Why is this book important?

The under-representation of great Black women leaves Black women and young Black girls to accomplish their goals without role models or confidence. Therefore, an increase in representation is imperative to raise inspiration. Also, new research suggests that more than half of the UK workforce lack essential digital skills needed for work, raising fears that the country is heading toward a digital skills shortage as employers begin ramping up their post-pandemic recruitment efforts.

‘The Voices in the Shadow’ showcases the journeys of 51 Black women in the UK who impacted the tech industry. In turn, it gives Black women and young Black girls the empowerment they need for them to feel that there is a place for them to flourish professionally.

What have we done so far?

In 2021

• We designed a creative book. 51 stories are part of the hard copy but we will continuously extend the number of featured stories in the digital version. Each story comes with an interactive section, a journal, and career advice for non-tech and tech roles.
• We have already distributed 300 copies for FREE to 300 schools across the UK and Ireland.
• For Black History Month, our book launch event took place on the 28th of October 2021. We had a series of fireside chats with our sponsors and women from the book sharing their journey, guidance and so much more.
• After the first distribution in October 2021 and through continuous contribution from individuals and company sponsors, we will carry on the distribution quarterly until our book is available in every school in the UK and Ireland.
• In 2022, we will measure the impact of the book and produce a report which will present insights and data about the book initiative, and scholars’ aspirations to start a career in technology. The report will be made available to the government, media, schools, and companies
• We also intend to carry out activities to connect scholars and the women of the book. For example, digital or in school storytelling events.

What next?

In 2022

• We will produce the 2nd edition of The Voices In The Shadow and we will share the stories of 51 new black women in tech
• We will work with schools to coordinate inspirational events and activities with the black women from the book and our network
• We will distribute the 2nd edition to 500 schools across the UK and Ireland
• We will run our book launch event during Black History Month: 27th of October 2022

Contact us for 2022 sponsor opportunities

Click here to order the 1st edition of the book

Access our brand visual assets

Click here to access the digital book version

The school list

Words From The Founder of TLA Black Women in Tech :

“I grew up without seeing any aspirational black women despite my mother. Moving to London, I saw more successful black people than I ever saw in Paris. My ambition was elevated. We often only believe in what we see. Without improving representation, the less fortunate are often the ones left with limited aspiration. So, I decided to create this book to revive hope. The Voices In The Shadow illuminates the voices of under-represented talented black women, so we can impact the present and the next generations.”

Words From The Digital & Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage:

“It’s important children know they can do anything in life, and books like Voices in the Shadows can help them discover new role models and inspire them to aim for the stars.”

“We are committed to working with the industry to create a more diverse tech sector which is positive for society, makes good business sense and helps ensure tech works for everyone.”

We would like to thank all our sponsors for supporting our project

Contact us for 2022 sponsor opportunities

Diamond Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Scroll more to find out more

Google is committed to continuing to make diversity, equity, and inclusion part of everything we do—from how we build our products to how we build our workforce. We are a global organisation and have grown at scale in the UK, this brings an elevated level of responsibility to everything we do—including a workforce that’s more representative of our users, and a workplace that creates a sense of belonging for everyone.

We are committed to creating meaningful change on driving race equity in our organisation and across our sphere of influence and we’re excited about the opportunity to be involved in this important work to amplify the voices s of Black Women in Technology to create a future where Black girls and women can see themselves thriving and leading in the tech industry.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details

Matillion makes the world’s data useful with an easy-to-use, cloud-native data integration platform. Matillion delivers rapid returns on cloud investments for global enterprise customers, helping them wield data as their most strategic asset. Optimized for modern enterprise data teams, only Matillion is built on native integrations to cloud data platforms such as Snowflake, Delta Lake on Databricks, Amazon Redshift, Google BigQuery, and Microsoft Azure Synapse to enable new levels of efficiency and productivity in data programs.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialised skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and Operations services — all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centres.

Accenture’s purpose is to deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity and our commitment to our 569,000 people, clients and communities is to accelerate equality for all. Our purpose and our commitment drives our innovation agenda, helps us deliver 360 degree value, and ensures we act as a responsible business leader.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

As part of our diverse and inclusive tech team, you can architect, code and ship software that makes us an essential part of our customers’ digital lives. Here, you can work alongside talented engineers in an open, supportive, inclusive environment where your voice is valued, and you make your own decisions on what tech to use to solve challenging problems. Amex offers a range of opportunities to work with the latest technologies and encourages you to back the broader engineering community through open source. And because we understand the importance of keeping your skills fresh and relevant, we give you dedicated time to invest in your professional development. Find your place in technology on #TeamAmex.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

At Goldman Sachs, our Engineers don’t just make things – we make things possible. Build innovations that drive our business and financial markets worldwide. Solve the most challenging and pressing engineering problems for our clients. Join our engineering teams that build massively scalable software and systems, architect low latency infrastructure solutions, proactively guard against cyber threats, and leverage machine learning alongside financial engineering to continuously turn data into action. Create new businesses, transform finance, and explore a world of opportunity at the speed of markets.

