Top 10 Women in Tech Groups and Resources in Aurora, IL in 2026

Table of Contents

• Introduction to Aurora's Tech Ecosystem
• Women of Aurora Networking
• Aurora Public Library District's Digital Skills Hub
• Django Girls Aurora/Chicago
• Girls Who Code Clubs & Pathways
• LinkedIn & Facebook Peer Networks
• Illinois Tech Elevate Program
• WomenTech Network
• Chicago-Area Conferences: GHC 25 & ChiWitCon
• AnitaB.org Mentorship & Local Events
• Aurora Tech Award 2026
• Conclusion and Next Steps
• Frequently Asked Questions

Women of Aurora Networking

Sometimes, the most vital career growth happens in your own backyard. The Women of Aurora Networking group provides consistent, accessible opportunities for local connection, hosting regular in-person events at venues like Society 57 in downtown Aurora.

This group is the antithesis of impersonal virtual networks, offering a low-barrier way for women in Aurora's tech sector—whether at the Amazon operations center, in healthcare IT at Advocate Aurora Health, or at a Fox Valley startup—to build a local peer circle. It cultivates a community that understands the local commute, job market, and the advantage of building a career where a lower cost of living provides flexibility.

Upcoming sessions, like those scheduled for May 8 and August 14, are designed for practical networking. You can find and register for these upcoming sessions on Eventbrite. This hyper-local focus turns general professional development into targeted support rooted in the specific opportunities and challenges of building a tech career in the Aurora-Naperville corridor.

Aurora Public Library District's Digital Skills Hub

True career cultivation often starts with foundational, accessible resources. The Aurora Public Library District, particularly the Santori Library, has evolved into a critical, free-access hub for digital literacy and tech skills training, serving as essential "soil preparation" for anyone beginning their journey.

For women considering a career pivot into tech or looking to upskill, the library offers workshops and resources that demystify coding, data analysis, and AI fundamentals. This resource is especially powerful in Aurora’s diverse community, providing a no-cost, low-pressure environment to build confidence and competence. It represents a commitment to equitable access to the tools needed for growth in our local tech economy.

To discover upcoming tech-focused programming, from introductory coding workshops to seminars on emerging tools, regularly check the library's News and Events page. This publicly funded asset ensures that the first step toward a tech career in Aurora is open to all, laying a strong foundation for future specialization and networking.

Django Girls Aurora/Chicago

For a hands-on, empathetic introduction to the world of coding, Django Girls remains a powerhouse resource. This volunteer-run, global nonprofit organizes free one-day workshops for women, teaching the fundamentals of web development using the Python-based Django framework.

While not exclusive to Aurora, workshops are frequently hosted in the Chicago metro area, representing a manageable commute for a transformative experience. The value is in its intentionally welcoming, project-based design: a single day that turns abstract coding concepts into a deployed web application, providing a tangible outcome that builds immediate confidence.

It's the perfect "greenhouse" environment for an absolute beginner in Aurora to test her interest in tech within a supportive, structured setting. To explore upcoming workshop dates and locations in the region, visit the global Django Girls website. This experience often serves as the critical first step that encourages continued learning and exploration within the broader tech ecosystem.

Girls Who Code Clubs & Pathways

Cultivating the next generation of tech talent requires mentoring the seeds early. Girls Who Code is actively building Aurora’s future pipeline through its free Clubs for grades 3-12 in local schools and community centers, alongside virtual Summer Programs for high schoolers.

In 2025, they launched "Pathways," a new program focusing on AI literacy and cybersecurity - fields exploding with opportunity in our region near research giants like Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab. This direct alignment with local industry strengths makes it an invaluable resource for families to ignite a daughter's passion. Explore their 2025 Fall Pathways Program FAQs for detailed curriculum information.

For professional women in tech, volunteering as a club facilitator or mentor is a powerful way to give back and directly shape the local talent pool. By getting involved, you help ensure Aurora's diverse community is represented in the tech landscape of tomorrow. You can find resources to start a club or volunteer through their official Clubs Flyer.

LinkedIn & Facebook Peer Networks

In the digital age, your professional network is a garden you can tend daily from anywhere in the Fox Valley. Platforms like LinkedIn and targeted Facebook Groups are indispensable tools, with resources like CareerOneStop noting that over 131 million users leverage them to stay industry-informed and find job openings.

For Aurora-based women in tech, these networks are where you discover a peer at a Naperville fintech firm, learn about a niche meetup at Fermilab, or get a referral to a hiring manager at a Chicago AI startup. The key is moving from passive scrolling to active cultivation: sharing your journey, asking thoughtful questions, and offering support to others.

This active participation transforms a global platform into a local asset. As seen in groups like the active "Women In Tech" Facebook group, members like Myeasha Coleman share authentic experiences, such as "teaching myself more of the technical side... challenging but really rewarding," creating a digital extension of Aurora's supportive tech community.

