Top 10 Women in Tech Groups and Resources in Slovenia in 2026
By Irene Holden
Last Updated: April 24th 2026
Too Long; Didn't Read
Klub Ada is Slovenia's top women in tech community, offering free membership, monthly meetups, and the AdaHack hackathon with a €3,500 prize pool supported by Outfit7, Telekom Slovenije, and XLAB. It fills the gap left by Women Who Code's global shutdown and provides salary transparency and peer mentorship for navigating Ljubljana's tech scene, where average software engineer salaries range from €45,000 to €65,000.
The trail marker points three ways, but none of them say “this is the one.” You are alone at the junction in the Triglav Lakes Valley, map limp in your hands, the wind picking up from the direction of Komna - and then you see them, cresting the ridge in a loose knot, moving together like they know exactly where they are going.
Navigating a tech career alone in Slovenia’s small but ambitious ecosystem feels exactly like this moment. The path to a senior engineering role at Outfit7, a research position at the Jožef Stefan Institute, or a deep tech startup backed by Women TechEU - none of it is clearly signposted on a single map. The opportunities are real: Celtra and XLAB build world-class AI products from Ljubljana, Comtrade exports software across Central Europe, and the Jožef Stefan Institute publishes machine learning research cited globally. But like alpine terrain, the route requires company.
By 2026, Slovenia’s women-in-tech landscape has shifted decisively. International franchise chapters like Women Who Code Ljubljana shut down globally in April 2024. What remains are locally-led, grassroots communities - built by women who know that in a market this intimate, your reputation is your map and the people you hike with determine how far you go. The groups that follow are the junctions where you stop hiking alone. Pick one. Walk toward it. The voices you hear over the ridge are not lost - they are already on the path.
Table of Contents
- Introduction: Navigating Slovenia’s Tech Terrain
- WomenTech Network Slovenia Chapter
- WomenHack Slovenia
- Django Girls Ljubljana
- WomenIN Business 2026 Regional Conference
- Jozef Stefan Institute Gender Equality Plan & Community
- Telekom Slovenije TRIP Program
- Women TechEU Grants
- Comtrade EDIT Summer School
- Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit
- Klub Ada (The Ada Club)
- Conclusion: Your Next Move
- Frequently Asked Questions
Learn about AI career paths in Slovenia including salaries and skills in this detailed overview.
WomenTech Network Slovenia Chapter
A global network with a local anchor, the WomenTech Network Slovenia Chapter offers a bridge to opportunities beyond the capital. Led by ambassador Lili Nemec Zlatolas, a researcher at the University of Maribor, this chapter connects women across eastern Slovenia to a network of over 100,000 members worldwide - a scale no local group can match alone.
Members gain access to a talent marketplace that connects them to companies with verifiable diversity commitments, plus virtual 'Circles' - intimate small-group gatherings for peer support and career strategy. The network's global reach means job listings are pre-screened for fair hiring practices, saving hours of research when you are applying from Slovenia.
For women based outside Ljubljana - in Maribor, Celje, or Koper - this chapter provides a remote entry point that bypasses the capital's commute. It is especially valuable for those targeting remote roles with EU-based firms, offering a curated employer list that prioritizes diversity. In Slovenia's intimate market, where referrals often outweigh public postings, this pre-vetted access is a practical shortcut to the next career step.
WomenHack Slovenia
Rather than competing for attention at sprawling job fairs, WomenHack Slovenia structures its events as intimate, speed-dating-style interviews with pre-screened companies that have verifiable diversity commitments. You speak directly to hiring managers, not recruiters, for 5-10 minute slots - no standing in booths, no collecting swag, just direct conversations about real openings. Admission is free for candidates but requires approval based on experience level; companies pay to participate.
In Slovenia's tight job market, where insider referrals often outweigh public job postings, WomenHack offers a measurable shortcut. Companies like Outfit7 and Comtrade have participated in past Ljubljana events, hiring for roles with reported salaries 20% higher than the industry average for women, according to ecosystem analyses linked to the Slovenian VC Forum. This is not a networking mixer; it is a structured interview pipeline optimized for efficiency.
