Top 10 Women in Tech Groups and Resources in Lincoln, NE in 2026
By Irene Holden
Last Updated: March 12th 2026
Too Long; Didn't Read
The Nebraska Women in Tech Summit and Girls Code Lincoln stand out as top resources in Lincoln, NE, offering premier networking and early education to empower women in the city's growing tech scene. The summit provides high-visibility connections with major employers like Nelnet, while Girls Code Lincoln's free coding clubs address the confidence gap and build the talent pipeline. Together, these groups combat local challenges such as the pay gap and foster a supportive community for career growth.
We’ve all been there: the pieces of a complex project are laid out before you, but the instructions are a cryptic diagram. You know something great is possible, but you’re missing the crucial connectors. This is the exact frustration many women face navigating the promising yet challenging tech landscape in Lincoln, NE.
While the city offers a lower cost of living and a central location anchored by employers like Hudl, Nelnet, and major healthcare systems, significant hurdles remain. Expert Josie Schafer from the UNL Center for Public Affairs Research notes that a widening pay gap is a critical issue for the state's tech sector, highlighting that skill alone isn't enough to ensure success. Professional isolation can stall even the most promising careers.
This listicle is your blueprint. The following groups and resources are the missing connectors and clear instructions for Lincoln’s women in tech. From flagship summits to grassroots meetups, they provide the mentorship, visibility, and community needed to assemble a thriving career. By engaging with them, you gain access to powerful networks and address systemic challenges, turning scattered potential into a structured, impressive reality in the Heartland.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Nebraska Women in Tech Summit
- Girls Code Lincoln
- Women in Tech of the Heartland
- Nebraska Women of Color in Tech Meetup
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln Women Lead Conference
- Nebraska Tech Collaborative
- PayTech Women Omaha-Lincoln Chapter
- AnitaB.org Virtual Resources
- Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Women in Business
- Local Networking Hubs
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
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Nebraska Women in Tech Summit
The premier regional event, the Nebraska Women in Tech Summit, is the cornerstone connector for the community. Hosted by the Aksarben Foundation and the Nebraska Tech Collaborative, its second annual event in March 2026 transforms Kiewit's La Vista facility into a massive hub for networking and inspiration.
As described by SourceLink Nebraska, this "high-energy event is designed to inspire and empower women in every stage of their tech journey... to unlock potential and inspire progress." Attendees gain access to keynote speakers, a Resource Fair for career growth tools, and a LinkedIn Resource Room for personalized coaching.
The summit also hosts the annual Nebraska Women in Tech Awards, celebrating leaders like the 2026 Tech Innovator of the Year, Vidya Bommanapally. The value is unparalleled statewide visibility and direct connection to major employers like Nelnet, Duncan Aviation, and Don’t Panic Labs, all active participants. It directly addresses professional isolation by providing a centralized, high-impact platform for women across Nebraska’s tech ecosystem.
Girls Code Lincoln
For building the tech talent pipeline from the ground up, Girls Code Lincoln is an indispensable 501(c)(3) resource. This organization offers 100% free, in-person clubs for girls in 4th through 9th grades, holding Spring and Fall sessions at Southeast Community College in Lincoln.
Their hands-on curriculum demystifies coding in a supportive, all-girls environment by focusing on practical skills in Python, web development, and hardware. This early, positive exposure is a critical intervention, directly tackling the confidence gap that can deter young women from pursuing STEM fields later on.
Parents can register their children via the organization's website, while local tech professionals can volunteer as mentors. This foundational work is a long-term investment in changing the face of Lincoln’s tech community, helping to strengthen the inclusive tech ecosystem by ensuring the next generation sees themselves as builders and innovators from the start.
Women in Tech of the Heartland
Moving beyond one-day events, Women in Tech of the Heartland provides the sustained, year-round professional growth essential for retention and advancement. Recognized as a key partner of the 2026 Nebraska Women in Tech Summit, this dedicated organization focuses on continuous support through structured mentorship and skill development.
Their mission, as stated by the Nebraska Tech Collaborative, is to "ensure women at every stage of their tech journey have access to the resources, support, and visibility needed to thrive." Involvement typically centers on specialized workshops on leadership and their core mentorship programs.
