine at Luxoft Ukraine and President of IT Ukraine Association, to share her experiences with the participants.
The event was moderated by Olga Shapoval, Executive Director of Kharkiv IT Cluster.
Participants discussed important topics, addressed the primary challenges faced by women in the tech world, and provided practical advice regarding the role of women in the technology industry.
Communication Among Women on Social Media During Times of Conflict
“Some clients who do not understand what is happening. We have clients we’ve been working with for over 5 years. One of them asked me, ‘Where should I send salt? Because there’s information that Ukraine has run out of salt.’ I tried to convince him that there was no issue with salt, but it was better to send money. However, we also explained that if you are unable to donate and you are interested in helping Ukraine, the best way is to hire Ukrainian developers who will pay taxes and support our country,” shared Iva Kozlovska.
Women can play a crucial role in disseminating objective and verified information during periods of conflict and war. They can support one another and contribute to knowledge sharing.
Public Representation of Women in Business
Involving women in high-level positions in the technology industry fosters diversity and decision-making. Women’s communities provide support to women aspiring to reach higher positions and contribute to their development.
Interaction with the Audience and Information Warfare
“Some clients who do not understand what is happening. We have clients we’ve been working with for over 5 years. One of them asked me, ‘Where should I send salt? Because there’s information that Ukraine has run out of salt.’ I tried to convince him that there was no issue with salt, but it was better to send money. However, we also explained that if you are unable to donate and you are interested in helping Ukraine, the best way is to hire Ukrainian developers who will pay taxes and support our country,” shared Iva Kozlovska.
Women can play a crucial role in shaping Ukraine’s image in the world and influencing how events are perceived. They can help combat disinformation and provide an objective perspective on the situation.
Support for Initiatives and Charitable Events
“We continue to live, despite everything, and, as I see it, this strongly emphasizes the qualities of business that we want to convey to our clients. So, I advocate for reflecting your real life and experiences, emphasizing your stance, supporting specific initiatives, collections, donations, while not forgetting that we are capable of creating miracles, regardless of external conditions,” shared Irina Dovganyk.
Women’s communities can play a vital role in mobilizing support and aiding various charitable initiatives aimed at improving the situation in Ukraine.
The question of balancing work and family has always been relevant.
During the meeting, there was a discussion about the idea of freezing the business for the winter, allowing everyone to focus on finding warmth and food in Ukraine. However, it was emphasized that the best way to support families is by providing employment, and this type of assistance could potentially harm the business.
Participants stressed the importance of achieving a harmonious balance and mutual understanding between employers and working women, as well as supporting each other in making significant decisions.
This engaging discussion demonstrated that women in the technology field are becoming increasingly active and influential, and their thoughts and experiences are crucial for the industry’s continued development. The exchange of ideas and mutual support are key factors that help overcome challenges and achieve success in the tech sector. Participants of the event left inspired and ready for new challenges.
📹 If you didn’t have the opportunity to attend the meeting in person or would like to watch the event, you can follow this link. The meeting is available on the Kharkiv IT Cluster YouTube channel.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our Tech Women Community speakers at Kharkiv IT Cluster for their participation in the discussion.
The Tech Women Community is created by Kharkiv IT Cluster to bring together women working in the industry who aspire to achieve new heights. The cluster provides a platform for sharing knowledge, experience, and best practices. By facilitating interactive events and discussions, Kharkiv IT Cluster helps women grow into influential leaders in the technology field and promotes the development of women-led initiatives and projects in the industry.
We extend our thanks to the following companies for their support in the information space, making our event valuable to a wide audience of IT companies: Women in Tech Ukraine, 1991 Accelerator, Happy Monday, Ukrainian Startup Fund, IT Cluster Ivano-Frankivsk, Ugen, CyberBionic Systematics, Tucha, Hurma, and IT Ukraine Association.
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