THE LGBTIQ+ TECH CONFERENCE & CAREER FAIR
12.10.2024 · BERLIN
Get to know the biggest LGBTIQ+ tech scene in Europe; explore the intersection of queerness, tech breakthroughs and crafting a better tomorrow.
Meet tech experts, founders, innovators and your next queer-friendly employer.
Take part in workshops and panels to boost your skills and career in tech, network with other queer talents and find your next job opportunity.
Build life-changing connections and celebrate a decade of being proud and making the difference; UIT celebrates it’s 10 year anniversary
EXHIBITORS
Belden
We believe that our success is driven by the exceptional talent we have on board. At Belden, we’re building careers and fostering a culture of excellence, inclusivity, and belonging based on our core values. We develop network solutions for industrial and harsh environments. We design customer-centric solutions to enable efficient production workflows with robust and scalable network deployments. These network deployments include cables, connectors, switches, routers, firewalls, and wireless (WiFi and 5G) devices. Additionally, we develop tooling for orchestration, administration, and maintenance (OAM) and network access control (NAC). The need for robustness and high-quality products for our customers is driving our level of integration between the Belden brands.
The software development is supported by state-of-the-art technology for each use case, e.g. our web applications utilize modern Javascript frameworks, CI/CD pipelines are based on Jenkins with Python frameworks, and embedded development requires programming with low-level programming languages.
- Protection against discrimination of LGBTIQ+ in behavioral guidelines (e.g., in the Code of Conduct)
- Sanctions for discrimination against LGBTIQ+, and training for employees on dealing with sexual and gender diversity
- Confidential support during the coming-out process – Use of new first names before an official change of personal status is possible (on door signs, business cards, etc.)
- Obligation of business partners to protect LGBTIQ+ in their behavioral guidelines (e.g., in a Supplier Code of Conduct)
📌 Berlin – Bern – Frankfurt – Mannheim – Schalksmühle – Stuttgart
🌐 Industrial Automation, Telecommunication, Smart Buildings, Data Solutions, Cybersecurity
Deutsche Bahn
With over 338,000 employees in 130 countries, Deutsche Bahn is one of the world’s largest providers of mobility and logistics services. Diversity strengthens our ability to innovate when recruiting staff and brings us closer to and more trusting of our customers. Together with our employees, we develop innovative projects to efficiently manage infrastructure and modes of transport for people and goods by rail, road, water and air.
🦄 DB is one of the largest employers in Germany and one of the most diverse – with employees from four generations and over 100 cultural backgrounds. Diversity strengthens our ability to innovate when recruiting staff and brings us closer to and more trusting of our customers. When we talk about diversity at Deutsche Bahn, we include all facets of diversity. Seven core dimensions have been defined for this purpose: Gender, age, physical and mental health, sexual orientation, religion, social origin and ethnic origin.
What is railbow?
In close cooperation with the divisions and under the umbrella of the group initiative “Einziganders.”, railbow is committed to diversity within the group. Employees should be able to fully contribute their competence and skills regardless of their sexual identity and orientation. In this way, we actively support the current Group strategy “Strong Rail”, in which diversity is firmly anchored.
This is only possible with a lot of support and a corresponding recognition from the managers as a network within the company levels. Employees and managers can become members and receive news on the regional regulars’ tables and social networks as well as on our homepage.
📌 Deutschlandweit
🌐 Mobility and Logistics Services
Staffbase
Staffbase is the leading provider of employee apps and intranet solutions as a SaaS company, aiming to elevate communication in large and international enterprises to the next level. With modern headquarters in Chemnitz, offices worldwide, and over 700 employees, Staffbase enables internal communication that reaches all colleagues. As a modern and international employer, we support hybrid work models, offer plenty of well-being benefits, and embrace diversity and equality.
- Formed a DEI committee, which takes care of creating a safe space for everyone showing up as their true, best self and belong.
- Set up an allyship training for all colleagues who want to engage with the topic and be an ally.
- Sharing personal stories in our intranet from employees for employees to keep up the empathy and awareness.
- Creating a safe space in the offices by e.g. providing all-gender-toilets where possible, hang flags and using gender-neutral language.
- Formed an Employee Resource Group as a space to share and connect.
📌 Chemnitz (HQ), Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, Cologne, Munich, London, Minneapolis–Saint Paul, New York, Sidney
🌐 Software as a Service (SaaS)
European Union Agency for the Space Program
EUSPA provides safe and secure European Union satellite navigation services, advances the commercialization of Galileo, EGNOS, and Copernicus data and services, engages in secure SATCOM (GOVSATCOM & IRIS²), and operates the EU SST Front Desk.
Diversity is one of the core values of the Agency. As an EU institution, we endeavour to foster a diverse and inclusive talent/skill pool and provide equal opportunities for all.
EUSPA has adopted a Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action plan that sets out key bi-annual actions for diversity and inclusion at the agency.