Engineering is at the critical centre of our businesses. Our dynamic environment requires strategic thinking that is innovative and produces smart solutions. Want to push the limit of digital possibilities? Start here.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click the here for details

Infobip is a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build connected experiences across all stages of the customer journey. Accessed through a single platform, Infobip’s omnichannel engagement, identity, user authentication and contact center solutions help businesses and partners overcome the complexity of consumer communications to grow business and increase loyalty.

With over a decade of industry experience, Infobip has expanded to 65+ offices across six continents. It offers natively built technology with the capacity to reach over seven billion mobile devices and ‘things’ in 190+ countries connected directly to over 650 telecom networks. Infobip was established in 2006 and is led by its co-founders, CEO Silvio Kutić, Roberto Kutić and Izabel Jelenić.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

We’re changing the way people experience mobility. Leveraging the power of data, we create value by delivering inclusive, sustainable, and safety-focused technology solutions with a positive impact on society. We might be a young business but we’re immensely proud of how quickly we’ve developed an inclusive culture that adapts rapidly, nurtures talent and works hard to make everyone feel valued. It’s how we work together that sets our business apart.

That’s why we’re proud to sponsor Tech London Advocates (TLA) Black Women in Tech.

Diversity at TCEU means recognising that our differences are what makes us stronger, and our values drive inclusivity. We are committed to ensuring that our workplace represents what we believe and that it is reflected in our teams. Situated in London’s technology hub ay King’s Cross, we are proud to have a team of 300 members with over 30 different nationalities.

We want to keep drawing in increasingly rich and diverse talent from all spheres of society and hope that this book gives young black girls a chance to see a reflection of who they can become and in turn, empowers them to believe that they too can achieve success within the tech industry.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click the here for details

hundo.careers is an end-to-end entry level talent solution designed to more effectively connect forward-thinking employers with Gen Z talent.

We are a Social Impact company and our purpose is to solve youth unemployment and boost ED&I at scale, through a SaaS model that brings EdTech and HRTech together in one dynamic marketplace.

Ultimately, young people will be able to learn, work and earn online through the hundo platform wherever they are in the world.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

BRiM (Black representation in marketing) is supporting “Voices in the Shadows” as a story that shines a spotlight on Black talent and aligns with our mission to turn good intention into meaningful action. As a cross-industry initiative coming together to improve Black representation in marketing, we hope this book inspires and ignites new perspectives as doing so is vital in the evolution of our industry.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

We’re on a mission to build a world class digital infrastructure platform for Britain and unleash our nation’s potential. Our full fibre networks are bringing gigabit speeds to homes, businesses and communities across the UK, boosting the economy, bringing people together and changing up the way we connect now and in the future.

The CityFibre family is getting bigger and better all the time – we pride ourselves on having an inclusive culture and we’re always looking for enthusiastic people to join us and transform the way Britain connects. With opportunities from apprenticeships and graduate positions all the way to executive roles in every area of our business including engineering and planning in multiple locations across the UK, you’re sure to find your fit at CityFibre.

The CityFibre Way is our way of doing things. We don’t just talk about our values, we live by them.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

We are a Diversity and Inclusion Services organisation founded to move the needle faster in driving fairer workplaces and opportunities. Through two brands – BAME Recruitment & Consulting and Diversifying.io, our purpose-led careers platform – we have built a reputation for being a supportive but critical partner to organisations that are ready to welcome difference and diversity.

Founded by Cynthia Davis in 2015, we are Black female majority-owned and committed to creating a fair and just society where everyone has equal access to opportunities. We believe in challenging the status quo to provide inclusive employment processes, which is why we partner with a broad range of companies to provide the tools, insights and audience needed to make real and tangible progress.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

Genesys is a leader for omnichannel customer experience & contact center solutions, trusted by 10000+ companies in over 100 countries. Every year, Genesys® delivers more than 70 billion remarkable customer experiences for organisations in over 100 countries. Through the power of the cloud and AI, our technology connects every customer moment across marketing, sales and service on any channel, while also improving employee experiences. Genesys pioneered Experience as a Service℠ so organisations of any size can provide true personalisation at scale, interact with empathy and foster customer trust and loyalty.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

Founded in the heart of the Country – CheckUp Health has been designed by a diverse team of healthcare professionals combining over 100 years of management, leadership, clinical practice, software engineering and project delivery in a complex sector. Our mission is to make virtual healthcare conveniently, easily, and efficiently accessible to all patients. Given the recent challenges of Covid, shortage of doctors, and long wait times for appointments we provide an online service for telehealth at the patient’s convenience. Combining technology and healthcare we increase access to care and peace of mind. Using evidence-based medicine we ensure safe practice at a low cost. Providing patients with easily accessible service.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

Jomas Associates Ltd is an award winning company of Environmental and Engineering Specialists, providing a superior, responsive service to the Construction sector, through highly technical staff and associates.

Jomas undertake site investigations, land contamination risk assessments, geotechnical engineering surveys, flood risk assessments, amongst other surveys, adopting a pragmatic approach always.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

We are a boutique diversity and inclusion consultancy offering strategic, business fit inclusion solutions for organisations at all stages of their inclusion journey.
We provide clarity and compassionate challenge; partnering with organisations to empower them with the capabilities to create inclusive cultures where everyone can thrive.
We deliver engaging, practical, and flexible inclusion solutions that are right for each organisation we partner with.
Our focus areas are:
– Leadership engagement. Creating safe, non-judgemental environments where C-Suite leaders can explore inclusion and gain clarity on the practical connection to business and the roadmap for delivery.
– D&I Maturity and strategy. Working with organisation leaders at various stages of their journey to develop solutions that deliver inclusion goals that align with the business context and priorities.
– Developing Anti-Racist organisations. We leverage candid, empathetic conversations and constructive thought provoking moments to increase organisational capabilities in race fluency, allyship and brave conversations

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

Your go-to platform for all news, events, reports, insights, and career opportunities within the field of AI and emerging technologies. You can join the community today!

The AI Journal is an open source platform that welcomes new ideas, innovation, frameworks, and viewpoints surrounding AI and emerging tech. Our vision and goal is to educate everyone in the world on AI and emerging technology. We’re doing this through providing free training, reports, webinars, trend analysis, recruitment, and more with the focus on creating an exceptional user experience and incredible user engagement.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

Thrive HR Consulting was set up to make a positive difference to smaller and mid-sized enterprises that need help with their people and culture. When it comes to a business’s competitive edge, it’s always its people! We’ll help you build HR solutions as unique as your business, with the local might or global scale to realise the best version of your vision. We build strong and lasting relationships with our clients and help them create a better working experience for their organisation, facilitating the delivery of strategic goals.

We enjoy designing and delivering people and culture strategies that take your employees and customers with you, coaching leaders, and tailoring diversity, inclusion and social impact programs that promote equity, amplifying different voices, perspectives and experiences. If you’d like to chat about making your business a great place to work and thrive, please get in touch with Louisa@thrivehrconsulting.co.uk

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

They’re recognised as a forward-thinking commercial and private client law firm delivering imaginative and incisive advice – both in the UK and internationally. From cross-border technology transfer agreements to sophisticated tax affairs, our solicitors have the expertise to achieve results.

Their clients tell them that our openness, clarity and strong emphasis on communication are the reasons why they choose to work with them on an ongoing basis. They’re proud of their responsive, go-ahead approach together with their firmwide team ethos.

Each of their offices, in London, the South East and the Midlands, and from Singapore to São Paulo, provides access to the entire breadth of their legal practice. They believe that this structure helps them to offer a seamless and highly effective service to businesses and individuals at every stage.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

Altair is an American multinational information technology company headquartered in Troy, Michigan. It provides software and cloud solutions for simulation, IoT, high-performance computing (HPC), data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI)

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

The Open Data Institute is a non-profit company with a mission to work with companies and governments to build an open, trustworthy data ecosystem. They work with a range of organisations, governments, public bodies and civil society to create a world where data works for everyone.

To achieve their mission they work with organisations to help them use better data practices; they work with sectors and regions to ensure data is helping them; and they help interpret and apply the latest thinking around data and data infrastructure.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

3 Colours Rule’s passion is to grow tech companies by improving their brand value, positioning, credibility, and awareness. We embark on a journey of passion with you. Our branding and marketing agency, specialising in technology, help tech companies develop a brand that truly represents who they are so your dreams can be the foundation of a brighter future for all.

Simply put, our award-winning agency will free up their time so they can focus on doing what they do best, and continue to attract their ideal clients, talent and investors.

To find out more about our sponsor, please click here for details.

If one of your company goals is to improve diversity and be involved in a project with a long-lasting impact, this project is for you. Associate your brand with a timeless project that will positively impact multiple generations. The Voices in The Shadow will change the narrative towards Black Women, improve diversity at levels and increase the interest in a tech career within the young Black community.

If you would like to find out about friendly sponsorship options, please click here for details.

Contact us for 2022 sponsor opportunities

Click here to make a contribution

Access our social media pack