Women in Tech Take Centre Stage at WIT 2026
24 November All day
For many women entering South Africa‘s technology industry, the challenge has never simply been about having a good idea. It has been about getting that idea into the room, finding people willing to back it and turning potential into a sustainable business.
The Innovator Trust Women in Tech (WIT) Awards 2026 is putting those journeys in the spotlight.
Taking place virtually on Tuesday, 24 November 2026, this year’s edition centres on the theme “Tech Believers” — a fitting reminder that founders often have to believe in an idea long before the market does.
From Ideas to Businesses
WIT’s focus extends beyond celebrating women with impressive résumés. The awards recognise women-led ICT SMEs that have progressed through the Innovator Trust’s Start-up Enterprise Development, Youth Entrepreneurship and Supplier Development incubation programmes.
That distinction matters.
For many entrepreneurs, the journey from concept to commercially viable company involves learning how to digitise operations, generate revenue, build capacity and ultimately scale.
These are the less glamorous parts of entrepreneurship that happen long before an award ceremony — and they are often where the real story lives.
The 2026 awards aim to bring those stories forward, showcasing women who are not simply participating in South Africa‘s technology economy but actively helping to shape it.
What Does It Mean to Be a “Tech Believer”?
The Tech Believers theme taps into a familiar reality for entrepreneurs: belief usually comes before validation.
Founders put their money, time, skills and reputations behind ideas that may initially look uncertain to everyone else. For women in technology, that journey can also involve navigating gaps in access, visibility, capital, procurement and networks.
According to Innovator Trust CEO Tashline Jooste, recognition can have commercial value because visibility can influence which businesses are remembered when contracts, partnerships and opportunities emerge.
An award cannot solve structural barriers on its own. But credibility can become another tool in a founder’s arsenal.
Recognition With a Bigger Conversation
WIT also brings together voices from business, technology and leadership to explore the wider challenges and opportunities facing women in the sector.
Previous speakers have included Professor Thuli Madonsela, Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Irene Charnley, Dr Roze Phillips, Tsatsi Mthimunye and Charmaine Houvet, reflecting the event’s focus on connecting individual entrepreneurial journeys with broader conversations around leadership and economic participation.
For South Africa‘s younger generation of entrepreneurs, that conversation is increasingly relevant.
Technology is no longer simply about coding or building the next app. It is about creating jobs, solving local problems, opening markets and giving businesses new ways to participate in the economy.
WIT 2026 ultimately asks the ecosystem to do more than believe in women founders from a distance. If these entrepreneurs have demonstrated what they can build, the next step is creating meaningful opportunities for them to grow.
Registration for WIT 2026 is free and virtual, opening the event to women across South Africa.
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