Fourth Women in Tech Awards sees nine women and one male advocate celebrated as Lorraine Acheson hails NI’s status as focal point for industry innovation

Lorraine Acheson, Managing Director of Women in Business and Deputy CEO of The WiB Group, has praised women in tech – alongside male advocates – for their progress in righting the current gender imbalance in tech. 

Speaking with Sync NI, Lorraine also points to the importance of apprenticeships in helping to further address the need for gender parity within the thriving sector. 

This is addition to the power of seeing females in senior leadership positions, which adds to the saying ‘you can’t be what you don’t see.’ 

Lorraine speaks with Sync NI as Northern Ireland’s digital innovators were recognised and celebrated at the 2025 Women in Tech Awards in an impactful awards evening in Belfast recently. 

Delivered by Women in Business NI and sponsored by VANRATH, the annual event welcomed over 300 guests from across Northern Ireland’s thriving tech sector to the Europa Hotel for a gala evening which showcased the sector’s best-in-class and their continued positive impact on the local economy. 

With Northern Ireland’s rising status as a major technology hub and Belfast recognised recently as the UK’s second fastest-growing knowledge economy, the 2025 Women in Tech Awards honoured nine women and one male advocate who together have challenged and embraced technology. 

Lorraine says the evening comes as Northern Ireland continues to cement its status as a focal point for industry innovation. She explains: “Poised on the cutting-edge of digital technology, Northern Ireland has much to look forward to. 

“A high concentration of global tech powerhouses and early-stage companies, combined with a talented and thriving workforce, have cemented NI’s status as a focal point for industry innovation. 

“Last year alone, more than 1,800 new technology businesses were launched on these shores. According to Instant Offices research, that puts NI in fourth place among the top UK tech hotspots. Perhaps what’s more impressive is that this figure represents a year-on-year growth of 86 per cent, buoyed by a sector that refuses to stand still.” 

This significant figure is driven mostly by young entrepreneurs, tech founders who are fuelling growth and innovation right across the industry. 

However, such statistics come with a “familiar and frustrating footnote” with just 155 out of the 1,818 tech companies launched, founded by women. 

“This figure represents only nine per cent in a sector that has long been shackled by gender inequality in that the balance of opportunities, access to finance, mentors, and general career progression have for too long been titled away from women,” Lorraine comments. 

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Such a disparity only serves to reinforce the importance of events like Northern Ireland’s annual Women in Tech Awards and it has been positive to see the number of applications continue to rise. Lorraine states: “A night where we showcase those best-in-class individuals working day in, day out to create a more inclusive and forward-thinking industry. Opening doors so others may follow. 

“This being the fourth ceremony, at Women in Business we were thrilled to see a record number of entries for 2025. And it’s not just the calibre, but the variety of applications that continues to impress. 

“In today’s digital age, technology is central to all business activity, and every year we’re seeing more women excelling in tech roles within non-tech organisations. Case in point: our C Level Woman of the Year is from law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. 

“Then there’s the entrepreneurs, which is always an exciting awards category filled with blue-sky ingenuity. Choosing a winner from a field of fantastic finalists was a real challenge for our judges, however it was heartening to see women business owners represented across other categories, too, including finalists within the Green Impact Award and Digital Transformation Leader. 

“It's a testament to the breadth of opportunities made available by the tech industry, while for Women in Business it is our privilege to champion those women who embody the positive impact of the sector locally at every level, from apprentice to C-suite.” 

Speaking of future talent, the raw potential simmering within this year’s One to Watch category was simply incredible, says Lorraine. “Together they represent the pipeline of future women leaders, and it is critical that we don’t lose these women from the industry as they progress. 

“Apprenticeships, too, are another vital entry point while the crucial role of academic organisations in rewriting the sector’s gender imbalance cannot be overstated. What we need is an environment conducive to focused digital learning to ultimately bridge age-old gaps between young women and their digital capabilities. To pierce persistent gender norms through collaborative networking, mentoring and the elevation of industry role models. 

“Innovation at the expense of inclusion will only get us so far; the two must be accelerated together as a dynamic digital duo to propel our industry to new heights. This pursuit of progress is ingrained into the very DNA of our Women in Tech Awards, which has grown year-on-year into a positive reinforcement of Northern Ireland’s thriving tech sector.” 

READ MORE: Alison Ballard, 'Nothing can prepare you better for a career in technology than a willingness to learn'

Lorraine concludes: “A night of celebration and reward, the showpiece event is the culmination of our year-round commitment at Women in Business to amplify the tech industry’s incredible women and their continued positive impact in Northern Ireland and beyond.” 

The Women in Tech 2025 award winners are: 

C Level Woman of the Year (sponsored by IQ&Co) 

·         Lyn Harris (Herbert Smith Freehills) 

Digital Transformation Leader of the Year (sponsored by Sync NI) 

·         Edel Madden (Xsell) 

Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by Allstate Northern Ireland) 

·         Louise Doyle (Needi) 

Tech Team of the Year (sponsored by Pytilia) 

·         Jill Rafferty & Romita Pandita (PwC) 

One to Watch in the Future (sponsored by BT) 

·         Christina Matier (Codec) 

Green Impact Award (sponsored by Danske Bank) 

·         Emma McKenna (Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre) 

Tech Advocate of the Year (sponsored by MHS) 

·         Judith Millar (CSIT / NI CYBER) 

Male Advocate of the Year (sponsored by NIE Networks) 

·         Jonathan Sinclair (Inclutech) 

Outstanding Apprentice (sponsored by Version 1) 

·         Laurie Montgomery (Danske Bank) 

Outstanding Woman in Tech 2025 (sponsored by VANRATH) 

·         Dr Aislinn Rice, Non-Executive Director of Analytic Engines and Software NI