The Girls in Tech nonprofit women’s tech community has announced the closure after 17 years. Founder Adriana Gascoigne shared the sad news with a heavy heart.
In a recent interview, Gascoigne expressed her gratitude for the 17-year journey, despite the organization’s unfortunate end.
Established in 2007, Girls in Tech aimed to empower women in the tech industry, a group that has historically been underrepresented in a male-dominated field.
Gascoigne made the difficult decision after the group expanded its reach to more than 250,000 individuals across 35 chapters in 30 countries and operating on six continents. Originally based in Silicon Valley, Gascoigne relocated the organization to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2022 due to the pandemic.
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During its operation, Girls in Tech offered a variety of programs such as mentorship initiatives, hackathons, coding bootcamps, conferences, startup challenges, global classrooms, podcasts, blogs, job boards, and a merchandise shop. The organization hosted numerous in-person and virtual events, delivering educational and engaging content. Gascoigne also authored a book detailing her journey with Girls in Tech.
Despite facing financial constraints, Gascoigne remained resilient and tried to secure funding for the nonprofit. However, she encountered challenges as major tech companies reduced their support for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
In her recent newsletter, Gascoigne expressed her deep appreciation for the Girls in Tech community and encouraged members to continue the fight against gender disparity in the tech industry.
Below is an edited transcript of our interview with Gascoigne.
GamesBeat: It’s a bittersweet moment to reconnect with you during this challenging time for Girls in Tech.
… (continued conversation with Gascoigne)
