Top 10 Women in Tech Groups and Resources in Richmond, VA in 2026

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• rvatech/ Women in Technology
• AI Ready RVA
• Girls Who Code
• Capital One’s Women in Tech
• CarMax Tech & Digital Community
• Virginia Political Tech & Cybersecurity Summit
• RVA Women in Tech
• AnitaB.org Local Resources
• Dominion Energy STEM Initiatives
• rvatech/ Techsters Coding Camp
• Frequently Asked Questions

rvatech/ Women in Technology

Functioning as the primary project coordinator for career advancement, rvatech/ Women in Technology is the central hub and premier organization for women technologists in Central Virginia. Its flagship events are the cornerstone of the annual calendar, drawing professionals from across the region's diverse employer base.

The Women in Technology Conference on November 17, 2026, at the Dewey Gottwald Center offers a full day of keynotes, workshops, and high-level networking. Equally prestigious are the Margaret Lyn McDermid Women in Tech Awards on April 8, 2026, celebrating local leaders in categories like "Rising Star" and "EmpowHER." Experts highlight these awards as a critical driver for Virginia's tech economy.

"Lyn should be an inspiration to any young person, especially any woman, who desires to become a technologist." - Expert opinion on the awards' impact.

Getting involved provides immense value: direct networking with regional tech leaders at Fortune 500 companies, visibility through award recognition, and professional development tailored to the Richmond market. For women charting a course in Richmond tech, from AI specialists at Capital One to developers at CarMax, this is the essential crew to join for building a supported, visible career.

AI Ready RVA

As artificial intelligence reshapes every industry from finance in Glen Allen to healthcare at VCU, AI Ready RVA has emerged as the critical specialized crew ensuring inclusive access to this revolution. This initiative, often championed within the broader rvatech/ ecosystem, brings together professionals from various sectors to advance AI education and create deliberate pathways for women in this high-growth field.

Involvement typically comes through participation in workshops, summit events, and community projects. The group is propelled by local leaders like Lori Jennings and Liz Baker, who have been recognized for their work in advancing AI education within the Richmond community. For members, the value is direct access to cutting-edge knowledge and a network focused exclusively on the future of tech.

Professionals endorse the group as a means to place women at the "forefront of the Data and AI revolution" in our region.

This is your essential crew for building expertise in the most transformative technology of our time, connecting you directly to the projects and people defining Richmond's AI landscape. Whether you're looking to pivot into machine learning or leverage AI in your current role at a major employer, AI Ready RVA provides the focused toolkit and crew support needed for that build.

Girls Who Code

Building a strong career structure requires starting with a solid foundation. Girls Who Code programs in the Richmond area focus on constructing that foundation for the next generation, creating a vital pipeline for the region's tech ecosystem. Active local partnerships, like the one with Girls For A Change in North Chesterfield, run coding programs for middle schoolers right here in Central Virginia.

High school students can also access the national virtual Pathways Program for advanced mentorship in high-demand fields like AI and cybersecurity. The organization's effectiveness is proven, holding a 97% rating and a Four-Star rating on Charity Navigator. For young women and girls, getting involved means joining a local club or applying for national programs.

For Richmond professionals, opportunities exist to volunteer as facilitators or mentors, directly investing in the future diversity of the local tech scene. The legacy of such mentorship is powerful, as noted by a long-time member of similar groups: "I enjoy learning from all the female engineers and leaders I get to meet... Women bring a unique perspective to the table when it comes to problem-solving." This early blueprint is where the region's future tech leaders first pick up their tools.

Capital One’s Women in Tech

As one of Richmond's largest and most influential tech employers, Capital One provides a massive, internal crew for its female technologists. Its Women in Tech (WIT) Business Resource Group is a powerhouse for networking, sponsorship, and professional development within the company, actively shaping both internal culture and the external community.

Involvement is primarily for Capital One employees, who gain access to exclusive internal speakers, structured mentorship programs, and leadership training designed to advance careers within the financial tech giant. The company is known for specialized upskilling and engineering programs that feed directly into its hiring pipeline, making the BRG a critical resource for career trajectory.

Furthermore, Capital One’s external sponsorship creates vital bridges between its internal community and the broader Richmond ecosystem. This includes sponsoring delegations to major national events like the Grace Hopper Celebration and partnering with local councils. For women building a tech career at Capital One, this BRG is a built-in support system within one of the region's most stable employers, offering a high-impact career without the coastal cost of living.

CarMax Tech & Digital Community

With its large "Home Office" and "CarMax Digital" teams anchored in Richmond, CarMax has built a strong internal community focused on upskilling and fostering diverse tech talent. While perhaps less visible than conference-focused groups, the programs for women in tech at this Fortune 500 company represent a vital corporate crew dedicated to internal career architecture.

Engagement comes through dedicated company programs focused on technical skills development and diversity initiatives. For women at CarMax, the value lies in clear pathways for advancement within a leading national retailer that is deeply embedded in the Richmond community. The company is recognized for its commitment to growing tech talent from within, meaning employees can significantly reshape their careers without changing companies.