📌 Prague, Paris, Toulouse, Madrid, Noordwijk, Brussels
🌐 Safe and Secure Satellite Services Engineering
Scout24
Scout24 is home of ImmoScout24, Germany’s #1 for real estate. With ImmoScout24 we have been revolutionizing the real estate market in Germany and Austria for more than 20 years. Our goal is to build a digital ecosystem that brings homeowners, seekers, and agents together. Finding the right home and property is one of the most important decisions in life. So is your career! #WorkingatScout24 means being part of a diverse and inclusive team of 850 colleagues and 53 nationalities. We embrace differences and celebrate individuality. By encouraging open-mindedness and authenticity we enable a true learning culture and prepare the ground for personal development. Mistakes are a chance to grow and innovate. Together we act proactively, strive for improvement, and take responsibility. We talk about success and challenge while treating each other with respect because we are #oneteam.
- Pride Community @Scout24 – we have a Pride community which is voluntary, employee-led entities that foster a diverse and inclusive work environment linked to Scout24’s mission, values and goals
- DEI Week – that has topics related to LGBTQIA+ community
- Equitable recruitment processes and interview trainings
- Gender-neutral Toilets
- DEI Training as part of the onboarding
- Gender inclusive Language
- Inclusion Survey
- T-Shirt Campaign that benefits Queer Home e.V
📌 Berlin – Munich – Hamburg – Cologne – Vienna
🌐 Information Technology – Real State Technology
KEYNOTES
12:00 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 Bringing out the diversity in your existing Development Team
This talk focuses on how Psychological Safety is key to waking up diversity that already exists within your team(s) and provides steps you can take to achieve that goal. It addresses how to benefit from diversity without disrupting an established, high-performing team.
by Erica Wolf (she/her)
Senior Software Engineer
Erica has been making software professionally since the late 1980s, holding various roles from Firmware Engineer to Architect. She came out as transgender after age 50 and has been diagnosed with Autism and ADHD.
Erica is deeply committed to DEI in tech, especially how diversity can improve code quality.
#futureofwork
12:00 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇩🇪 Beyond Borders: Technologie als Enabler von queerem Empowerment und globaler Vernetzung
In diesem Vortrag werden wir uns mit der transformativen Kraft der Reisetechnologien auseinandersetzen, die nicht nur persönliche Entdeckungen ermöglichen, sondern auch die globale Inklusion und das Verständnis fördern.
Ich werde von meinen eigenen Erfahrungen mit Solo-Reisen berichten – wie die Reisen in unbekannte Gebiete meinen kulturellen Horizont erweitert und mir geholfen haben, mein Queer-Sein zu akzeptieren. Wir werden uns mit den Herausforderungen und Grenzen bestehender Reiseplattformen befassen, die oft die differenzierten Bedürfnisse von Reisenden unterschiedlicher Herkunft übersehen, insbesondere innerhalb der LGBTQ+-Community.
Ausgehend von diesen Erkenntnissen werde ich die Gründung von travelout erörtern, wo fortschrittliche KI-Algorithmen dabei helfen, sinnvolle Verbindungen herzustellen, und so die zentrale Rolle der Reisetechnologien bei der Schaffung einer inklusiveren Welt demonstrieren. Während travelout ein Beispiel für diese Mission ist, wird der Schwerpunkt auf dem Potenzial der Reisetechnologien im Allgemeinen liegen, die Identitätsfindung zu unterstützen und umfassende, unterstützende Netzwerke aufzubauen.
by Theodora Chatzipavlidis (she/her)
Co-Founder & CEO | travelout
Theodora ist eine queere Tech-Unternehmerin und die CEO und Mitbegründerin von travelout. Ihr Startup steht an der Spitze der Reisetechnologie und nutzt KI, um Reisenden dabei zu helfen, die perfekten Begleiter:innen zu finden, die ihre Reiseerfahrungen bereichern und gleichzeitig Einsamkeit bekämpfen. Geboren in den USA und aufgewachsen in Deutschland mit griechischen Wurzeln, nährt ihr vielfältiger Hintergrund ihre Leidenschaft für die Verbindung von Kulturen und Menschen durch Technologie.
Sie hat in Deutschland und Mexiko Internationale Finanzen, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management studiert, was ihr hilft, ihre akademischen Erkenntnisse täglich bei travelout und als Universitätsdozentin für Projektinnovation und Unternehmensfinanzierung anzuwenden. Als Coach für social Entrepreneurship befähigt sie junge Changemaker, durch innovative Lösungen positive Auswirkungen zu erzielen.
Als LGBTQ+ Mitgründerin ist die Förderung von Inklusivität und Verständnis innerhalb der Tech-Community nicht nur ein berufliches Ziel, sondern auch eine persönliche Mission.
#entrepreneurship
12:30 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 Queer Eye for UI: The Intersection of Identity and Creativity in UX Design
In ‘Queer Eye for UI’, I talk about how my identity as a lesbian trans woman influences my approach to UX design, creativity, and problem-solving. I will discuss how queer perspectives can enhance design processes and outcomes.