To participate, sign up through the WomenHack events page and apply for local sessions. The format suits women who are actively job-seeking and want to bypass the resume black hole. In an ecosystem where every interview slot is precious, WomenHack lets you make the most of each conversation.
Django Girls Ljubljana
For women considering a career transition into tech but lacking foundational coding skills, Django Girls Ljubljana offers the lowest-barrier entry point in Slovenia. The volunteer-run initiative provides a full-day, hands-on workshop where you build and deploy a simple web application using Python and Django - no prior coding experience required. One-on-one coaching from volunteer developers creates a low-pressure environment designed for first-time programmers.
The workshop is held during EU Code Week (October) at the University of Ljubljana's Faculty of Computer and Information Science (FRI). Participation is completely free, including lunch and materials. Applications open a few weeks before the event and typically fill quickly, reflecting consistent demand across Slovenia for accessible technical training.
The local relevance is direct: in a country where the gender pay gap in tech persists at approximately 8-12% according to national statistics, building baseline technical fluency is the first step to negotiating from a position of skill. Django Girls has introduced hundreds of women to programming since its founding, creating a ripple effect across Slovenia's small but growing community of women developers. The EU Code Week highlights from Slovenia show that these workshops continue to draw participants who later enroll in university CS programs or transition into junior developer roles at local companies. For the complete beginner in Ljubljana, this is where the technical journey begins.
WomenIN Business 2026 Regional Conference
An anchor event for ambitious professionals, the WomenIN Business 2026 Regional Conference in Slovenia brings together international leaders and local practitioners over a single focused day. Tickets range from €50 to €150 depending on tier, with early-bird and student discounts available. Registration is open through the WomenIN Business conference page.
The conference features speakers like Urška Jež, former Managing Director of ABC Accelerator Ljubljana and a seasoned entrepreneur who has shaped Slovenian startup culture. Sessions tackle scaling tech solutions across Central European markets, leadership strategy, and fundraising - practical knowledge for anyone building a career beyond Ljubljana's intimate market. Additional local perspectives come from Melanja Korošec (brand strategist) and Eva Pirc (hardware PhD engineer), grounding the international content in Slovenian reality.
The local relevance is direct: Slovenia's startup ecosystem has gone global, as documented by the push toward regional events like ViennaUP 2026. This conference helps women in tech understand how to scale from Ljubljana into the wider EU arena - a skill that local men's networks often assume as given. While a single touchpoint rather than an ongoing community, the concentrated networking and actionable insights make it a high-value stop on the annual calendar for women navigating growth in Central European tech.
Jozef Stefan Institute Gender Equality Plan & Community
For women pursuing research careers in AI, machine learning, and data science, the Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) is Slovenia's crown jewel - and its Gender Equality Plan (GEP) provides structural support that most local employers cannot match. The institute operates under its formal Gender Equality Plan 2022-2025, overseen by the GEPI Committee, which focuses on sustainable organizational change rather than symbolic gestures.
The GEP delivers concrete structural support for career progression:
- Transparent parental leave policies with clear return-to-work pathways
- Flexible working arrangements designed for research schedules
- Targets for gender balance in leadership and decision-making roles
JSI's adoption of this framework was noted by the EU's Athena Equality project as a model for research institutions across Europe. The AI labs here produce work cited globally, making JSI the primary destination for women with a PhD or MSc who want to contribute to cutting-edge machine learning while staying in Slovenia.
The local relevance is direct: because the GEP is a formal institutional document, it gives you documented recourse if you face bias or barriers. In an ecosystem where informal networks often determine career trajectories, having a written commitment to equity changes the negotiating position of every woman who walks through JSI's doors.
Telekom Slovenije TRIP Program
For students early in their careers, the TRIP program at Telekom Slovenije offers a low-risk bridge into one of the country's largest tech employers. The program connects students directly with senior engineers, providing project-based work experience on real-world telecom and digital infrastructure challenges. Applications open annually through Telekom's official channels, with details published on the company's press release page.