This approach offers a powerful combination: the ability to build a national-scale career in tech while benefiting from Richmond’s lower cost of living. It represents a strategic build, leveraging the stability and resources of a major corporate anchor to construct a durable tech career right here in Central Virginia, avoiding the need to source materials from more expensive coastal hubs.

Virginia Political Tech & Cybersecurity Summit

For women in tech looking to leverage Richmond's strategic proximity to the nation's capital, the Virginia Political Tech & Cybersecurity Summit at the University of Richmond provides a unique and specialized blueprint. This regional gathering connects professionals at the intersection of technology, policy, and security - a high-stakes, niche sector that is a major employer in the broader D.C. metro region.

Professionals can engage by attending the annual summit to network and learn from leaders in government contracting, political tech, and cybersecurity. The value is access to a concentrated network in these policy-adjacent domains, which are critical growth areas for the region. This summit offers a direct line to opportunities that capitalize on Richmond's geographic advantage.

For builders in Richmond's tech scene, this represents access to a specialized toolkit. It's where you can learn the specific codes and regulations for constructing tech solutions within government and security frameworks, connecting local talent to the substantial federal and defense contracting ecosystem just up I-95.

RVA Women in Tech

Following the dissolution of more formal chapters, the need for daily peer support in Richmond's tech scene has been filled by agile, grassroots networks. These community-driven groups often organize under banners like "RVA Women in Tech" on platforms such as Meetup and LinkedIn, forming the ad-hoc crews essential for on-the-ground problem-solving.

Finding these groups requires proactive searching on social and event platforms, but the value they provide is direct and practical: real-time job leads, coding help, and encouragement. As former members of structured groups have noted, these informal networks offer "invaluable" spaces for those first entering the industry or navigating career transitions.

They continue a vital legacy of peer mentorship. As one long-time member of a previous group shared, "I enjoy learning from all the female engineers and leaders I get to meet through Women Who Code. Women bring a unique perspective to the table when it comes to problem-solving." These groups are the daily touchpoints where the broader blueprint is adapted to individual needs, proving that even without a central foreman, a dedicated crew can make substantial progress.

AnitaB.org Local Resources

While not a Richmond-specific crew, AnitaB.org remains a vital national resource that functions as a powerful, portable toolkit for women anywhere, including here in Central Virginia. Its programs are designed to distribute the financial and knowledge weight of upskilling, making career builds more feasible.

The cornerstone offerings are the extensive online Career Toolbox and the critical Tech Journey Fund Scholarship. Women in Richmond can apply for the scholarship to fund bootcamps, certifications, or courses that align with local employer needs, while the toolbox provides curated, high-quality content for career planning and skill development.

In a practical sense, this resource helps manage the budget of a major career renovation. The scholarship can offset tuition for programs like coding bootcamps, making a pivot into tech or an advancement into a specialization like AI more attainable on a Richmond salary. It’s a crucial financial lever and information source in your toolbox, ensuring you don't have to bear the full cost of your build alone.

Dominion Energy STEM Initiatives

As a Fortune 500 cornerstone of Richmond's corporate landscape, Dominion Energy invests in the future tech workforce through long-term infrastructure projects of its own: the Dominion Energy Innovation Center and various STEM outreach programs. These initiatives are designed to build sustainable pipelines and support diverse talent in critical tech and engineering fields relevant to the energy sector.

For professionals, involvement may come through employment in Dominion's tech divisions, which focus on areas like grid modernization, cybersecurity, and data analytics. For students and educators throughout Central Virginia, engagement happens through sponsored programs, challenges, and partnerships with local educational institutions.

The value for the wider community is a corporate-funded, long-term investment in growing local talent. For women within Dominion, it represents a tangible commitment to inclusion within the critical infrastructure sector, offering stable, impactful tech careers in fields essential to Virginia's economy. This corporate crew ensures the region's energy and tech foundations are built with diverse perspectives, right here in Richmond.

rvatech/ Techsters Coding Camp

Targeting the very beginning of the talent pipeline, the rvatech/ Techsters coding camp represents the community's hands-on effort to lay the earliest beams of interest and skill. This initiative, typically held each November, is specifically designed for middle school girls in the Richmond area, providing an early, positive introduction to coding in a collaborative, all-girls environment.

Getting involved is straightforward: middle schoolers can apply to attend the camp, which is often promoted through local schools and the broader rvatech/ network. The experience focuses on hands-on learning and collaboration, planting a crucial seed for future participation in more advanced programs.

The value of this initial blueprint is immense. It serves as the foundational first step, encouraging participants to later join groups like Girls Who Code and, eventually, the professional networks that define Richmond's tech landscape. This is where the future builders of Central Virginia's tech scene first grasp the tools, understanding that they, too, have a place in constructing what comes next.

Frequently Asked Questions