One of the largest tech conferences for women and non-binary people has been canceled, and many are asking what comes next.
AnitaB.org, the organization behind the annual Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC), has canceled this year’s event, which was scheduled for Oct. 27-30 in Anaheim, California.
The organization explained the decision in a pop-up update on its website.
“It is a function of not having the funds required to move forward with the Celebration, unlike in years past,” said AnitaB.org President and CEO Brenda Darden Wilkerson in the statement. “Unlike past events, this year, both individual registrations and sponsorship commitments came in significantly below our expectations and, ultimately, below the level needed to cover critical operating expenses.”
“We know this decision affects far more than an event,” the statement continued. “Many of you have made travel arrangements, booked hotels, received visas, secured time away from work, organized teams, and planned important moments around being together. We are deeply sorry for the disruption this creates.”
What is GHC?
GHC is widely known as the world’s largest gathering of women in tech, and more than 700 companies, from Fortune 500 employers to startups, participate each year.
Women remain underrepresented in the industry, and this year’s conference was promoted as a place to meet employers and leaders, connect with peers and build technical skills. It was also planned to focus heavily on artificial intelligence, including AI fluency programming, networking and mentoring.
What happens next?
Many companies have said they aim to hire top talent in technology and AI, and many attendees looked to GHC as a way into the field.
Corporate partners for GHC include CVS Health, Disney, Goldman Sachs, Google, Intuit and many others. Now that the event has been canceled, Forbes asked, “Will they keep investing in ways to reach and support women in technology, or will those efforts disappear with this year’s event?”
Meanwhile, AnitaB.org has listed next steps for attendees and said it will explore other ways to serve women in technology.
“GHC has been central to our mission, and the circumstances leading to its cancellation have adversely affected our finances,” Wilkerson concluded in the statement. “We are evaluating strategic alternatives and the type of programming we can offer in the future. I anticipate further announcements will be made in the coming weeks as we gain greater clarity on key variables.”
