Women in tech & finance call for systems to catch up

Women leaders in technology and financial services are urging structural changes in how organisations design work, allocate resources and deploy technology as businesses mark International Women's Day under the "Give to Gain" theme.

They point to persistent gendered pressures around financial insecurity and career progression, even as more women found companies, shape corporate strategy and lead product development.

Executives from fintech platform Lightning Reach, conversational AI firm Kore.ai, software company Epicor and Estonia's e-Residency initiative describe systems that have not kept pace with women's ambitions or the realities of work and home life.

They call for data-led accountability in leadership, digital routes to finance, and redesigned ecosystems for women entrepreneurs.

Founded in 2020, Lightning Reach connects people to financial support schemes offered by councils, charities, housing associations and utilities. Since launch, the platform has helped almost 300,000 people and facilitated more than £25 million in support. It reports that 59% of registered users are women.

Financial strain

Ren Yi Hooi, CEO and founder of Lightning Reach, links the "Give to Gain" theme to both leadership and the financial pressures shown in the company's user data. The fintech has an all-female C-suite and focuses on simplifying access to grants and hardship funds.

"This year's Give to Gain theme is about supporting and uplifting women to power greater gender equality. Day to day, this means championing the women in my team at Lightning Reach - reflected in the fact our C-suite team is female-led."

Its user base and partnerships offer insight into how women interact with financial support systems across the UK. Lightning Reach works with organisations including The Royal British Legion, Teaching Staff Trust, Islington Council and energy supplier OVO.

"Beyond our team, I'm also laser-focused on delivering solutions that help women across the UK. Sadly, financial insecurity in the UK has a distinctly gendered dimension. In many households, responsibility for managing finances and paying bills often falls to women, at a time when the cost of living remains high. We see this reflected in our own data: 59% of people registered on Lightning Reach are women. This highlights both the disproportionate financial pressure women face and the fact that they are often the ones actively seeking solutions for themselves and their families."

Yi Hooi says women also face administrative barriers when they seek help, including fragmented processes and misconceptions about eligibility.

"Supporting women goes far deeper than income. Too often, they face fragmented systems, admin-heavy applications, and long waits for decisions when applying for financial support. Many also assume support is only available in severe crisis, or that they do not qualify. By creating systems that enable fast and transparent access to financial assistance in times of need, we are supporting local governments, charities and utilities to remove barriers to help and reduce financial anxiety for women across the UK."

AI and leadership

As artificial intelligence reshapes business operations and roles, executives argue that women need structured access to the decision-making centres that set strategy and investment priorities.

Komal Joshi, SVP Strategic Partnerships, EMEA at Kore.ai, says leadership teams must take active steps if women are to influence how AI and automation are embedded in workplaces.

"Technology is evolving at an extraordinary pace, but the future of work relies on its convergence with people. We can't be passive about who gets to shape the systems that are redefining how we work and lead. If more women are going to thrive, leadership teams need to act now. That means investing in meaningful upskilling, creating transparent pathways into high-impact roles, and actively sponsoring women to be in the rooms where strategy and investment decisions are made. Opportunity doesn't redistribute itself. It needs to be intentionally designed.

"Empowerment must be measurable. Track who is developed, who advances, and who holds real decision-making power. Expertise alone is not leadership. Judgement, ethics, resilience and commercial strength matter just as much. When women are absent from the rooms where decisions are made, perspective narrows and progress slows. Inclusive leadership isn't rhetoric. It's REAL - Responsible, Equitable, Accountable and Lasting."

Careers in tech

In enterprise software and industrial technology, women executives describe persistent stereotypes about what leadership should look like and how women should present themselves to be taken seriously.

Kerrie Jordan, CMO and SVP Product at Epicor, says some women feel constrained by a perceived choice between creativity and practicality.

"Throughout my career in software and industrial technology, I've seen women feel pressured to choose between being creative or being practical in order to be taken seriously. I don't believe that tradeoff is real.

"The most effective leaders are the ones who can imagine what's possible and then translate that vision into solutions that actually work. Creativity without execution doesn't deliver impact, and execution without creativity eventually limits growth. When leaders bring both together, they build trust, solve real problems, and create meaningful outcomes."

Jordan says persistence and a realistic approach to resilience have been central to her progression.

"One of the most important concepts I've learned in my career is stick-to-itiveness - the ability to stay with hard problems instead of walking away when things get uncomfortable. Early on, I questioned myself often and wondered if I should change direction when challenges felt overwhelming.

"What I learned is that resilience isn't about pushing through alone or pretending things are easy. It's about staying engaged long enough to learn, to grow, and to figure things out with others. Over time, those moments compound. They become accomplishments that build confidence and ultimately shape your leadership and career longevity."

She also points to burnout as an under-discussed issue, particularly for women in technical roles.

"We talk a lot about success, but we don't talk enough about burnout - especially for women in tech. Being open and authentic about wellbeing is important to me, and it's something I actively encourage in my teams.

"As I've developed as a leader, I've leaned more into empathy - not just for customers, but for myself and for the people I work with every day. For me, that means intentionally creating moments to reconnect and protect that time. Leadership is about building resilience in a sustainable way and creating a culture where transparency, balance, and performance can exist together."

Women founders

New research from Estonia's e-Residency programme suggests high levels of ambition among women entrepreneurs, alongside concerns about the support frameworks around them. E-Residency allows individuals to establish and run EU-based companies remotely through a digital identity issued by the Estonian government.

Ülane Vilumets, Head of Business Development at e-Residency, says 89% of women entrepreneurs surveyed are considering major strategic moves, from targeting new customer groups to expanding physical operations in the UK.

"This year's International Women's Day theme, Give to Gain, is a timely reminder that where we direct resources today shapes tomorrow's economy. With 89% of women entrepreneurs considering major strategic moves - from targeting new customer segments to grow their addressable audience, to expanding the physical presence of their businesses within the UK - the ambition is already there; it's the surrounding systems that need to catch up.

"For many women entrepreneurs, particularly mothers, time is the scarcest resource. Smart use of technology can give some of that time back: automating admin, enabling work from anywhere, and opening access to global customers beyond local networks. At e-Residency, we see that when the business environment is digital, flexible and borderless, women can build on their own terms and still think globally.

"Real commitment to Give to Gain shows up in practical support: funding pathways, childcare, flexible systems, mentorship and visibility. As a mother of four, I appreciate first-hand how vital these support structures are. The ecosystems that redesign around women founders will be the ones that unlock the next wave of innovation."