Cracking the Code: Women, Tech, and the $12 Trillion Opportunity

This is your Women in Business podcast. Welcome back to Women in Business. Today's episode is all about women navigating the current economic landscape in tech—a field reshaping our world but still leaving too many women behind. Let’s get straight into it, because if you’re a woman in tech or thinking about making that leap, these are the facts and perspectives you need right now. Think about this: across the globe, women make up only around 27% of the overall tech workforce. That means out of every ten tech professionals, just under three are women. In leadership, the numbers are even starker, with less than a fifth of tech leadership roles held by women. And when it comes to the C-suite, just 17% of tech companies have a woman CEO. Organizations like CompTIA and WomenTech Network have been tracking these numbers, and while progress is steady, it’s painfully slow. So let’s pose our first discussion point for today: Why does the gender gap in tech persist despite years of attention? According to the Women in Digital 2025 Report, the problem isn’t just about attracting women. Once in the industry, many women hit what’s called the "missing middle"—career momentum slows, often not because of lack of ambition, but due to caregiving responsibilities and rigid workplace cultures. Policies like flexible work and active mentorship can make a huge difference, but are still not the industry norm. Our second discussion point: Pay equity remains a sore spot. Women in CEO roles at tech startups still earn about $20,000 less per year than their male counterparts. Multinational reports show that in tech, men are offered higher salaries for about 62% of all jobs. Yet here’s a twist: in fields like computer science, the pay gap is among the smallest, with women earning 94% of what men do—suggesting some progress where skills are highly standardized. Next, let’s talk about the role of education and re-skilling. With artificial intelligence and data science remaking tech, the Skillsoft Women in Tech survey found that learning new skills—especially around AI—can help close the gender gap, making women more productive and streamlining workflows. But access to these opportunities is still uneven. While 73% of women using AI reported productivity gains, a full 60% have never even used AI in their jobs. Diversity, equity, and inclusion—or DEI—promises are everywhere, but according to this year’s data, only 36% of technical recruiters believe their company actually prioritizes DEI. Intersectionality adds another layer—Black and Latinx women are still dramatically underrepresented in tech, with less than 3% for either group. And finally, let’s discuss the future. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that closing the gender gap in tech could add up to $12 trillion—yes, trillion—to the global economy by 2025. That’s a seismic impact not just for women, but for everyone. The stakes are clear: retention, leadership development, and fair pay aren’t just women’s issue This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.