Top 10 Women in Tech Groups and Resources in Winston-Salem, NC in 2026

Table of Contents

• Breaking Ground in Winston-Salem Tech
• REACH Women’s Network
• Carolina Women+ in Tech
• NC TECH’s Women in Tech Initiatives
• Wake Forest University’s Women in Tech & STEM Ecosystem
• Innovation Quarter’s Womenpreneur Programming
• Forsyth Tech’s Ignite Your Path Women’s Conference
• Inmar Intelligence’s Internal Advocacy & Community Outreach
• AnitaB.org Digital Communities & Grace Hopper Celebration
• Local Corporate ERGs
• Girls Who Code Clubs
• Walking the Trail Together
• Frequently Asked Questions

REACH Women’s Network

As a cornerstone of Winston-Salem’s professional landscape, the REACH Women’s Network is the premier local group for female leaders, founders, and technologists seeking grounded, actionable strategies. Member Tiffany Tate notes the network provides an indispensable "practical perspective" for navigating modern workplace challenges like return-to-office policies and corporate restructuring, which is crucial for leaders and HR professionals in the Triad.

The network’s flagship “Connect Her” events are often held at the heart of the city's innovation corridor, providing a curated space for entrepreneurs and business owners. These sessions, detailed on their events page, foster the high-level connections that lead to tangible collaborations and business growth within the local ecosystem.

For any woman stepping into tech or leadership in Winston-Salem, gaining direct access to this supportive community means tapping into a network that intimately understands the specific dynamics of the Triad’s business and tech environment. This local intelligence is a powerful differentiator for building a career here.

Carolina Women+ in Tech

While its roots are strong in Charlotte, Carolina Women+ in Tech (CWIT) serves as a critical regional force with active engagement across the Piedmont Triad. This organization distinguishes itself by moving beyond traditional networking to offer hands-on technical growth, directly empowering women in the Carolinas' tech ecosystems.

Their programming includes events like the practical “AI-Readiness & Responsibility Bootcamp” and informal “Walk & Talk” networking sessions, which blend professional development with authentic relationship-building. This dual approach addresses both skill gaps and the need for community, creating a comprehensive support system for technologists at various career stages.

Getting involved connects you to a broader professional network that spans beyond Winston-Salem. Exploring their calendar on the CWIT events page is the best way to discover upcoming workshops and social gatherings designed to build connections across North and South Carolina’s tech landscapes.

The value lies in this expansive reach. For Winston-Salem professionals, CWIT provides a vital bridge to the wider regional community, offering opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and career advancement that extend throughout the Carolinas' growing tech sectors.

NC TECH’s Women in Tech Initiatives

As the statewide authority on technology, the North Carolina Technology Association (NC TECH) leverages its position to offer powerful, structured resources for women. Its dedicated Women in Tech programming includes Lean In Circles, which are small peer-mentorship groups designed to help women recognize gender bias and build essential leadership skills in a confidential setting.

A cornerstone of their support is the Betsy Justus Founders Scholarship, awarding $1,000 annually to young women pursuing technology degrees at North Carolina institutions. This financial investment directly fuels the state's leading pipeline of female talent.

Membership provides macro-level industry insights, connecting professionals to the pulse of North Carolina’s entire tech sector. This includes access to authoritative reports, such as the 2026 State of Technology Industry Report, which tracks critical trends like the state's nation-leading rate of women in tech roles.

The value is clear: through a combination of intimate peer support and broad industry intelligence, NC TECH’s initiatives help women navigate and advance within the robust 37.4% female tech workforce that defines North Carolina’s innovative landscape.

Wake Forest University’s Women in Tech & STEM Ecosystem

As both a prestigious academic institution and a major Winston-Salem employer, Wake Forest University creates a multifaceted culture of support that extends from the classroom to professional IT roles. The university’s undergraduate engineering program consistently maintains female enrollment significantly higher than the national average, building upon what their news site calls a deliberate "culture of inclusivity" through small-group retention and mentorship strategies.

