Empower | Women In Tech Conference

Award Categories

Community Advocate of
the Year

Celebrating the person who goes above and beyond to champion others and strengthen the North West tech community. This award recognises someone who uses their voice, time, influence and experience to create opportunities, connect people and champion greater inclusion across the industry. They may be a mentor, advocate, organiser, campaigner or simply someone who consistently shows up for others and makes a difference.

Community of the Year

Recognising a community that brings people together, creates belonging and makes a meaningful difference to the North West tech ecosystem. Whether it is a grassroots network, professional community, employee-led group or specialist collective, this award celebrates communities that create genuine connection, support development, open doors and ensure more people have the opportunity to thrive in tech.

Rising Star Award

Celebrating the woman who is making waves early in her career and showing the potential to become a future leader in tech. We are looking for someone who is already making an impact, challenging expectations and embracing opportunities to grow. This could be through technical achievement, leadership, innovation, community contribution or the difference they are making to those around them.

Inspirational Leader Award

Recognising a leader who inspires people, creates meaningful change and leads with purpose. This award celebrates women who combine ambition with empathy, who empower others to succeed and who are willing to challenge the status quo. We are looking for a leader whose impact can be seen not only in what they achieve themselves, but in the people and culture they help create around them.

Ally Of The Year

Celebrating someone who actively uses their influence to make tech more inclusive for women and underrepresented groups. This isn't about simply being supportive, it's about taking action. We are looking for an ally who speaks up, opens doors, challenges bias, creates opportunities and uses their position to help create lasting change

Inclusive Employer Award

Recognising an organisation that is turning inclusion from good intentions into meaningful action. This award celebrates employers creating cultures where women and underrepresented talent can join, progress, lead and thrive. Judges will look for evidence of tangible action, from recruitment and progression to flexible working, leadership representation, culture and creating an environment where everyone can do their best work

Tech For Good Award

Celebrating the use of technology to create positive change in people's lives, communities or the world around us.This award recognises an individual, team or organisation using technology to tackle a meaningful challenge, whether that is improving accessibility, health, education, sustainability, equality, communities or social mobility. We want to celebrate technology with purpose

Breaking Barriers Award

Celebrating someone who has challenged the barriers, expectations or stereotypes that can hold people back in tech. This could be a woman who has broken through in a traditionally male-dominated field, overcome significant obstacles, challenged established thinking or created a new path for others to follow. We are looking for courage, resilience and a willingness to change what is possible.

Female Founder Of The Year

Celebrating an exceptional female founder who is building something with ambition, purpose and impact. This award recognises a woman who has taken an idea and turned it into a business, creating value for customers, employees and the wider ecosystem. We are looking beyond growth alone to celebrate vision, resilience, innovation, leadership and the contribution she is making to the North West tech and business community.

Young Person in Tech

Celebrating the next generation of tech talent and the young person already making their mark. Open to young people who are demonstrating curiosity, creativity, technical ability, leadership or a passion for using technology to make a difference. We want to recognise someone who represents the future of tech and whose potential deserves to be celebrated and supported.

Voice Of Change Award

Celebrating someone who uses their voice to challenge the status quo and create meaningful change.

This award recognises an individual who has the courage to speak up, challenge inequality, influence others and turn their voice into action. They may be campaigning for change, challenging outdated thinking, amplifying voices that are too often unheard or using their influence to create a more inclusive and equitable tech industry.

We’re looking for someone who doesn’t just have a voice, they use it to make a difference.