This continuous community is crucial. It directly addresses the mentorship gap by providing a reliable network where women can find role models and advocates, putting into practice the advice from leaders like Sheila Byars Fields to "build your personal board of directors." It’s the ongoing framework that helps turn inspiration from a summit into tangible career progress within Lincoln’s tech ecosystem.
Nebraska Women of Color in Tech Meetup
Creating a trusted space for shared experience is vital, especially for those who often find themselves as the only one in the room. The Nebraska Women of Color in Tech Meetup provides this essential, affinity-based network for a specific and underrepresented demographic within the state's tech scene.
The group hosts impactful local events, such as a featured executive panel at Lincoln’s own Don’t Panic Labs, designed to build a more inclusive innovation community. Professionals can join the group on Meetup.com to receive notifications for these networking events, panels, and socials held in the Lincoln and Omaha areas.
The profound value lies in solidarity and peer insight. This network allows women of color to share unique experiences and gain advice from local leaders who understand their specific challenges. It directly combats the isolation that can contribute to attrition, functioning as a powerful connector that validates experience and fosters belonging within Nebraska’s growing tech ecosystem.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Women Lead Conference
For tech professionals aiming beyond pure technical skill toward executive leadership, the UNL Women Lead conference is a critical resource. This award-winning leadership event, hosted at the Nebraska Innovation Campus, broadens perspective with its cross-industry focus on collaboration and strategic thinking.
"The Power of We" set for March 6, at Nebraska Innovation Campus.
The 2026 conference theme, "The Power of We," emphasizes collaborative leadership across sectors. This interdisciplinary approach is key for women in tech targeting leadership roles at Lincoln’s major employers, from the university’s own research initiatives to companies like Sandhills Global.
Open to students, faculty, and the public, the conference provides a unique platform to build a diversified professional network. It connects tech talent with leaders in Lincoln’s strong healthcare, agriculture, and finance sectors, fostering the kind of cross-pollination that sparks innovation in areas like health informatics and agtech. This aligns with broader state efforts to support women in technical fields, such as the Nebraska Women in STEM Conference, creating multiple pathways for growth and visibility.
Nebraska Tech Collaborative
While many groups host events, the Nebraska Tech Collaborative (NTC) is the engine driving the state’s coordinated tech ecosystem strategy. An initiative of the Aksarben Foundation, the NTC works on a macro level to develop talent, support companies, and align resources across the region.
Professionals engage by following the NTC for updates on forums, working groups, and signature events like the annual Nebraska Women in Tech Awards, which in 2026 celebrated winners including Tech Innovator Vidya Bommanapally and Diversity Champion Molly Huyck. This work in ecosystem alignment is fundamental to creating more opportunities and addressing systemic issues like the pay gap highlighted by local experts.
The value of engaging with the NTC is unique: it allows individuals to help shape the very environment they work in. For women in Lincoln’s tech scene who want to move beyond participation to become advocates and change-makers, the Collaborative provides the platform to influence the broader landscape, ensuring the community’s growth is inclusive and sustainable.
PayTech Women Omaha-Lincoln Chapter
For women specializing in or entering the financial technology sector, the PayTech Women Omaha-Lincoln Chapter offers indispensable, niche-focused programming. This group provides hands-on learning and targeted networking aimed at advancing diversity and preparing members for leadership roles specifically within the paytech industry.
This specialized focus is particularly valuable in Lincoln, home to major financial technology employers like Nelnet. For professionals at or aspiring to join such firms, the chapter delivers a direct line to industry-specific trends, job opportunities, and a peer community that understands the unique regulatory and technical landscape of payments technology.
Membership and event details are managed through the national PayTech Women organization's community calendar. The value is clear: rather than general tech networking, this group provides the concentrated expertise and connections that can accelerate a career within one of Lincoln's strongest and most stable tech sub-sectors, offering a strategic connector within the broader Heartland fintech ecosystem.
AnitaB.org Virtual Resources
While not Lincoln-specific, the global resources of AnitaB.org serve as a powerful lifeline, connecting local professionals to worldwide benchmarks and communities. The organization offers a digital Career Toolbox and highly effective virtual Mentorship Programs, reporting that 89% of participants are promoted within two years of completing the program.
Women in Lincoln can become AnitaB.org members online to access digital mentorship matching, skill-building webinars, and a vast global network. This includes access to virtual components of major events like the Grace Hopper Celebration, one of the world's largest gatherings of women in tech.
