Founded by Hilde de Vocht and Ingelou Stol, Fe+male Tech Heroes is a High Tech Campus Eindhoven initiative whose goal is to raise awareness about gender equality and diversity challenges in the tech industry.
What was initially conceived as a platform catering to women in tech has since flourished into an all-encompassing community that embraces individuals of every gender, dedicated to forging an inclusive, diverse, and equitable tech world.
We are steadfast in our mission to promote gender equality and diversity in tech organizations by highlighting role models, organizing community-connecting events such as conferences, mentoring sessions, workshops and dinners and encouraging tech organizations to embrace diversity to realize a more sustainable future.
Join us to create a tech industry that is truly representative of the diverse world in which we live. Together, we can build a brighter future for all.
For a first-time event, the Fe+male Tech Heroes Awards Show on November 9th set a new standard for glitz and glamour in a tech ecosystem that can be rather sedate. It also had full participation from foundational partners with representatives from the largest companies, including ASML, TNO and Eindhoven University of Technology.
On 16 May 2023, the world came to High Tech Campus Eindhoven to celebrate women in tech, their male allies and to get a preview of what the future holds. The theme of the fourth annual Fe+male Tech conference was “Dare to Grow,” and that was the consistent message from speakers: be bold, embrace risk and find your career path in a tech world where women in leadership roles are still a rarity. Or, as ASML’s Wendy Gehoel van Ansem put it, an event meant to send you away “confident so that you kick ass.”
In February 2023, we hosted a one-time event for an exceptional audience: Male Allies. "We created a psychologically safe place where men can learn who we are, why it matters that they are part of this mission and give them tools to become better male allies for females in tech." You can download the insights from the event, including a shortlist of books, articles, podcasts and documentaries on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion that are worth looking into.
The 2022 Fe+male Tech Heroes dinner theme was “Mind Full or Mindful?” The evening kicked off with a Good News show by our founders sharing inspiring stories of successful startups and award-winning role models. Ula Matlak of LUMO Labs led a mindful eating exercise during the Greek appetizer course, encouraging attendees to slow down and savor their food while being aware of their senses. Inspirational success stories, including those from Artie Debidien (KPN) and Miranda Nouwen (The PowerUp Company), were shared, highlighting both triumphs and lessons learned. The night celebrated women, men, diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.
