Women and LGBTQ+ Montanans in Tech
The content and resources below highlight stories of Montana’s women and LGBTQ+ community members leveraging opportunities in the state’s high-tech industry. Read on for stories to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders in Montana.
Content & Resources
-
Article: AudPop’s Paige Williams on Pride & Equitable Business Opportunity in Montana
Paige Williams, founder & CEO of AudPop, reflects on Pride, the celebration of differences, and the foundation of AudPop in Missoula, Montana.
-
Article: Montana CEOs Share Four Strategies for Hiring More Women in Tech and Manufacturing
Montana CEOs share the challenges they’ve faced and the steps they’ve taken to address the gender gap in tech.
-
Resource: Code Girls United
With free weekly meetings held after school, the non-profit Code Girls United provides opportunities for girls in grades 4th - 8th to experiment and work with technology.
-
Resource: Montana Chamber's Women in Business Summit
The Montana Chamber's Women in Business Summit and International Women's Day Power Lunch feature leadership development, financial well-being, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, advocacy, and philanthropy for Montana’s women entrepreneurs and business leaders.
-
Webinar: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Tech Companies
UM instructors introduce key concepts & methods for effective promotion and development of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles in the workplace. Recorded on Jun 23, 2020.
-
Article: Surprising New Data Highlights Complexity of Gender Gap in Tech
The Alliance’s roundtable data highlighting the complexity of the gender gap in tech.
Montana business owners who identify as women or as members of the LGBTQ+ community play a vital role in the state’s economic ecosystem but are often underrepresented. According to US census data, women in Montana own 20% of businesses which lags behind the national average of 37%. Forbes also highlighted that LGBTQ+ businesses contribute nearly 2 trillion dollars to the U.S. economy.
Leadership programs like the Montana Chamber’s Women in Business Summit and Leading Out West are working to create more opportunities for women and LGBTQ+ community members to thrive as entrepreneurs in the Treasure State.
Additional Resources
-
With free weekly meetings held after school, non-profit Code Girls United provides opportunities for girls in grades 4th - 8th to experiment and work with technology. For the first half of the year, the girls learn the basics of computer science and coding. Then, during the second half of the year, the girls split into teams to choose a service project. The girls complete a business case and code their app before competing in the Code Girls United App Challenge and National/International competitions. Through hands-on experiences in coding, technology, and business, Code Girls United strives to expand future career opportunities in tech for women and empower tomorrow’s innovators. Code Girls United is where coding, technology, and business unite!
-
Joe Whittinghill, chief learning officer for Microsoft, shares his story in "Embracing the 'Out' in Out West" in hopes that it will become one more piece of shared text that inspires someone else to feel safe and supported in embracing their identity.
-
The 2.5 day Leading Out West workshop helps students create a powerful network of mentors, develop a deeper understanding of their abilities, and meet positive LGBTQ+ community contributors.
-
YWCA Missoula’s GUTS! is a community-based leadership and empowerment program for girls and gender-diverse 4th to 8th graders. GUTS! encourages young people to explore personal values and discover their strengths through summer adventures, as well as through after-school groups and service projects during the academic year.
-
The Montana Chamber lends its voice to elevate the dialogue around women’s initiatives in the Treasure State to promote economic growth, enhance the business community, help attract talent, improve public perception, influence policy, facilitate collaboration, and align with broader organizational goals and social responsibility objectives.
-
The Empower Program ("Empower") at Montana State University fosters the inclusion and success of underrepresented minorities and women in engineering and other fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) at MSU. The Empower program provides a variety of support to all underrepresented students in STEM programs across campus. Empower is housed in the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering, and includes MSU's Women in Engineering Program.
-
Established in October 2009, the Montana Women’s Business Center (MTWBC) is one of over 150 business centers across the country. The MTWBC provides the necessary tools and support to help women establish, grow, and sustain businesses throughout the state of Montana.
-
The Rural Entrepreneurship & Leadership for Women Co-Lab (REAL Women Co-Lab) focuses on economic and individual impact solutions for rural America. Through prototype programs, the REAL Women Co-Lab trains and partners with funders to research new models for aspiring and current women business owners.
-
The Branch Center at the University of Montana is a space dedicated to promoting respectful and collaborative dialogue, programming, and resources, in an effort to foster understanding, support, and inclusion for underrepresented students.
-
The Women's Foundation of Montana (WFM) and its donors play a vital role in improving women's lives in Montana through its foundation’s programs and grantees. PowerHouse Montana, an initiative of WFM, connects over 600 women (and men) in a network of mutual support through online networking, monthly educational webinars, and periodic gatherings and conferences.
Do you have a helpful resource you’d like to suggest we add to this guide? Do you have information you are searching for, or other feedback? The Montana High Tech Business Alliance would love to hear from you. Please reach out to us at communications[at]mthightech.org.