Illinois Tech Elevate Program

Access to a major research university's career engine is a significant regional advantage. The Illinois Tech (IIT) Elevate program serves as a vital conduit, connecting professionals across the metro area, including Aurora, to structured, high-quality career development tailored to the broader Illinois tech ecosystem.

Their Spring 2026 Career Fair Hub provides direct labor market insights and connections to top employers, while targeted virtual events eliminate geographic barriers. For Aurora residents, this bridges the gap to downtown Chicago's opportunities without the burden of a daily commute.

Crucially, they host specialized sessions like the "Epic Tech Talk for Women," designed to help students and early-career professionals, as noted in the event description, "discover diverse and exciting career paths" directly from female industry leaders. This combination of broad market access and focused, supportive programming makes Elevate a powerful career accelerator for women building their tech careers from the suburbs.

WomenTech Network

For scale, global perspective, and structured professional development, the WomenTech Network stands out. This massive community empowers women in STEM worldwide, boasting over 100,000 members and serving as a prolific source of virtual conferences, mentorship matching, and a specialized job board.

For an Aurora tech professional, it effectively breaks geographic isolation. It connects you with peers worldwide while providing a platform for growth, which is particularly valuable for women in specialized roles at local institutions like Fermilab or Advocate Aurora Health, who can find niche communities here that may not exist locally.

The network champions its mission of "empowering female leadership in STEM through networking, mentorship, and scholarships," as highlighted in their feature stories. Engaging with their global events and community advice articles provides both inspiration and practical career strategies, complementing your local networking efforts with an international outlook.

Chicago-Area Conferences: GHC 25 & ChiWitCon

The 2025-2026 conference calendar places a global spotlight directly on our region, making world-class inspiration and recruitment accessible with just a short drive. For women in tech based in Aurora, this is an unparalleled advantage.

The 25th Anniversary Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC 25), hailed as the world's largest gathering of women in tech, will be hosted at Chicago’s McCormick Place. As announced in a PR Newswire release, AnitaB.org calls it "tech's most transformative gathering." This represents a career-defining opportunity accessible without a cross-country flight, leveraging our central location and major airports.

Similarly, ChiWitCon 2025 (the Chicago Women in Tech Conference) celebrates its 10th anniversary with the theme "Stronger Together." Attending these major events delivers a powerful surge of networking, learning, and direct recruitment opportunities with top-tier employers, effectively connecting Aurora's suburban tech community to the heart of the industry's national conversation. Learn more about the local community at the Chicago Women in Tech website.

AnitaB.org Mentorship & Local Events

For targeted, measurable career growth, a dedicated mentorship relationship is unparalleled. AnitaB.org offers a formal, global platform that reports a staggering outcome: 89% of participants are promoted within two years of completing their mentorship. This structured program serves as a powerful career accelerator, connecting women in Aurora with seasoned tech leaders who can provide guidance tailored to complex technical career paths.

Complementing this deep, one-on-one support are local chapter events that build community. The Chicago chapter hosts "Quick Connect" networking events and specialized forums, including the 2025 Responsible AI Forum, directly engaging with cutting-edge topics relevant to local industries.

This dual approach provides both the deep roots of personalized mentorship and the branching connections of local community. For Aurora tech professionals, it offers a comprehensive support system that connects them to the broader Chicago tech heartbeat while addressing individual career goals. You can explore their mentorship platform and support resources to begin building this critical relationship.

Aurora Tech Award 2026

The premier resource is one that uniquely positions Aurora on the global stage while delivering tangible, transformative support for local founders. The Aurora Tech Award 2026 is a premier global platform for women founders of tech startups, offering up to $50,000 in non-dilutive funding and a comprehensive two-month mentorship program.

While international in scope, its presence acts as a powerful beacon for Aurora's ambitious entrepreneurs. As Isabella Ghassemi-Smith, Head of the Award, describes it, this initiative is a "springboard for the next generation of bold women founders." For a woman building a tech startup in the Fox Valley, leveraging the area's lower operational costs and growing ecosystem, this award is the ultimate growth catalyst.

It represents the pinnacle of local potential meeting global opportunity. The award's impact is clear, with 2025 winner Shreya Prakash noting, "The Aurora Tech Award backed its belief in women entrepreneurs with the catalyst of capital." For details and applications, refer to the official award announcement.

Conclusion and Next Steps

You began this journey facing a crowded nursery of options, uncertain which resources would thrive in Aurora's unique professional soil. Now, you have a curated selection - from the hyper-local support of Women of Aurora Networking to the global springboard of the Aurora Tech Award. Your career garden will flourish not by trying to plant every seedling, but by strategically selecting the supports that match your current season of growth.

The next step is active cultivation. Review this list and identify one resource to engage with this month. Is it attending a local networking event, applying for a mentorship program, or exploring a free skills workshop? Consistent, small actions - like tending to a garden - yield the most sustainable growth over time.

Remember, the unique advantage of building your tech career here is the blend of suburban quality of life with direct access to a major metro's opportunities. Leverage this position. Use local groups for peer support and global platforms for scale. Your professional ecosystem is now mapped; the work of cultivation begins.

Frequently Asked Questions