For students, the WFU Women in STEM club empowers young women by connecting upperclassmen with underclassmen and promoting science education in local schools. Professionally, Wake Forest Information Systems runs specific networking events to increase visibility for women in technology roles, with details available through their dedicated Women in Tech portal.

This integrated approach feeds directly into North Carolina’s leading tech workforce, where women hold 37.4% of all roles. The university also hosts leadership talks on creating inclusive environments, featuring perspectives from experts like Stephanie Sparks on racial equity and DEI practices.

The member value is access to a prestigious, local network that supports women from introductory STEM courses through to advanced career stages. This ecosystem provides a strong foundation for building a tech career within Winston-Salem’s unique academic and professional landscape.

Innovation Quarter’s Womenpreneur Programming

Winston-Salem’s Innovation Quarter serves as the physical heart of the city's tech and biotech innovation, actively building community through targeted programming. Its Womenpreneur Wednesdays are a standout initiative, offering pop-up coworking days and collaborative meetups designed explicitly to connect female founders and technologists within this dynamic corridor.

This programming, part of the Quarter’s broader mission of building community together, effectively lowers the barrier to entry for engaging with the local ecosystem. For women in tech, it transforms the Innovation Quarter from a prestigious address into an accessible, collaborative hub for growth.

Forsyth Tech’s Ignite Your Path Women’s Conference

Addressing career development head-on, Forsyth Technical Community College hosts its annual "Ignite Your Path" Women’s Conference right in Winston-Salem. This event is strategically designed to help women forge a clear professional path through motivational workshops, skill-building sessions, and direct networking with Triad employers.

The conference provides highly accessible, local professional development, tackling practical challenges like workforce re-entry and childcare. This focus makes it particularly valuable for women transitioning into tech careers or seeking advancement in technical fields like IT, data analytics, and advanced manufacturing - sectors strongly represented in the Piedmont Triad’s economy.

Forsyth Tech’s commitment extends beyond this single conference, as evidenced by its involvement with broader initiatives like the Women of Manufacturing events. This demonstrates a sustained effort to build talent pipelines that feed into North Carolina's leading 37.4% female tech workforce.

The member value is direct connection to actionable resources and local employers. For anyone in the Winston-Salem area looking to start or level up a tech career, this conference offers a tangible, grounded opportunity to gain skills, build confidence, and connect with the companies driving innovation in the region.

Inmar Intelligence’s Internal Advocacy & Community Outreach

Headquartered in Winston-Salem, Inmar Intelligence demonstrates how a major local tech employer can champion women internally and throughout the community. The company hosts an internal Women’s Impact Network (WIN), providing employees with a structured support system for mentorship and career advocacy within the organization.

Externally, Inmar actively sponsors initiatives like the “Girls on Fire” FIRST Robotics team, creating tangible entry points and inspiring the next generation. This dual approach builds a corporate culture that values and invests in women’s advancement from schools to leadership positions, as highlighted in a NC TECH spotlight on their efforts.

While the WIN network is for employees, Inmar’s public community sponsorships offer engagement opportunities for the wider Triad. Following the company’s public channels and advocacy can alert local professionals to sponsored events and STEM programs open to participation.

The member value is twofold: for those at Inmar, it means direct institutional support; for the Winston-Salem tech community, it represents a visible corporate commitment to building and retaining female talent, reinforcing the region's status with a 37.4% female tech workforce.

AnitaB.org Digital Communities & Grace Hopper Celebration

While not Winston-Salem-specific, the global resources of AnitaB.org provide indispensable connections for local technologists. Its digital Systers community offers 24/7 peer support and mentorship matching through online forums, creating a space for women and non-binary technologists to share experiences and advice, as discussed in their resource on the current state of Black women and non-binary technologists.

The organization's flagship event, the world-renowned Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC), represents a career-defining opportunity. Many professionals and students from Wake Forest University and other Triad institutions secure corporate or academic sponsorships to attend, bringing back cutting-edge knowledge, expansive networks, and recruitment opportunities to North Carolina.

