Why the Cancellation of the GHC Matters For the Future of Tech

In November last year I was invited to speak at the Grace Hopper Celebration, widely described as the “world’s largest gathering of women in tech.” The annual event attracts more than 30,000 women working across the tech sector and unlike most tech conferences, is predominantly female. For example, CES is twice as large and usually attracts an average of only about 20% females. At GHC last year, the vibe was very different. The hallways were filled with women working at all levels of tech, not just the bosses, and the energy was full of optimism.

Most impressive to me was the scope of the event. From the many sponsors to the companies willing to send dozens of their female employees to the show. There were organizations traveling as groups to meet others, and people who had been coming for years reconnecting with old friends. Most of all, for once in a sector that is almost always male-dominated, there was a place that was specifically for women. It seems that somehow that support collapsed.

Now that it has been cancelled this year because “both individual registrations and sponsorship commitments came in significantly below our expectations.” My friend Sandy Carter had a good perspective on what this news means for women in tech and one of the biggest impacts is likely to be the lost opportunity for networking and connections that would have happened there. She writes:

The cancellation creates a test for GHC’s corporate partners. Some of GHC’s corporate sponsors include Capital One, CVS Health, Disney, Goldman Sachs, Google, Intuit and Morgan Stanley. Will they keep investing in ways to reach and support women in technology, or will those efforts disappear with this year’s event? For companies working to build AI teams, that question has strategic weight.

Across my social media feed, there were women expressing frustration, shock and sadness. Plus, the cancellation is leaving questions that are bigger because of what the show represents. I’m not a woman or someone working in an industry that often fails to recognize my perspective. However, as a speaker who was lucky to be part of the GHC stage once, I know what this gathering means.

Anitab’s Annual Grace Hopper Celebration was a unique thing in the world of tech, and if another program (or series of events) cannot step up to take its place, something really meaningful will be lost. Having more female perspectives in technology makes it better for everyone. That was the truth I saw celebrated in every conversation at GHC last year, and a conversation I hope will carry on in whatever events come up next to keep the flame alive.