ITCS Hamburg

When we open computer science books or follow tech conferences, we mostly encounter men. Men who invented things, explain technology, or act as the experts. At the same time, a problem has been known for a long time: there are too few women in the tech sector.

Initiatives aimed at getting girls excited about technology, mentoring programmes, and many dedicated stakeholders are working to close this gap. But can this even work if girls and women lack something much more fundamental, namely role models?

In her talk, Lea Schönberger shows why the way we talk about tech and the history of technology is problematic. She tells stories of women who have made important contributions but remain unknown, and explains how her podcast "Computer Science for the Modern Housewife" aims to create space for the stories of female computer scientists from the past and present.

Who decides for you when the algorithm knows you better than you know yourself? The talk connects neurobiology and digitally agile work environments, laying down a track that tech professionals rarely see in this light. And what if the most important skill for the coming years lies where you least expect it?

Girls and women are still underrepresented in the STEM world, and specifically in IT. Why is this the case? And how can we get more girls excited about STEM in schools? As an online mentoring program, CyberMentor addresses this by focusing on personal enthusiasm. In this talk, you'll learn how CyberMentor works and its impact, and how you can get involved yourself and support and guide girls on their path into STEM as a mentor.

"The Devil Wears Prada" was never just about fashion. It was about how doors open, who has access to the right rooms – and who knows your name before you even turn up. That's exactly what real life is about too.

The most exciting opportunities often don't arise through applications, but through people, recommendations, and networks. While men often learn these unwritten rules early on, many women wait until they are "good enough" before they become visible. And especially in the age of AI, genuine relationships are becoming increasingly valuable: skills can be looked up, CVs optimised, texts generated – but trust, recommendations, and human connections cannot.

Good networking has nothing to do with pure small talk. It starts with genuine interest, real connections, and people who think of you when you're not in the room yourself.

Anja Landgraf and Svenja Streb from the BPW Club Hamburg e.V. talk about careers, a nationwide community, and valuable access to an international network with connections in over 100 countries worldwide.

Hard-working, qualified – and yet invisible. Many BIWOC* in tech know this feeling.
The Bamboo Ceiling describes a specific invisible barrier that prevents people of Asian heritage from advancing, despite top performance and qualifications. For women*, the gender dimension adds an extra layer that multiplies with our origin or appearance.
In this talk, you'll learn what's behind this structural phenomenon and what the data says. You'll take away: a change in perspective towards understanding systems, why deep self-knowledge is the starting point for real impact. And how what has shaped us can become a resource.

In her 20-minute keynote, Anke Wiechmann shares three personal failures from her professional life during digital transformation – honestly, unvarnished, and with clear learnings. She talks about why networking too late costs opportunities, how a lack of authenticity drains energy, and why conformist behaviour prevents real change. What she learned from this: visibility, attitude, and community are not "nice-to-haves" but are crucial for resilience and progress. This talk is an invitation to be braver, stand up for yourself sooner, and actively shape change. Because that's exactly what the digital world needs now more than ever.