The UK tech sector is in rude health. According to market intelligence platform Tracxn, it has overtaken China to become the world’s second most-funded start-up ecosystem, behind only the United States – and nowhere is this growth more evident than in London.
The capital has firmly cemented our position as Europe’s leading tech powerhouse. A report from Knight Frank found the value of our tech ecosystem to have soared by over 788% in the past decade.
KPMG UK’s latest Private Enterprise Barometer found that 67% of London’s private businesses rank tech as their top investment priority, which will positively impact local technology providers’ bottom line.
But while momentum is strong, the growth of London’s tech sector will slow if representation doesn’t keep pace. According to the World Bank, women make up less than a third of the UK tech workforce. In senior roles like CIO and CTO, that number drops to fewer than one in 10, according to the WomenTech Network.
Inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a business imperative. In my experience, diverse teams make better decisions and develop products and services reflective of the needs of society today. And as more companies embed AI into their operations, it’s more important than ever to have women at the table shaping its development and helping to prevent bias from being built into the technology from the outset.
As London gears up to host attendees from over 90 countries at London Tech Week this summer, it has a golden opportunity to showcase not just the innovation and investment at the heart of the city’s sector, but its commitment to inclusion too.
Encouragingly, we’re starting to see a positive shift. This year’s event will spotlight several standout female leaders, including Jean Innes, CEO of The Alan Turing Institute; Dr Irina Mirkina, Chief AI Scientist at Fugro; and Sheridan Ash MBE, CEO of Tech She Can, which inspires girls and women to pursue tech careers. These women are not just shaping the future of the industry; they’re redefining what leadership in the sector looks like.
Female-led innovation is also gaining traction at start-up level. Last year’s Tech Innovator competition – KPMG UK’s flagship platform for emerging tech – crowned Halocycle, co-founded by Dr Henrietta Boyd, as the national winner for its groundbreaking work tackling the plastic crisis.
London-based Spinview, led by Linda Wade, was also shortlisted for its use of digital twin technology to manage urban infrastructure, including a pioneering digital replica of the London Underground. These are not isolated examples and reflect a growing wave of women leading change across the sector.
Progress is also being made at board level across industries. According to the latest FTSE Women Leaders Review, supported by KPMG UK, women now hold over 40% of FTSE 350 board seats, up from less than 10% in 2011. One-third of senior leadership roles are now held by women, and 60% of companies are on track to meet the Review’s 40% target for women on boards by the end of 2025.
But there’s still work to do, especially in tech. Women in the sector need greater visibility. They need access to capital, networks and champions who believe in their ideas.
That starts with platforms like Tech Innovator, which reopens for entries on the 22nd of April, ahead of the London heat taking place during London Tech Week. But support needs to go further and deeper all year round.
That means continued mentorship, targeted funding and procurement opportunities that open doors and spotlight talent. Initiatives like the WomenTech Network’s career mentoring programme and Women Who Code London offer aspiring tech leaders invaluable guidance and professional development. Founded By Her is also KPMG UK’s dedicated network for female founders, providing tailored business support and access to investment opportunities, helping champion female entrepreneurship in tech and beyond.
Similarly, KPMG UK’s IT’s Her Future programme provides mentorship, networking and skills development to help women thrive in the sector.
Because ultimately, London’s success as a global tech hub won’t just be measured by how much it innovates - but by who it empowers to lead.
Anna Purchas, is Office Senior Partner at KPMG UK in London.
