Expert view: Anna Szwiec

The IT industry is rapidly evolving toward greater specialization, deeper expertise, and broader adoption of AI. In this context, strong leadership has become the true differentiator. Bringing more women into tech is therefore essential to building resilient, innovative environments that can grow, scale, and remain competitive.

Women currently make up around 17.5% of IT professionals in Poland and approximately 28% in Krakow, according to industry surveys. The wide variation across organizations (14–42%) highlights significant untapped potential, particularly in technical and leadership roles.

Ecosystem-driven initiatives play a critical role in developing a strong pipeline of future female leaders. The Women in Technology community, led by the Imagine Inclusive Technology Foundation, provides practical, hands-on support to women in the industry. Increasing visibility, amplifying the female perspective, building relevant skills, and fostering partnerships are key for companies that want to stay ahead. The Be Visible in IT program addresses major barriers to career advancement, such as limited access to expert and decision-making roles. It focuses on developing practical leadership skills—including strategic communication, public speaking, and personal branding—that are often underrepresented in existing support structures. After all, even the best ideas only matter if they are heard.

The first edition of the program exceeded expectations. Participants became more confident and visible, actively engaging in the tech community by speaking at conferences, contributing to industry discussions, and sharing their expertise. The program also creates a powerful ripple effect: graduates return to co-organize future editions and support new participants, fostering a strong sense of ownership and shared purpose. While people remain at the heart of the program, scaling its impact required a new approach. This led to the creation of Luma.

Built on over 11 years of experience from the Tech Leaders mentoring program, meetLuma leverages generative AI to expand access to mentoring. It supports women’s leadership development by providing continuous guidance and helping build skills essential for senior roles in a rapidly changing tech landscape.

Luma addresses one of the key limitations of traditional mentoring: scalability. As a virtual mentor, it enables continuous, on-demand learning through a multi-agent system and thoughtfully designed interactions that maintain high quality and relevance. It also reflects a broader shift in the industry—the ability to work effectively with AI is becoming a critical skill for career growth.

From a wider ecosystem perspective, these initiatives deliver impact across three key areas: developing future leaders, building capabilities such as AI fluency and adaptability, and fostering more inclusive organizations that drive innovation.

As AI continues to reshape the industry, value is increasingly defined by how effectively technology is used to solve real business problems. This is why diverse leadership is no longer optional—it is a strategic necessity.

Supporting women in IT is not only the right thing to do; it is essential for building a strong, competitive, and future-ready tech ecosystem in Krakow.