Queer people go through lengthy processes of self-discovery, we analyse our own identities and emotions, and we learn to communicate them in order to make others understand our perspectives. This also makes us more empathetic as we learn to relate to one another. We develop the tools to understand how people feel and how their inner worlds work. This unique set of skills is highly beneficial in the work as a UX designer, and can function as a powerful catalyst for creativity.
Especially fresh UX Designers might wonder if they have what it takes to become successful in the field. ‘Do I bring something that makes me special, that makes me stand out compared to all of the other designers out there?’ My take: Yes, you absolutely do! You are a queer person.
by Ariane Podlesny (she/her)
Product Designer | Staffbase
Ariane is a Product Designer with 6 years of experience in UX/UI. Currently, she is responsible for the Mobile App Experience at Staffbase. Before she got into UX Design, she worked as a Project Manager in Advertising and as a Freelancer in Graphic and Web Design.
As a lesbian, trans woman, Ariane always looks out for the unique and beneficial aspects of being a queer person and lets her view on the world be shaped by these experiences.
#productinnovation
12:30 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇩🇪 Brutale Offenheit oder „Wie hacke ich die Arbeitsplatzkultur meines Arbeitgebers?“
Wir alle wollen in einem Unternehmen arbeiten, die eine integrative und respektvolle Arbeitsplatzkultur haben, aber die meisten von uns sind nicht in einer Führungsposition – Sind wir also dazu verdammt, die bestehende Kultur zu akzeptieren? Oder können wir als normale Arbeitnehmer:innen unsere Geschichte und unsere Stimme nutzen, um positive Veränderungen und eine Atmosphäre zu schaffen, die uns stärkt?
Es gibt viele Vorträge und Diskussionen für Menschen in Führungspositionen, wie man eine bessere Arbeitsplatzkultur kultivieren kann. Das ist zwar ein wichtiger Aspekt, aber die meisten von uns sind auch nur einfache Ingenieur:innen, und auch wir wollen zu einem Umfeld beitragen, in dem jede:r sich selbst sein und sich entfalten kann.
In meinem Vortrag möchte ich zeigen, wie ein offener Umgang mit psychischen Problemen, persönlichen Herausforderungen und dem gesellschaftlichen Druck, dem jede:r von uns in unterschiedlichem Maße ausgesetzt ist, die Atmosphäre an unserem Arbeitsplatz positiv beeinflussen kann.
by Sabrina Kynast (she/her)
Senior Software Engineer | QPlix
Ihre Leidenschaft für alles, was mit Entwicklung zu tun hat, entdeckte Sabrina im Alter von 8 Jahren, als sie ihre erste Website mit „marquee“ und „blink“ programmierte. Jahre später, während ihres Studiums an der TUM, fand sie schließlich ihre Menschen, aber auch einen neuen Begleiter in Form einer schweren klinischen Depression. Nach dem Abschluss des Elite Graduiertenprogramms für Software Engineering an der TUM.
Seit dem Abschluss ihres Studiums arbeitet sie als Software-Ingenieurin für das Münchner Scale-up QPLIX. Sie hat Spaß daran, Menschen weiterzubilden und leitet die interne Dev-Academy.
#futureofwork
13:00 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 Serving many by serving one: Using Blockchain for Good
Blockchain is about more than crypto bros and rug pulls. Fundamentally, it is a tool for coordinated action, incentivizing disconnected participants to work together to achieve common goals. For example, a common goal of the Bitcoin network is to secure the network. In this talk, I will demonstrate how that common goal can be to do good and create social impact.
I will provide a primer on blockchain technology and incentive mechanisms, discuss the protocols of specific projects that use blockchain for good, and present how blockchain could be used to build a decentralised financial empowerment platform that benefits everyone.
by Jason Banks (he/him)
Co-founder | eras.fyi
Jason Banks, 42, is the creator behind eras.fyi, a platform to financially empower the underserved, including the LGBTQ. He has worked as an engineer and manager at tech startups for the past ten years, primarily in blockchain. Before tech, Jason practiced finance and securities law at Shearman & Sterling (now A&O Shearman), a leading global law firm.
Jason is energized by helping others, is particularly interested in the link between societal divisions and financial literacy, and is driven to use his technical skills and business experience to foster social impact through projects like eras. Jason is from the U.S. but lives in Berlin.
He holds a B.A. in Sociology from Columbia University and a J.D. (law) from New York University. Outside work, Jason spends his time reading sci-fi that shows humanity at its worst, watching TV that shows humanity at its best, and engaging people on dance floors about their lives and innermost thoughts.
#beautyofsoftware
13:00 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇩🇪 Meine Learnings beim Aufbau von Quouch - Queer Couchsurfing
Ich werde eine kurze Einführung darüber geben, wer wir sind und wie wir Quouch gegründet haben. Dann werde ich einen Blick über den Tellerrand werfen und darüber sprechen, wie es ist, ein Queer-Tech-Unternehmen zu gründen. Warum ist es anders, welche Tipps haben wir für Gründer:innen und was haben wir gelernt?