Beyond hands-on mentorship, the program is embedded in Telekom's broader commitment to digital empowerment through its "Enjoy Intelligently" platform, as outlined in their March 2026 strategy update. This means students work on projects that have strategic weight within the organization, not just busywork. The exposure to high-stakes telecom systems - from network optimization to digital service delivery - builds credibility that transfers directly to full-time roles.
The local relevance is clear: Telekom Slovenije is one of the country's largest tech employers, and the TRIP program creates a path to full-time employment without leaving the country. In a market where moving to Berlin or Munich often feels like the default option, this program builds the case for staying - especially for women who want to establish themselves in Slovenia before considering international moves. For students who complete the program, the transition from mentee to colleague is often seamless.
Women TechEU Grants
Not a community but a direct funding pipeline, Women TechEU offers non-dilutive grants of up to €75,000 for women leading deep tech startups, plus a tailored business coaching program. Part of the Horizon Europe framework, the grant is designed to de-risk early-stage ventures where women founders remain statistically underrepresented. A new call for proposals is expected in early 2026, with details available on the upcoming calls and programme plan page.
The grant structure is deliberately founder-friendly: the funding is non-dilutive, meaning you keep full equity, while the coaching component provides strategic guidance on scaling across EU markets. In Slovenia's deep tech ecosystem - anchored by institutions like the Jožef Stefan Institute and companies like XLAB that participate in Horizon Europe projects - this combination of capital and credibility can be the difference between an idea and a funded company.
Local relevance is acute. Women founders in Slovenia raised only a fraction of VC funding compared to their male counterparts, as documented in the Vestbee Top 25 Women from VC and Startup Ecosystem in Slovenia. Women TechEU directly addresses that gap, offering both financial runway and the institutional backing of an EU program. For a woman building a deep tech company from Ljubljana, this grant provides non-dilutive capital without leaving home.
Comtrade EDIT Summer School
A free, intensive software engineering bootcamp with a proven track record of gender-balanced enrollment, the Comtrade EDIT Summer School offers women a direct path into one of Slovenia's largest IT employers. Applications open in spring for the summer session at Comtrade's Ljubljana campus, with a competitive selection process. The program is free for selected participants, removing financial barriers to entry.
Over several weeks, participants receive immersive training in modern full-stack development practices, working on real-world codebases under the guidance of senior Comtrade engineers. The program has historically targeted gender-balanced participation, making it one of the few technical bootcamps in Slovenia where women are not a minority. Graduates frequently receive job offers from Comtrade or its partner companies, creating a direct pipeline to employment.
Local relevance is clear: Comtrade is one of Slovenia's largest IT exporters, with clients across Central Europe and the EU. For women seeking to enter software engineering with a strong credential, this program offers both training and a proven pathway to a major local employer. The structured curriculum and company sponsorship signal to the wider Slovenian startup ecosystem that the company invests seriously in building a diverse talent pipeline from the ground up.
Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit
When your ambition outgrows Ljubljana's intimate ecosystem, the Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit in Warsaw offers the scale you need. As Europe's largest women in tech event, the 2026 edition - scheduled for June - delivers 500 one-on-one mentorship sessions, a career fair with over 100 companies, and keynote speeches from leaders at Google, Meta, and Spotify. Registration opens at the Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit page, with tickets ranging from €100 to €300 plus travel costs.
The summit goes beyond standard conference programming. Slovenian professionals often travel together as a regional cohort, building connections that last beyond the event itself. The summit also hosts the "Girls in Digital" campaign, which Slovenia has actively participated in during EU Code Week 2025 for targeted STEM inspiration. For women who can invest the time and travel, the summit provides access to EU-wide job opportunities that simply do not exist at any single Slovenian event.
Local relevance is direct: Slovenia lacks a conference of this scale. For women who want to compare their career trajectory against the broader European market, this summit is the benchmark. By attending as a cohort, you return to Ljubljana with both international contacts and stronger local ties - a rare combination in a small ecosystem where the default is to connect only within national borders.
