ChickTech

About ChickTech

Founded in 2012, ChickTech aims to make the tech industry more inclusive for those historically marginalized in the industry.

ChickTech believes that everyone belongs in STEM.

Since 2012, ChickTech has built communities, empowered participants to see themselves as leaders, and provided networking and mentoring opportunities in a rapidly growing industry.

By increasing our participants’ self-confidence and interest in technology, we increase the number of adults and youth of marginalized genders who aspire to technology careers, shaping the workforce of today AND tomorrow to have the diverse skills and perspectives needed for the industry to thrive.

Our Programs & Services

Youth Programs

ChickTech: High School is targeted towards girls and non-binary youth who don’t think of themselves as technical but who have the aptitude to do well in it.

The high school program includes events, conferences, an online Discord community, and mentorship opportunities.

Adult Programs

Our adult programs (formerly called ACT-W or Advancing the Careers of Technical Women) cater to the needs of young professionals in tech.

From webinars to conferences, digital networking to career coaching, our programs help hundreds of women, non-binary people, and allies advance their careers and advocate for positive industry change.

Company Partnerships

At ChickTech, we believe that working together is how we will fulfill our mission.

Whether it’s partnering with companies, other nonprofits or community groups, or individuals, we strive to always be a community that welcomes collaboration.

Our Mission

ChickTech is dedicated to advancing diversity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by increasing retention and building the pipeline of underrepresented technologists, with a focus on women, girls, and non-binary people of all ages.

Our Vision

ChickTech envisions a future where all people—regardless of gender expression, racial identity, disability, age, or amount of experience in tech—feel welcome and empowered in an inclusive STEM community.

Our Core Values

We believe that everyone deserves access to high-quality programming that helps them realize their dreams in STEM.

In 2022/2023, we served youth and adults from 30 states and 16 countries outside the United States, including Canada, Mexico, the UK, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, India, and Australia!

Our volunteers, event speakers, and workshop leads came from 12 countries & 35 US states

Map Legend: Purple – served adults; Pink – served youth; Stripes – served youth & adults

About our Brand

Why "Chick"?

When ChickTech was founded, we chose ‘chick’ to reclaim the word, with the belief that women have the right to call themselves by whatever label they choose and that traditionally feminine women belong in tech.

Today, ChickTech continues to stand by our belief that all people, regardless of gender presentation or identity, have value and deserve respect. However, we understand and acknowledge that the word ‘chick’ does not represent all those we aim to serve.

As an organization whose mission is to empower women, girls, and non-binary people of all ages in STEM, we prioritize the continuous evolution of our brand, including our name, to ensure ChickTech is an empowering brand that reflects our diverse community and the greater technology industry.

Do you have suggestions for how we can continue to improve in regards to diversity, equity and inclusion? We’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected].

Why Pink?

Another question that we are often asked is around the color pink. We are often told that girls don’t have to like pink, which we absolutely agree on! However, we feel it’s also okay when girls *do* like pink. In our society, things that are traditionally feminine have often been viewed as “less than”–whether that’s enjoying makeup and dressing up, playing with dolls, or choosing a “helping” profession such as nursing.

ChickTech stands up for the rights of all people to choose who they will be, what they like, and how they represent themselves. And although we are sure not everyone who joins ChickTech will like pink, we hope that they agree with that statement!