About Portuguese Women in Tech

Portuguese Women in Tech was founded in April 2016 by Liliana Castro and Inês Santos Silva with a clear mission: to increase the representation of women in technology by creating visibility, opportunities, meaningful connections, and a more inclusive tech ecosystem.

Over the past decade, we've grown from a grassroots community into one of Portugal's leading organisations dedicated to advancing women in technology, entrepreneurship and leadership.

Our journey

Our story began by showcasing the women shaping Portugal's startup ecosystem, sharing their stories and celebrating their impact. Since then, we've built a thriving community through initiatives that inspire, connect and empower thousands of women across the country.

Over the years, we've:

• Organised hundreds of events, workshops and networking opportunities.
• Created flagship initiatives such as the Portuguese Women in Tech Awards and the PWIT Hackathon.
• Published educational booklets for girls in schools, helping inspire the next generation of women in STEM.
• Launched mentorship programmes connecting experienced professionals with emerging talent.
• Built communities through initiatives such as our Book Club and entrepreneurship programmes for female founders.
• Developed impactful resources including the Portuguese Women in Tech Speakers List, the Salary Transparency Project and the Pioneers Report.
• Expanded our work beyond technology careers into leadership, launching the Women & Leadership Conference and the Women & Wealth series, which has already reached its fourth edition, creating spaces for conversations around leadership, financial independence and career growth.

Along the way, Portuguese Women in Tech has been recognised internationally. Sifted included us among Europe's leading diversity in tech communities, and Atomico highlighted our work in The State of European Tech as one of the organisations driving diversity and inclusion across the European technology ecosystem.

Looking ahead

While we've come a long way, our mission is far from complete.

We want technology to reflect the diversity of the society it serves. That means attracting more women and girls into technology, supporting women throughout their careers, and increasing the number of women leading teams, building companies and shaping the future of innovation.

We also believe the conversation has evolved. Today, our focus goes beyond representation. We are committed to helping women thrive, lead, invest, build businesses and influence the decisions that shape the future of technology.

Creating lasting change requires everyone to be involved. Companies, governments, educational institutions and individuals all have a role to play in building a more equitable tech ecosystem. Diversity isn't just the right thing to do, it leads to better products, stronger companies and more innovative solutions for society.

As we continue to grow, our commitment remains the same: to build a technology ecosystem where every woman can belong, succeed and lead.