Tech's Missing Middle: Empowering Women from Columbia to San Jose

This is your Women in Business podcast. Let me jump right into the heart of today’s conversation. Picture yourself walking into a buzzing co-working space in Columbia, South Carolina, where the hum isn’t just about tech—it’s about women leading the charge in one of the country’s fastest-growing sectors. According to CoworkingCafe, Columbia has emerged as a leader in gender diversity in tech, proving that innovation isn’t confined to Silicon Valley or Austin. Let’s talk about representation. Right now, women make up about 26 to 28 percent of the global tech workforce, as reported by Spacelift.io. In the U.S., that number bumps up to nearly 28 percent, and in leadership, it’s even starker—only about 14 percent of global tech leaders are women, according to Nash Squared. But here’s what’s exciting: that’s up from just 8 percent a decade ago. Progress is slow, but it’s happening. And according to McKinsey & Company, closing this gap could add an estimated $12 trillion to global GDP by 2025. That’s a staggering number, and it shows just how much potential is being left on the table when women aren’t fully included. Now, let’s get personal. If you’re a woman in tech, or you know one, you’re familiar with the “missing middle.” The Women in Digital Report 2025 dives deep into how mid-career women often face a slowdown. It’s not about ambition—it’s about structures that don’t support caregiving or flexible work. That’s where retention drops off and the pipeline starts to leak. In Australia, for example, the challenge is no longer just attracting women into tech—it’s about keeping them, advancing them, and seeing them in the C-suite. Only 17 percent of tech companies globally have a woman as CEO, and just 8 percent have a female CTO, according to StrongDM. Pay equity is another critical issue. In the U.S., women in computer science earn 94 percent of what men do—one of the smallest gaps in the industry—but across all tech roles, men still earn more for nearly two-thirds of jobs. And when it comes to startups, female CEOs earn about $20,000 less than their male counterparts, says StrongDM. But cities like San Jose, California, continue to set the bar high for earnings, with women in tech there pulling in an average of $161,000 annually. Meanwhile, places like Little Rock, Arkansas, are seeing the fastest wage growth for women in the field, showing that opportunity isn’t just on the coasts. The rise of remote work and inclusive policies is starting to shift the needle. The WomenTech Network notes that by 2025, flexible work, improved support networks, and intersectional diversity efforts are expected to help retain more women in tech. And let’s not forget the role of AI. According to Skillsoft, learning about AI is now a critical pathway for women to stay competitive. Of those already using AI, nearly three-quarters feel more productive. The catch? Only 40 percent of women in tech are currently using these tools, and 60 percent are not. With 75 perc This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.