Technology has never been an exclusively male field. From the first algorithms to the platforms that shape modern business, women have designed, coded, financed, and led some of the most important advances of the last two centuries. For women running businesses in the UK today, these pioneers are more than historical figures. Their careers show how technical skill, commercial judgement, and persistence can open doors even when the industry tries to keep them closed.

Women in technology UK still face a measurable gap. According to BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, women held around 20 per cent of IT specialist roles in the UK in 2024. The British Business Bank’s Small Business Equity Tracker 2024 also found that companies with all-female founding teams received just 2 per cent of UK equity investment, while mixed-gender teams received 11 per cent. Against that backdrop, the six women below offer proof of what is possible, and a practical reminder that technical and commercial leadership are not gendered.

Ada Lovelace: the first computer programmer

Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) worked with mathematician Charles Babbage on his proposed Analytical Engine, a mechanical general-purpose computer that was never completed in their lifetimes. Her real legacy lies in the notes she wrote about the machine, in which she described how it could be instructed to handle symbols and not just numbers. That insight is why she is widely described as the world’s first computer programmer.

Her notes were later studied by Alan Turing in the 1940s as he developed code-breaking and early computing work. For UK founders, her example is a reminder that documenting your thinking, protecting intellectual contribution, and explaining complex ideas clearly can be as valuable as building the product itself. Today, her contribution is marked each year on Ada Lovelace Day, held on the second Tuesday in October, which celebrates women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Hedy Lamarr: the inventor behind wireless networks

Hedy Lamarr is remembered as a Hollywood star, but she was also an inventor who developed frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology during the Second World War. Working with composer George Antheil, she designed a method for radio signals to switch frequencies rapidly, making them harder to jam.

The same principle now sits inside Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS systems. Lamarr had no formal scientific training; she was largely self-taught and used her own resources to develop the idea. Her story is a useful counter to the myth that a computer science degree is the only route into technology. For women founders in the UK, it also shows that lateral experience, curiosity, and personal investment can produce intellectual property worth protecting.

Annie Easley: NASA mathematician and diversity advocate

Annie Easley joined NASA in 1955, at the age of 22, as one of only a handful of African-American employees in a workforce of around 2,500. She became a mathematician and computer scientist, contributing to the Centaur rocket project, which provided the technology later used in space shuttle launches and planetary probes.

Beyond her technical work, Easley ran outreach programmes to encourage women and people from minority backgrounds into science and engineering. Her career demonstrates that technical excellence and community-building can, and should, go together. UK founders can apply the same principle by mentoring, inclusive hiring, and supporting networks that widen access to technology careers.

Safra Catz: dealmaker and Oracle chief executive

Born in Israel in 1961 and raised in the United States, Safra Catz moved from investment banking to Oracle in 1999. She became president in 2004 and has served as chief executive officer of Oracle since 2014. During her time at the company she has overseen more than 100 acquisitions, including major enterprise software deals.

Catz has also served on the board of The Walt Disney Company and taught at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Her career is a clear example of how financial and operational expertise can lead to the top of a global technology business. For women-led businesses in the UK, her path underlines the value of understanding deal structure, cash flow, and disciplined growth.

Reshma Saujani: closing the coding gap

Reshma Saujani founded Girls Who Code in 2012 after running for US Congress. The organisation runs programmes aimed at girls from primary school age upwards, with a particular focus on those from disadvantaged backgrounds. It has since reached hundreds of thousands of girls and young women, helping to address the pipeline problem that still affects technology sectors worldwide.

For UK founders, Saujani’s work underlines the value of investing in future talent. Initiatives such as women in business networks UK and sector-specific mentoring schemes can play a similar role in supporting the next generation. Building a stronger pipeline now also creates the customers, employees, and partners your business will need later.

Susan Wojcicki: from Google’s garage to YouTube

Susan Wojcicki (1968-2024) rented her garage to Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998, becoming one of Google’s earliest employees. As Google’s vice president of product management, she led the marketing team and championed the company’s $1.65 billion acquisition of YouTube in 2006. She served as chief executive officer of YouTube from 2014 until February 2023, overseeing its growth into one of the world’s largest video platforms.

Wojcicki died from lung cancer in August 2024. Her career remains a powerful example of how product judgement, advertising expertise, and strategic acquisitions can shape a technology business. For UK founders, the lesson is to spot opportunities early, back your product instincts, and be ready to scale through bold but well-judged deals.

What these stories mean for women in technology UK today

The women above worked in different eras, countries, and specialisms, but their careers share common threads. Each combined technical or commercial skill with a willingness to take risks, challenge assumptions, and build support networks. For women running UK businesses now, those lessons translate into practical priorities.

First, the economic case is well established. The Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship, published in 2019, found that up to £250 billion of additional value could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men. It also set a target to increase the number of female entrepreneurs by 50 per cent by 2030, equivalent to nearly 600,000 additional women-led businesses.

Second, funding remains uneven. The British Business Bank Small Business Equity Tracker 2024 reported that all-female founding teams received just 2 per cent of UK equity investment, while mixed-gender teams received 11 per cent. Programmes such as Start Up Loans, delivered by the British Business Bank, and initiatives such as the Investing in Women Code are part of the response, but founders still need to understand valuation, term sheets, and investor expectations.

Third, artificial intelligence is creating a new frontier. Prowess research on women in AI leadership and reports from sector bodies including BCS show that women remain under-represented in senior AI and CTO roles. Founders who understand AI adoption, data governance, and automation can position themselves ahead of competitors while also shaping how these technologies are used responsibly.

Action steps for UK women in tech and business

• Audit your current skills against the roles or sectors you want to enter. Free and low-cost training is available through organisations such as the Open University, local growth hubs, and sector bodies including BCS.
• Build a funding strategy before you need capital. Review Start Up Loans for female founders, regional grants, and angel networks that specifically back women-led businesses.
• Join a network that matches your stage. Peer support, mentoring, and introductions to investors often come through communities such as those listed in the Prowess women in business networks UK guide.
• Track policy changes that affect your business. From Making Tax Digital to employment law reforms, staying current protects your cash flow and your team.
• Use your position to support others. Whether through mentoring, speaking, or inclusive hiring, the women above show that progress is fastest when successful founders pull others up with them.

These six women proved that talent and persistence can reshape an industry. For women in technology UK today, their example is both a source of inspiration and a practical blueprint: master your craft, understand the business, and do not wait to be given permission to lead.