Engaging with these resources connects Winston-Salem’s tech community to a massive, international network. For local professionals, this means access to global trends and a support system that transcends geographic boundaries, complementing the strong local foundations built by Piedmont Triad groups.

The value is in scale and specialization. These platforms address nuanced experiences within tech and provide a window into the industry's forefront, ensuring that Winston-Salem’s talent remains informed and connected to worldwide movements in technology and equity.

Local Corporate ERGs

Major Winston-Salem employers serve as critical anchors for supporting women in technology through formal internal structures. Corporations like Novant Health in digital health IT, Hanesbrands in supply chain tech, and R.J. Reynolds in cybersecurity all maintain dedicated Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and diversity councils focused on elevating women in technical and leadership tracks.

For tech professionals within these organizations, these ERGs provide essential day-to-day mentorship, increase visibility for female talent, and create a direct channel to advocate for inclusive policies. This internal advocacy is a key component in building the supportive environments necessary for retention and advancement.

These corporate commitments reflect the broader, statewide culture that has helped North Carolina achieve its #1 national ranking for gender representation in tech. Researching a company's public D&I statements, much like reviewing an institution's commitment to a culture of inclusivity, can be a valuable strategy when job hunting in the Triad to identify employers who actively invest in their talent pipelines.

The member value is institutional support within some of the region's largest and most stable employers. These ERGs represent more than networking; they are a signal of corporate investment in developing and retaining the female talent that comprises 37.4% of the state's tech roles, ensuring Winston-Salem's cornerstone industries benefit from diverse perspectives and leadership.

Girls Who Code Clubs

Building a sustainable pipeline for North Carolina's leading female tech workforce begins long before college or a first job. In Winston-Salem, various Girls Who Code clubs operate in middle schools, high schools, and public libraries, serving as the foundational frost-breakers for the next generation. These clubs utilize a proven curriculum to close the gender gap at the earliest entry points into computer science, demystifying technology and building confidence in a supportive, peer-driven environment.

For young women in the Triad, participation provides an crucial early introduction to computational thinking and coding fundamentals. This early exposure is instrumental in shaping career aspirations, contributing directly to the state's strong metrics where 95% of women express openness to AI-focused roles with proper support. These clubs are a practical implementation of the community-wide effort highlighted in resources discussing how to empower women to thrive in tech careers.

Community involvement is straightforward: parents can seek out clubs at their child's school or local library, while local tech professionals can volunteer to mentor or facilitate a club, sharing invaluable real-world experience. This volunteerism strengthens the bridge between education and industry.

The ultimate value is a self-reinforcing cycle. For the individual, it builds confidence and skills; for the Winston-Salem community, it ensures the strong pipeline of female talent that maintains North Carolina's #1 national ranking continues to grow from right here in the Piedmont Triad, turning today's students into tomorrow's innovators.

Walking the Trail Together

The path into tech, once marked by solitary footprints, becomes a well-traveled trail when walked together. As expert Janet Wise emphasizes, success requires "networking, staying curious, and confidently sharing one's authentic self" - principles embodied by Winston-Salem's ecosystem of support. The resources highlighted here are the collective work of thawing the frost, creating clear routes for those who follow.

For many, the journey begins with building the technical foundation to step onto that path. Accessible education programs are crucial, with options like the affordable AI and coding bootcamps from Nucamp providing structured skill-building. Their programs, ranging from $2,124 to $3,980 with flexible payments, offer practical training in Python, AI essentials, and full-stack development that aligns with local demand from Triad employers in healthcare, finance, and manufacturing.

This combination of community and education creates powerful momentum. Whether through a local Womenpreneur Wednesday, a statewide Lean In Circle, or a skills-based bootcamp, you are engaging with maintained pathways. In Winston-Salem, you are not the first to walk this field, and you will not be the last. The community is ready to walk with you, turning pioneering determination into shared achievement across North Carolina's leading tech landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions