​Equal Ambition. Equal Opportunity.

​Talent is everywhere. Opportunity should be too.

​The best ideas do not belong to one gender. Neither does ambition. Yet access to the capital, networks and opportunities that turn those ideas into high-growth companies remains far from equal.

​Women continue to receive only a fraction of venture funding. That is not simply an equality problem. It is an economic one. When exceptional founders are overlooked, we leave talent, innovation and growth on the table.

​Equal Ambition. Equal Opportunity. brings together founders, investors and industry leaders to examine where opportunity is being lost, why the gap persists and what it will take to build a better system for identifying and backing potential.

​We will hear from those building companies, those deploying capital and those working to change the landscape, exploring what works, what still doesn't and where responsibility for change really sits.

​Because a stronger tech economy is not built by backing more women for the sake of representation. It is built by making sure the best ideas and the most capable founders have an equal opportunity to succeed.

​Back talent. Back ambition. Back the best ideas, wherever they come from.

​Speakers

​🔹 Keynote: Zandra Moore MBE

​Founder & CEO of Zygens, tech entrepreneur and investor with more than 25 years’ experience scaling technology businesses.

​Awarded an MBE for services to gender equality in business, Zandra brings a powerful perspective on investment, opportunity and backing overlooked talent.

​🔹 Panel: Jillian Hughes

​European Operations Director at Silicon Catalyst and Head of Semiconductors at TechWorks, with more than three decades of technology industry experience.

​Co-founder of Women in TechWorks, Jillian brings insight into how networks, visibility and opportunity can unlock talent and leadership.

​🔹 Panel: David Richards MBE

​Co-Founder of Yorkshire AI Labs and experienced technology entrepreneur and investor, focused on funding and scaling frontier technology businesses.

​David brings the founder and investor perspective on who gets backed and what it takes to access the capital and networks needed to scale.

​In partnership with TECH SY

​This event is delivered in partnership with TECH SY, South Yorkshire’s technology ecosystem development programme for SYMCA, which is currently leading a Women in Tech & Investment Taskforce.

​Please note: Photography and filming will take place at this event. Content captured may be used across The Digital Forge and partner marketing and communications channels.