Klub Ada (The Ada Club)
Registering for Klub Ada is the single highest-leverage move you can make in Slovenia's women-in-tech ecosystem. Since the global shutdown of Women Who Code in April 2024, it has filled that void to become the country's premier community for women and non-binary people in technology. Membership is free via the Klub Ada website, and the community has grown rapidly under the leadership of organizers like Kaja Skerlj. The community delivers concrete outcomes through a structured calendar of monthly informal meetups, technical workshops, and its flagship event, the AdaHack hackathon. The 2025 edition attracted 19 teams, offered a €3,500 prize pool, and was supported by over 20 corporate sponsors including Outfit7, Telekom Slovenije, and XLAB, as covered by Smartis's AdaHack coverage. Beyond events, the private Slack workspace serves as a hub for job referrals, salary transparency discussions, and peer mentorship. Local relevance is where Klub Ada truly differentiates itself. Ljubljana's tech scene is small enough that your reputation matters, and this community is where you build it. Whether you aim to join Celtra as a machine learning engineer, land a data science role at XLAB, or launch a startup connected to the Jožef Stefan Institute, Klub Ada is the junction where those paths converge. In a market where the average software engineer salary in Ljubljana hovers around €45,000-€65,000, the community's focus on salary data sharing closes the information gap that perpetuates pay inequality - a practical benefit no single job board can match.Conclusion: Your Next Move
The trail splits here, just as it did at the junction in the Triglav Lakes Valley. You can stand at the signpost, checking your map against the fading light, or you can walk toward the voices you hear over the ridge. The resources in this article are not destinations; they are junctions. Each one connects you to people who already know which paths are passable right now.
The most powerful thing these groups offer is not the workshops or the mentorship slots - it is the shared knowledge of where opportunity actually lives in Slovenia's intimate ecosystem. The hidden job openings at Celtra, the fair hiring managers at Comtrade, the EU funding streams for deep tech startups - all of that lives inside the community, not on paper. As leaders from across Europe noted on International Women's Day 2026, the most successful tech careers are built through intentional community participation - giving support and gaining access in equal measure.
Pick one resource from this list. Register for Klub Ada first - it is free, it is local, and it is the closest thing Slovenia has to a basecamp for women in tech. From there, the other paths will start to look clearer. The weather is moving in across the Julian Alps, but so are the people who know the route. Stop hiking alone and start walking toward the ridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which women in tech community in Slovenia is the most active and has the most events in 2026?
Klub Ada (The Ada Club) is currently the most active community, with monthly meetups, technical workshops, and the flagship AdaHack hackathon which attracted 19 teams and offered a €3,500 prize pool in 2025. It has over 20 corporate sponsors including Outfit7, Telekom Slovenije, and XLAB, and a private Slack for job referrals and salary transparency.
Are these women in tech groups in Slovenia free to join?
Most are free. Klub Ada, Django Girls Ljubljana, and WomenTech Network have free registration. Comtrade EDIT summer school is free for selected participants, and WomenHack events are free for approved candidates. Paid options include the WomenIN Business conference (€50-150) and the Perspektywy summit (€100-300 plus travel).
How can these groups help me find a job at a Slovenian tech company like Outfit7 or Celtra?
WomenHack offers speed-dating interviews with pre-screened employers, and Klub Ada’s Slack has job referral channels. Comtrade EDIT often leads to job offers from the company. The WomenTech Network provides a talent marketplace with diversity-committed employers. Participating in events like AdaHack also gets you direct exposure to hiring managers.
I'm based outside Ljubljana - can I still participate in these groups?
Yes, several resources are accessible remotely. WomenTech Network offers virtual circles and a global marketplace. Django Girls Ljubljana holds annual workshops that you can travel to, and the Women TechEU grants require no physical presence. For regular meetups, Klub Ada events are in Ljubljana, but the Slack community is active across Slovenia.
Which group is best for a complete beginner who wants to learn coding?
Django Girls Ljubljana is perfect for beginners - it's a free, full-day workshop requiring no prior experience where you build a web app with one-on-one coaching. Comtrade EDIT summer school is also beginner-friendly with gender-balanced enrollment and immersive training. Both are low-barrier entry points in Slovenia's tech 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.