Ich werde über die sehr schwierigen Momente sprechen, wenn man eine Idee hat, aber buchstäblich niemand davon weiß und man bei Schritt 0 ist und trotzdem will man es versuchen.
Was sind deine ersten Schritte? Wie reduzierst du deine Idee auf eine einzige Hypothese, die du beweisen musst, um weitermachen zu können? Wie findest du dein Team, was hast du im Sinn? Welche Möglichkeiten gibt es, um Finanzmittel zu erhalten? Und wie bleibst du selbst motiviert?
by Nora von Breitenbach (she/her)
Founder & CEO | Quouch
Nora ist die Gründerin und Geschäftsführerin von Quouch – stay with local queers around the world. Daneben tritt sie auch als Musikerin auf, mit Hut und Schnurrbart als „Herr Nora“, und macht Kabarett-Techno.
Nora war schon immer in unternehmerische und künstlerische Projekte involviert. Nachdem sie drei Jahre in Brasilien gelebt und gearbeitet hatte, kehrte sie nach Deutschland zurück und absolvierte ein Studium der Kognitionswissenschaften.
Die Idee zu Quouch entstand durch verschiedene eigene Couchsurfing-Erfahrungen. Nachdem sie zu oft bei unbequemen Cis-Männern übernachtet hatte, beschloss sie, eine eigene Plattform nur für Frauen und queere Menschen zu schaffen. Jetzt ist Quouch in allen größeren Städten der EU und der USA live.
#entrepreneurship
13:30 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 How to find a safe place to work as a marginalised jobseeker
A safe place to work looks different to everyone, especially when you’re marginalised. What matters to you might not matter the same to the next person. So how to find the right place to work for you?
This talk aims at giving you some tips and tools to enable you to identify if what matters to you matters to your next employer during your job search.
by Lucie Le Naour (any pronouns)
Co-Founder & CEO | Yourequal
Lucie is one of the co-founders and CEO of Yourequal, a community-led employer-rating platform for marginalised workers. Lucie’s goal with Yourequal is to both amplify marginalised workers’ voices and help committed companies become safer workplaces for all.
#professionalgrowth
13:30 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇩🇪 Digital Policy: Was steckt dahinter und wie kannst du sie mitgestalten
Digitale Technologien bringen viele Chancen, aber auch Risiken mit sich, die die politischen Entscheidungsträger:innen beschäftigen.
Was sind die aktuellen Themen in der Digitalpolitik – heute und morgen? Wie sieht die politische Ökonomie in diesem Bereich aus? Wie kannst du aktiv werden und dein Fachwissen und deine Meinung einbringen?
by David Schönwerth (he/him)
Head of Data Economy | Bitkom e.V.
David Schönwerth ist Bereichsleiter Data Economy beim Digitalverband Bitkom und beschäftigt sich auf deutscher und europäischer Ebene mit Datenpolitik, Datenräumen sowie Datentechnologien. Dabei geht es oft um Datenverfügbarkeit und Datennutzung innerhalb und zwischen Organisationen sowie im internationalen Kontext.
Er hat einen Hintergrund in Wirtschaftsinformatik (Stuttgart, Hohenheim) und Public Policy (Paris).
#beautyofsoftware
14:00 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 Unity in Diversity: Creating Competitive Advantage Through Inclusive Leadership
Ultimately, the message is clear: diversity and inclusion are not just checkboxes – they are critical for building resilient, forward-thinking organizations in the 21st century.
This keynote should inspire the audience to harness the full power of diversity and inclusion to create a lasting competitive advantage.
by Rudi Bauer (he/him)
Chief Commercial Officer | WeAreDevelopers
I wanted to become a photographer when I was a kid because I found it fascinating (still do, by the way) that good photographers manage to recognize the proper detail from the giant picture and make something extraordinary out of it.
#futureofwork
14:00 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇬🇧 Weight based Bias/ discrimination in Hiring Process & Fat(Queer)phobia
by JP a.k.a La Zia Jumpy (no pronouns)
Web Engineer & Burlesque Performer
During his years working as a Layouter and Developer, JP had the opportunity to observe and challenge the biases present in the IT industry, not only in Berlin but across Europe. In 2020, he made the bold decision to step away from tech and pursue a full-time career as an artist.
From moderating events like the WeAreDevelopers World Congress in Berlin to singing, ballroom, and burlesque, his technical background provides him with a unique, rational perspective that helps him grow as an artist every day.
You can see JP perform at the Kleine Nachtrevue with other amazing artists.
#futureofwork
14:30 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 The steps of building a High-Performance Team
This talk is for people who aspire to be team leaders or managers or people who recently got this opportunity.
In the session, Aleks will share practical tips and tricks in building an inclusive culture fostering teamwork as well as how to effectively deal with conflicts.
by Aleksandar Vladimirov (he/him)
Senior Software Engineering Manager | Oracle
Aleks is a multidisciplinary Senior IT professional with over a decade of experience. Working for industry leaders like Barclays, SAP, Thales and Oracle. He had pushed for the establishment of the local LGBTIQ+ chapter for Barclays Prague and is an open advocate for diversity in Oracle Prague.
