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Regrettably, the Girls in Tech nonprofit women’s tech community has closed its doors after 17 years. This sad announcement was made by founder Adriana Gascoigne, who expressed her deep regret over the closure.
I covered the closure and interviewed Gascoigne afterward. While I pointed out that 17 years was a significant achievement, I also lamented that the organization didn’t survive its difficulties.
Founded in 2007 by Gascoigne, Girls in Tech aimed to empower women in an industry where they have been historically underrepresented. The organization grew to reach over 250,000 individuals across 35 chapters in 30 countries. Originally based in Silicon Valley, it relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2022 amid the pandemic.
Throughout its existence, I interviewed Gascoigne multiple times. She shared how the group’s mission was vital in combating the toxic culture often found in Silicon Valley. Gascoigne, inspired by her own experiences of isolation and even a sexual harassment incident, felt driven to create a supportive community for women in tech.
Girls in Tech’s initiatives included mentorship programs, hackathons, coding bootcamps, the Girls in Tech Conference, a startup challenge, a global classroom, a podcast, a blog, a jobs board, and a shop. The organization successfully produced thousands of both in-person and virtual events. Gascoigne even wrote a book about her journey, and I fondly remember taking my daughter to a Girls in Tech event where she met Gascoigne.
In our last interview, Gascoigne mentioned that financial pressures on major tech companies forced them to cut funding. Attempts to restore these funds were futile, compounded by growing political pressure on companies to dial back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
Though the organization is closing, Gascoigne urged supporters to continue the mission of eliminating the gender gap in tech. She emphasized that the fight must go on even without Girls in Tech.
Reflecting back on the organization’s origins and its mission to tackle the challenges women face in tech, Gascoigne described it as a labor of love that quickly transformed into a movement. Although the field has seen improvements since 2007, she pointed out that true equality is still a distant goal. She noted the lack of women, especially women of color, in leadership roles, asserting the importance of having visible role models.
Gascoigne also discussed the disparity in venture capital for female founders, which has only worsened since COVID. Despite initial optimism and the group’s early success in attracting tech enthusiasts, funding became a chronic issue, particularly during the pandemic.
Gascoigne mentioned that despite efforts to pivot to virtual events and other cost-saving measures during the pandemic, funding issues persisted. The organization thrived on in-person events, which when reintroduced, increased production costs.
After relocating to Nashville, Girls in Tech experienced strong local support but continued to struggle with funding. Despite these efforts, financial challenges persisted, leading to the difficult decision to close.
Gascoigne concluded by expressing pride and gratitude for the organization’s 17-year journey. She remains hopeful that the values and spirit of Girls in Tech will endure and inspire future initiatives. Reflecting on her next steps, she plans to take a brief break before deciding on her future endeavors.