Women in tech in Kitchener-Waterloo: groups, events and companies
Waterloo Region is the tenth-ranked tech talent market in North America in CBRE’s 2026 Scoring Tech Talent report, and one of its fastest growing, with tech jobs up 37%. The region had more than 39,000 tech workers in 2025.
11.7% of Waterloo’s workforce is in tech, according to Waterloo EDC. The University of Waterloo feeds the region with co-op students and graduates, and Communitech connects startups, scaleups and established companies.
Google, OpenText, D2L, BlackBerry, TextNow and Faire have large teams in Kitchener and Waterloo. See tech salaries in Kitchener-Waterloo.
By Heidi Lee, community manager, OutGeek Women in TechUpdated
Where women work in Kitchener-Waterloo tech
Women hold about 24% of tech jobs in Canada, and the share is not the same in every role.
Tech salaries in Kitchener-Waterloo
Waterloo Region is not in CBRE’s wage table for Canada’s five biggest tech hubs. Nearby Toronto is the closest comparison.
Average tech wage in Canada’s biggest tech hubs
US DOLLARS A YEAR · CBRE SCORING TECH TALENT 2026 (2024 WAGES)The gender pay gap in Canadian tech
Women in tech organizations in Kitchener-Waterloo
Groups based in Kitchener-Waterloo or running events in the city, for meeting peers, learning and growing a career.
Communitech Fierce Founders
Communitech relaunched Fierce Founders in 2026 to grow women-led startups in Waterloo Region. communitech.ca → ENGINEERINGWomen in Engineering, University of Waterloo
Programs, mentoring and events for women in engineering at the University of Waterloo. uwaterloo.ca → NETWORKINGWomen in Communications and Technology (WCT)
National nonprofit for women in communications and tech, with chapters across Canada. wct-fct.com →Notable tech companies in Kitchener-Waterloo
Companies with large tech teams in the area.
Software
Big tech and hardware
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OutGeek Women in Tech in Kitchener-Waterloo
We run one recruiting event in Kitchener-Waterloo every year, where hiring teams meet women in tech in person.
Each event features short talks from hiring teams, speed networking with recruiters and engineering leads, and open networking with food and drinks.
Upcoming OutGeek events in Kitchener-Waterloo
Women in tech in Kitchener-Waterloo: common questions
What is the women in tech scene like in Kitchener-Waterloo?
Waterloo Region is the tenth-ranked tech talent market in North America in CBRE’s 2026 Scoring Tech Talent report, and one of its fastest growing, with tech jobs up 37%. The region had more than 39,000 tech workers in 2025. Women hold about 24% of tech jobs in Canada.
What percentage of tech workers in Kitchener-Waterloo are women?
Across Canada, women hold about 24% of tech jobs, according to CBRE. The share is higher in UX/UI design and product management, and lower in core infrastructure, DevOps and senior engineering.
Where women work in Kitchener-Waterloo tech →How much do tech workers earn in Kitchener-Waterloo?
Waterloo Region is not in CBRE’s wage table for Canada’s five biggest tech hubs. Nearby Toronto is the closest comparison.
Tech salaries in Kitchener-Waterloo →Is there a gender pay gap in Canadian tech?
Yes. Census data analyzed by The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University shows the average woman in Canadian tech earned $71,400 in 2021, compared with $91,000 for men. A 2026 survey by Artemis Canada found women in tech leadership earn about 78 cents for every dollar men earn.
The gender pay gap in Canadian tech →What women in tech groups are there in Kitchener-Waterloo?
Groups in Kitchener-Waterloo include Communitech Fierce Founders, Women in Engineering, University of Waterloo and Women in Communications and Technology (WCT).
All Kitchener-Waterloo women in tech groups →Are there women in tech events in Kitchener-Waterloo?
Yes. OutGeek Women in Tech runs one recruiting event in Kitchener-Waterloo every year, where hiring teams meet women in tech in person.
Tech recruiting events by city →What is OutGeek Women in Tech Kitchener-Waterloo?
OutGeek Women in Tech runs recruiting events where hiring teams meet women in tech in person. Our Kitchener-Waterloo community has more than 2,000 members. Joining is free at outgeek.org.
About OutGeek Women in Tech in Kitchener-Waterloo →