He is an expert in programming and project management and in his current leadership position; he is focused on building high-performance teams.
#futureofwork
14:30 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇬🇧 IT @DeutscheBahn – What does this have to do with geophysics?
by Dr. Wenke Wilhelms (she/her)
Expert Technical Lead Software Development | Deutsche Bahn
Dr. Wenke Wilhelms, born in 1982, has lived in Berlin for 6 years. She completed her doctorate in geophysics. After 11 years as a scientist (in Germany and Canada), she is leaving university and starting anew as a project manager in IT.
She discovered the topic of mobility transition for herself and has a strong desire to get even more involved and help shaping it. She has been working for Deutsche Bahn for two years.
#beautyofsoftware
15:00 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 Getting on board - an overview about what to look out for in job postings, application, interview process, onboarding and your first months
So you would like to start in tech or change companies?
This talk will give you a brief overview about what a good job posting looks like, some hints for your application, how a great interview process works and what to expect from a good onboarding process and first months at your new job.
The main topic will be to talk about “green flags” and “red flags”, but we will touch things like diversity and enhancing your chances to get an interview and maybe an offer.
by Sasha Göbbels (she/her)
Senior Engineering Manager | Overleaf
With a PhD in Theoretical Chemistry Sasha never worked as chemist but went straight into software development. After writing software for telco providers, airports and federal german police she fell for web development.
First as an individual contributor, then as a tech/team lead and engineering manager because she discovered that working with people is even more awesome than working with tech alone.
On her way she also co-founded two companies and currently is working as a (senior) engineering manager at Overleaf. But still she couldn’t let go of writing software. Sasha is trans femme.
#professionalgrowth
15:00 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇬🇧 The importance of Accessibility, Inclusion and Diversity in Software Development
Software is integral to modern life, yet not everyone can access it equally. People with visual, physical, or cognitive impairments often struggle with inaccessible software. Similarly, some groups of people with different ethnicity, different culture, those with low tech literacy, or limited education, find many applications unintuitive or exclusionary. Software also frequently overlooks cultural diversity, neuro diversity, sexual orientations, and gender identities, failing to resonate with diverse users.
This talk emphasises the need to integrate accessibility, inclusion, and diversity into software development. We will discuss practical methods for software engineers, architects, designers, and engineering leaders to create more inclusive software. By adopting universal design principles, involving diverse user groups in testing, and fostering diverse development teams, we can build software that includes, serves and enriches the experiences of all users.
by Marcelo Xavier (he/him)
Senior Software Engineer | HelloFresh
Dynamic and passionate software engineer with over 10 years of experience in the full software development life cycle, specialized in several programming languages (Java, Go, Python), micro services architecture and AI/machine learning systems.
I have extensive experience in designing, developing and deploying systems at global scale for million of users. I’m eager to promote accessibility, inclusion, and diversity in development life cycle for the solutions I work with.
#beautyofsoftware
15:30 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 GenAI & the Future of Work: Why Diverse Perspectives Matter
Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, GenAI has been widely predicted to disrupt the nature of work, enhance productivity, obliterate existing job types while creating new ones.
Today, we’ve already seen early evidence of this disruption, but also witnessed several high-profile cases where GenAI applications reinforced negative and derogatory stereotypes, especially for historically marginalised groups.
This presentation will give a high-level overview of the current realities of GenAI applications and implications for the future of work. Beyond theoretical concepts, this talk will look at the practical approaches we can take to leverage the opportunities of GenAI, while addressing the risks and challenges to ensure fairer outcomes for all.
by Amy Bulman (she/her)
Senior Data Governance Expert | Carl Zeiss AG
Amy has over 8 years of experience leading complex data projects, products and initiatives across various industries. In her current role, she specializes in Data Governance and Data Quality, making sure data is accurate and reliable for enterprise decision-making. She is also passionate about advocating for gender minorities and the LGBTQIA+ community in tech, and promoting the benefits of diversity and inclusion as critical to a company’s success.
#beautyofsoftware
15:30 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇬🇧 Design, Prototype, Pitch: QueerQuest's winning strategy from the UITHACK24
Have you ever attended a hackathon?
We’ll dive into how we turned an idea into a winning prototype at the Unicorns in Tech Hackathon 2024 in under 24 hours. We’ll kick off with a quick pitch, giving you a taste of what secured our victory. Then, we’ll break down exactly how we did it:
- Tech: our approach to selecting the right tools and building a working prototype fast.
- Design: a deep dive into our product-oriented UX and minimalistic UI design process, including the UX workshops that shaped our concept.
- Business: tips on crafting a compelling pitch and pinpointing ways to monetize the idea.
Whether you’re gearing up for a hackathon or looking to streamline your team’s processes, this talk is packed with insights you can put into action and will end with a Q&A session.
by Margarita Fray (she/her), Theodora Chatzipavlidis (she/her) and Basile Bruneau (he/him)
Margarita is a UX/UI designer with backgrounds in mindfulness and therapy. She’s currently on a founder’s journey developing an app for mindful dreaming.
