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TechGirl Festival

Empowering Future Female Leaders.

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28th August at Cambridge United FC

The HotTopics TechGirl Festival 2025 is a high-energy, hands-on event designed to inspire, challenge, and connect the next generation of female leaders in technology.

in partnership with
Cambridge United FC-min

Inspiring the next generation, led by today’s leaders

In partnership with Cambridge United FC, the festival brings together ambitious young women aged 16+ in education and senior technology leaders to solve real-world digital transformation challenges.

As a mentor, you’ll have the opportunity to guide, inspire, and collaborate—helping participants develop practical solutions, sharing your leadership insights, and shaping the future of the industry.

The winning ideas won’t just stay ideas. They’ll be developed with Cambridge United FC across 2025 and 2026, turning inspiration into lasting impact.

This is your chance to give back, connect with future talent, and leave a leadership legacy.

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Get involved at TechGirl Festival

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Mentor a team

Guide a team as they develop real solutions, offering advice along the way.

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Be a judge

Join the panel, hear their ideas, and help choose the winners.

 

 

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Share your story

Lead a session or chat—pass on what you’ve learned.

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Meet future talent

Connect with the next generation and fellow leaders on the day.

Our community’s purpose in action

At HotTopics, we believe leadership is about action. Our community of 19,000+ senior executives thrives on connecting leaders and inspiring action—and TechGirl sits at the heart of that purpose.

We know many in our community want to give back, support rising talent, and help close the diversity gap in technology. TechGirl is how we make that happen—providing a platform to mentor, champion, and empower the next generation.

As members of the HotTopics community, we don’t just talk about the future of tech—we actively build it.

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TechGirl Festival agenda

28th August at Cambridge United FC

Kick-off
Innovate & build
Cambridge Football Club
  • Introduction & challenge briefing
  • Team formation & strategy sessions
  • Hands-on mentorship & idea development
Second half
Pitch, learn & connect
Cambridge Football Club
  • Team presentations to the judging panel
  • Thought leadership panels & networking
  • Work experience sign-ups with HotTopics mentors
Extra time
Beyond the Festival: Grow & take action
Cambridge Football Club
  • Meet industry leaders and potential mentors
  • Gain insights into careers in tech
  • Be part of a real-world innovation process
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The Challenge

Hosted at Cambridge United Football Club (CUFC), teams will tackle a real-world digital transformation problem:

How can technology improve CUFC’s ticketing, fan experience, and food & beverage systems?

With guidance and mentorship from senior technology leaders, teams will develop innovative, practical solutions and present them to a panel of industry experts and CUFC decision-makers.

The winning idea will be developed with Cambridge United FC across 2025 and 2026.

Cambridge United Women's Football Club
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TechGirl mentors attending

TechGirl is built by the leaders who power today’s tech industry. Join us in shaping the future of technology.

Avril Chester

Avril Chester

Chief Technology Officer, Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Lauren Dally

Lauren Dally

Director of Application Delivery, Ardonagh Group

Indhira Mani

Indhira Mani

Chief Data Officer, RSA UK

Mariana Reis

Mariana Reis

Enterprise Head of Data Governance, WPP

Nareni Hourican

Nareni Hourican

Digital Transformation Director - Global Head of Digital & Innovation, Brown-Forman

Lydia Nicola

Lydia Nicola

Head of IT Operations, Amnesty International

Lauren Wilson

Lauren Wilson

Senior Leader in Cyber Incident Management, EDF Energy

Steve Brown

Steve Brown

Vice President, Cybersecurity & Resilience, Mastercard

Rubi Kaur

Rubi Kaur

Chief Enterprise Architect, Lloyds

Jevern Partridge

Jevern Partridge

CIO, Rexel UK Limited

Helen Rabe

Helen Rabe

CISO, BBC

Alex Butler

Alex Butler

Transformation Director, United Response

Lauren Wilson

Lauren Wilson

Senior Leader in Cyber Incident Management, Former EDF Energy

David Thomas

David Thomas

CIO, Magellan Point

Christina Tueje

Christina Tueje

Strategy Director: AI, Data and Technology, GRC Information Management

Priya Bhola

Priya Bhola

Technology Service Owner, Ericsson

Grace Tattersall

Grace Tattersall

Partner, Anderson Quigley

Lara Burns

Lara Burns

Chief Digital Officer, Former Scouts

Nadia Volkova

Nadia Volkova

Global Digital Commercial Director, Diageo

Eugi Bartolo

Eugi Bartolo

CPTO, Sifted

Rich Corbridge

Rich Corbridge

CIO, Segro

Eileen Jennings-Brown

Eileen Jennings-Brown

Chief Operating Officer, Exergy3 Limited

Danny Attias

Danny Attias

CDIO, London Business School

Rachel Scully

Rachel Scully

Digital Capability Director, Shell

Ann Walker

Ann Walker

Senior Vice President, Major Programmes and Strategic Initiatives, Mastek

Anna Barsby

Anna Barsby

Founder and Managing Parnter, Tessiant

David Germain

David Germain

NED, Board Advisor,

Giles Lindsay

Giles Lindsay

Chief Information Technology Officer, Lif3away inc

Darryl Beckford

Darryl Beckford

Director of Architecture, BT Group (EE, Plusnet)

Gregory Dumont

Gregory Dumont

CISO | DPO, SBE

Thanks to our partners

Cambridge United FC

Partner with TechGirl

Join an initiative shaping the future of tech by empowering the next generation of female leaders. As a partner, you’ll align your brand with a purpose-driven mission, gaining visibility among the world’s top tech executives.

Your support—whether through mentorship, sponsorship, or resources—creates real impact, opening doors for young women in technology. Partnering with TechGirl also connects you with future talent, helping build a stronger, more diverse industry.

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Apply to join

TechGirl Festival | 28th August 2025