The value for Lincoln-based professionals is significant: it connects local challenges to global solutions. In a smaller market, this exposure to a wider diversity of roles, companies, and career paths is invaluable for inspiration and strategic career planning, ensuring that geography is not a limit to ambition or professional development.
Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Women in Business
The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce's "Women in Business" programming serves as a vital catalyst for cross-sector inspiration and connection. While broader than pure tech, its events frequently feature panels on leadership, entrepreneurship, and the transformative power of mentorship within the local business ecosystem.
For women in tech, the value lies in strategic cross-pollination. Building relationships with leaders in Lincoln’s other robust sectors - healthcare, agriculture, and finance - can spark innovative collaborations and uncover opportunities where technology intersects with these fields. This could mean developing solutions in health informatics with partners from Bryan Health or exploring agtech applications with connections from the region's strong agricultural base.
Professionals can engage by joining the Chamber or subscribing to its event calendar. As highlighted in a local business column, this programming is designed to empower women across Lincoln’s economy. This diversified networking moves beyond purely technical circles, providing a wider lens on the business challenges and opportunities where tech skills are increasingly crucial.
Local Networking Hubs
The daily connective tissue of Lincoln’s tech scene is found in its grassroots networking hubs. Groups like StartupLNK host consistent, low-barrier events such as weekly Thursday morning meetups at Crescent Moon Coffee, drawing entrepreneurs, developers, and investors together for casual conversation.
Similarly, Tech Nebraska, through the state Chamber, provides structured "Tech Talks" on topics like leadership and digital transformation, often featuring insights from local CIOs and tech executives. The directive for professionals is simple: show up.
The immense value of these hubs is in building a reliable, informal local network. This is where you’re likely to hear about unadvertised job openings at companies like Hudl, find collaborators for a side project, or get actionable advice over coffee. They perform the essential work of transforming Lincoln’s collection of tech companies and professionals into a genuine, supportive community, ensuring no one has to build their career in isolation.
Conclusion
The journey from possessing all the pieces to assembling a remarkable career is not a solo project. In Lincoln, NE, the connectors are now firmly in place. From the flagship power of the Nebraska Women in Tech Summit to the foundational work of Girls Code Lincoln and the daily support of local meetups, these resources form a complete blueprint for success.
They directly address the specific challenges noted by experts, like the persistent pay gap, with actionable, community-driven solutions. By engaging with these groups, you gain more than mentorship and networking; you integrate into a structure designed for mutual advancement within Lincoln’s affordable, centrally-located tech hub.
Ultimately, you do more than advance your own career. You become one of the vital connectors yourself, helping to strengthen and expand this supportive framework for the next woman in tech finding her way and building her future in the Heartland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which women in tech group in Lincoln offers the best networking opportunities in 2026?
The Nebraska Women in Tech Summit is premier for networking, with its 2026 event at Kiewit's La Vista facility connecting professionals to employers like Nelnet and Duncan Aviation. It provides statewide visibility and addresses professional isolation in Lincoln's growing tech scene.
Are there free programs for girls to get started in tech in Lincoln?
Yes, Girls Code Lincoln offers 100% free, in-person clubs for girls in 4th-9th grades at Southeast Community College, teaching Python and web development. This early exposure helps build confidence and the local talent pool in Lincoln's affordable, central location.
How can women in tech find year-round mentorship in Lincoln?
Women in Tech of the Heartland provides continuous mentorship programs and workshops, moving beyond one-day events to support retention and advancement. This is crucial for navigating Lincoln's tech ecosystem, including roles at major employers like Hudl and healthcare systems.
Is there a specific group for women of color in Lincoln's tech industry?
The Nebraska Women of Color in Tech Meetup hosts events like panels at Don’t Panic Labs to create an inclusive community. It offers a trusted network to share experiences and combat isolation in Lincoln's tech sector, which includes companies like Nelnet and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
How do these groups help address challenges like the pay gap for women in Lincoln's tech jobs?
These groups provide community-driven solutions, such as the Nebraska Tech Collaborative's work on ecosystem alignment to combat the persistent pay gap noted by local experts. By offering resources and networking, they improve visibility and opportunities in Lincoln's strong tech and analytics scene.
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Irene Holden
Operations Manager
Former Microsoft Education and Learning Futures Group team member, Irene now oversees instructors at Nucamp while writing about everything tech - from careers to coding bootcamps.