Theodora is a queer tech entrepreneur and the CEO & Co-Founder of travelout. Her startup is at the forefront of travel tech, utilizing AI to help travelers find the perfect companions, enriching their journey experiences while addressing loneliness. Born in the USA and raised in Germany with Greek heritage, her diverse background fuels her passion for connecting cultures and people through technology.
Basile is a self-employed full-stack developer focusing on the LGBTIQ+ community with projects like the My PrEP app ––used to track PrEP and sexual health status by more than 30k people in Europe.
#productinnovation
16:00 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 Building Community
We will be discussing and sharing best practices on how we at Figma create community where weird, wonderful magic can happen when humans meet.
We do this by creating warm, inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome.
Community is not a goal, it’s a commitment as it defines how we show up for each other, how we show up with each other and care has to be embedded in everything we do.
by Mareike Busche (she/her)
Senior Director DACH & CEE; VP EMEA | Figma
Mareike is a seasoned executive in the Tech space. She is an avid advocate for BEI and part of the LGBTQIA+ community herself. She loves gaming, loves networking and building community. She is also a dog person, a gamer and studies Computer Science on the side.
#futureofwork
16:00 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇬🇧 Frenemy No More: Make FinTech Work For You
When you think of fintech, what do you imagine?
Perhaps some slick interfaces, apps and tools designed to be used by guys in suits? In this talk I will define what FinTech is, the different areas and use cases it can be applied in and how it can be used as a powerful tool to reach under-served groups and facilitate financial inclusion.
Under-served groups are those who have historically not been catered to in financial services, such as migrants, women and the LGBTIQ+ community. The audience will leave with a new understanding of social impact opportunities for fintech.
by Sneha Samanta (she/they)
Co-founder | eras.fyi
Sneha has had a colourful journey to tech, with stops in government, language services, and teaching. Her expertise is in fintech and product marketing and she is deeply interested in inclusive design and products, diversity in tech and giving queer people the tools they need to succeed.
#beautyofsoftware
16:30 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 Love in the Time of AI: Unveiling the Future of Dating
Ready to have your mind blown about where online dating is headed? Milan’s (CEO of dating sensations Surge and Zoe) gonna break down how AI is already changing the game—think smarter matches, AI blocking the creeps, and chat tools that make those awkward first messages a little less cringy.
But that’s just the warm-up. We’re talking about a future where AI could kill off swiping for good, make VR dates the norm, and maybe even give you your own digital wingman. Yeah, dating’s about to get wild, and Milan’s here to tell you why the best (and weirdest) is yet to come.
by Milan Kovačič (he/him)
CEO | Cosmic Latte
Milan Kovačič is the CEO of Cosmic Latte, the company behind the successful Zoe and Surge LGBTIQ+ apps, which boast over 20 million users worldwide. Zoe is recognized as the second-biggest lesbian dating app globally. Milan graduated with distinction from the University of Oxford, where he was awarded the Directors Award Scholarship.
He has been recognized as one of Forbes’ “30 under 30” for his significant contributions to the tech and LGBTQ+ advocacy sectors. A former McKinsey alumnus, Milan brings a wealth of strategic and analytical expertise to his endeavors. He is also a four-time debate champion of the Czech and Slovak Republics. In his personal life, Milan is a passionate meditator and backpacker.
#beautyofsoftware
16:30 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇬🇧 The Queer Edge: Investing in LGBTIQ+ Founders to Drive Tech Innovation
Queerness is often seen as a limitation, a glass ceiling in the professional world. But what if it could be your greatest strength? In this session, we’ll flip the script and explore how being queer provides a unique competitive advantage—what we call “the queer edge”.
From the perspective of Europe’s first LGBTIQ+ Venture Capital Fund, identity.vc, we will delve into practical strategies for leveraging the queer edge to accelerate your career and fuel innovation in tech. Discover why we are committed to investing exclusively in queer founders, and how we believe this untapped potential is crucial for creating the next generation of unicorns in tech.
by Alexander Maxelon (he/him)
Analyst | identity.vc
Alexander is an Analyst at identity.vc, Europe’s pioneering LGBTIQ+ venture capital impact fund. In addition to his role at identity.vc, he is the Co-Founder of QueerNext, an innovative community dedicated to LGBTIQ+ changemakers. Alexander is deeply passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as intercultural communication.
#entrepreneurship
17:00 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 Internet: that s**t that you gave for granted
There are things about how the Internet works that we just take for granted.
What happens after you enter a URL in the browser? Is the traffic really private? How do big companies interfere with the Internet? Why do ISPs do whatever they want? How do they measure the usage of your plan?
by Michelle Torres (she/her)
Engineering Manager | Cloudfare
Michelle is an engineering leader with 25 years in the tech industry, primarily working and leading teams in the web industry. She recently joined Cloudflare to work on the low-level areas of Internet and Network protocols.
#beautyofsoftware
17:00 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇬🇧 Human-Centred Communication at Work
Relationships at work often suffer when we assume that what makes sense to us will make sense to someone else. In this talk, I will share strategies to improve everyday communication by applying the design principle of human centricity.
Drawing on my background in comparative literature and product management, I’ll share practical frameworks to get your ideas across with the best chance of success.
by Henry Burnett (he/him)
Senior Product Manager | Urban Sports Club
Originally from the USA, I’ve spent the last six years living and working in Berlin. My non-linear career path has taken me from comparative literature studies to coding as a self-taught developer to eventually finding my happy place in product management. I love product because it lets me get creative at the intersection of tech, business and design.
At Urban Sports Club, I’ve worked with engineers to launch new backend microservices that enable us to scale and mentored other product managers to become even more user-centered and data-driven. These experiences have given me new perspective on the importance of intentional communication strategies for building alignment with colleagues, clients and stakeholders.
Outside of work, you can often find me scuba diving, in a spinning class or creating collages. This is my first time speaking at a tech conference, and I’m excited to try something new!
#futureofwork
17:30 | Rainbow Stage
🇬🇧 Inclusive AI: What Queerness Can Teach Technology
While AI dominates most discussions, few address how these systems, and the conversations surrounding them, perpetuate Western, cisgender, and heterosexual norms globally. What does it mean for LGBTQIA+ as AI becomes an integral part of our daily lives but still often fails to fully acknowledge, represent, and include us?
In this talk we’ll explore the challenges and opportunities AI poses to the LGBTQIA+ community, including the dangers of AI-driven pinkwashing, misgendering, or inadvertent outing, and the potential for AI to become a powerful ally in promoting inclusivity and representation. By being more mindful of incorporating diverse perspectives into AI development as well as the way we talk about it, we can create technology that not only serves our community better, but also improves AI’s ability to handle human diversity.
Let’s explore what AI might be able to learn from queerness to be more inclusive for everyone.
by Melinda Jacobs (she/her)
Co-CEO | Mindstone
Melinda Jacobs is a product expert, gamification specialist, and N7 paragon with over 13 years of experience. She’s a geeky nerd who found a way to combine her love of games and her fascination with people’s behavior into an award-winning expertise. She’s worked with companies of all sizes from small startups to large, multi-national enterprises.
As Mindstone’s Co-CEO, she’s on a mission to help people upskill in the skills that matter most for humanity, starting with practical AI.
#beautyofsoftware
17:30 | PowerPoint Orgy Stage
🇬🇧 A Living Imposter: how fear prevented me from being my best self and the path back
Imposter Syndrome disproportionately affects minorities, and is rampant in the tech industry. Minorities often bring unique skills to our working environment, and these skills aren’t always valued. This creates an atmosphere where many of us end up doubting our abilities and ourselves.
I’ve experienced Imposter Syndrome multiple times in my career. The doubt I was feeling stopped me from engaging at work. I went from taking on responsibility and growing my career to being a shadow of myself. Over time I became the person the Imposter Syndrome said I was. I felt like a failure, and this fed my Imposter Syndrome even more.
This talk is about what Imposter Syndrome can look like, how I identified that I was experiencing it, and how I broke the cycle. I’ll discuss how I let go of my fear of failure to re-engage with my job, and the changes I made to prevent another episode of Imposter Syndrome. I hope my talk will help anyone who is experiencing Imposter Syndrome find a way through it.
by Jenn Cartossa (she/her)
Team Lead | Anynines
For over 11 years I’ve been a proud unicorn in tech. I’ve worked as a software developer in a variety of industries – Logistics, eBooks, IOT, and Platform Creation. I’m an expert in Cloud Native development with experience in Java, Kotlin, Golang, Kubernetes, and AWS.
Challenges inspire me, and one of the biggest challenges is creating an equitable work environment in the tech industry. I’m a huge advocate for diversity and I’m constantly working towards creating more inclusion in my teams.
I believe that all of us unicorns are the future, and that it’s everyone’s responsibility to grow the tech industry so it’s a place where everyone can thrive.
#futureofwork
WORKSHOPS
There will be a maximum of 20 spots available for each session. These will be given in a ‘first come, first served’ basis, so get in line (in true Berlin fashion) at least 5 minutes before the session!
Michelle
Torres
Ross
Bermúdez
12:00 | Workshop Saloon
F*ck that Interview: an Interview Preparation Workshop for FLINTA* Professionals in Tech
Join us and empower yourself to thrive in your tech career.
Let’s unlock your potential together!
This workshop is more than just a skill-building session; it’s an opportunity to connect with a supportive network of like-minded professionals. You’ll leave with actionable insights and enhanced interview skills, all in a queer-friendly environment where your identity is celebrated.
We want to give you an empowering workshop designed specifically for FLINTA* professionals working in this very cis-male-dominated tech industry. In a supportive and affirming environment, we aim to enhance your confidence and readiness for your next job interview!
We don’t have time to cover everything, so this time we want to focus on common interview questions. You’ll get to practise mock interviews, receive constructive feedback, and learn strategies to articulate your skills effectively. We’ll also focus on building self-assurance through role-playing and stress management techniques.
by Michelle Torres (she/her) and Ross Bermúdez (they/them)
Engineering Manager | Cloudflare
Michelle is an engineering leader with 25 years in the tech industry. The majority of her career has been working and leading teams in the web industry. Michelle recently joined Cloudflare, the famous CDN provider, to work on the low-level areas of Internet and Network protocols.
Senior Frontend Engineer | Anaconda
Ross is a software engineer with 12 years of experience in different fields. They’ve worked in over 8 companies and, as you can imagine, have done quite a bit of job searching.
Ana
Tachella
13:30 | Workshop Saloon
Idea to IPO: Queering the Possibilities
Do you have an amazing app idea? Or maybe you founded some new life-changing device?
Either way, your new startup idea is worth exploring!
We need more queer minded ideas for impacting the world in creative, unique, and beautiful ways. Your idea could change the world and you could make a huge difference – come with your ideas and we will find a way to:
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- Create a team that is self-motivated in a new startup environment
- Make sure your startup has a good outline for a business plan
- Discuss the fastest way to get your startup going
- Explore ways you can make a positive impact with your startup
- Discuss options such as VCs or self funding
- Brainstorm through a mind map (a Google-created brainstorming system)
Learn all the secrets of Silicon Valley in a 60-minute, intensive workshop.
by Ana Tachella (she/her)
CTO | Momma Bear Consulting
Ana Tachella comes from 15 years of Silicon Valley experience where she exited as a founder of a startup called Savori, ran the Mountain View Business Network, and consulted on numerous startup pitches.
She owned a marketing company for 12 years in which she helped numerous startups and businesses achieve success in Silicon Valley in marketing, UX/UI, AI, and general consulting.
She has spoken countless times and ran hackathons for startups which is a favourite part of her job. She is intuitive in her work and can connect the right VCs with the right companies so that both feel it is a synergistic relationship.
Richard
Illig
15:00 | Workshop Saloon
How not to get mad in product?!
Product people are often faced with unclear job descriptions, a huge amount of todos in a vaguely organised backlog, and many stakeholders who all want to be treated with the highest priority.
I will show you how to feel more comfortable with these topics instead of feeling overwhelmed. In this workshop we will use a method from systemic coaching in a demo based on the needs of a volunteer to strengthen her resources.
Today is not about product vision, strategy or roadmaps, but about you as a valuable human being.
by Richard Illig (he/him)
Head of Product | Flightright
Richard is a team leader and product coach with 10 years of product experience, transforming teams towards product discovery and user-centricity. He has strong skills in analytical, strategic, data-driven product thinking and is the creator of a dozen products from scratch.
Richard has been a growth driver for the most successful app of a German developer and is comfortable in B2C, B2B, or B2B2C environments with multiple stakeholders. He holds a Master of Arts and is fluent in 4 languages.
Barry
Whyte
16:30 | Workshop Saloon
The AI Catch Up: Intro to Prompt Engineering
by Barry Whyte (he/him)
Co-founder & CEO | General Purpose AI Training
The Unicorns in Tech Summit is Europe’s leading event in celebrating tech and queerness, in the workplace and beyond
Grab the opportunity to expand your network in a relaxed atmosphere, learn through talks, panels, workshops, discover new businesses and technologies, and maybe even bag yourself a new job!
Can’t wait to hire LGBTIQ+ Tech talent?
Sign up to exhibit at the UITS24
WHAT DO PEOPLE THINK OF UITS?
I absolutely enjoyed being surrounded by techies from the queer community and our allies with the same passion for technology and innovation. I received new insights, which I’m actively going to use/share within my team at work! Thank you for the day unicorns!
Being a workshop host at Unicorns in Tech Summit 2023, I was very pleased about the entire setup! As a speaker / host, you want to be able to fully focus on delivering a great session rather than dealing with surroundings. The team did a perfect job at that! From the choice of the venue to the pre-conference communication to on-site support with equipment, it all was well-organized. Happy to return!
GET YOUR FREE TICKET ⬇️
ORGANISATIONS WE HAVE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST
ACCESSIBILITY
We have heard your feedback and have implemented what we can to make this year’s summit more accessible and inclusive. Below you will find an essential list of accessibility considerations. Please contact us via the contact form here, if you have any questions.
AUDIO
Talks will be given using a microphone.
The first row will be reserved for people who need to lip read, have impaired vision, use wheelchairs and/or have reduced mobility.
Please be advised that the lobby where exhibitors will have their booths is expected to get loud as booths are close to each other, and many conversations will be taking place at once; we suggest tools such as Loop earplugs.
VISUAL & MOBILITY
The first row will be reserved for people who need to lip read, have impaired vision, use wheelchairs and/or have reduced mobility.
The back row of talks will be kept open for those who prefer to stand or move around (quietly) while listening to talks.
The venue is barrier free.