Diversity UK pauses ‘Asians in Tech’, returns to its grassroots
Equality charity Diversity UK has announced a pause on its pioneering Asians in Tech initiative in order to concentrate on grassroots support for under-represented founders across the UK. This decision follows a successful decade of spotlighting Asian talent in the tech sector.
Since launching the Asians in Tech list in 2015, Diversity UK has published ten annual Top 100 Asian Stars in UK Tech lists, celebrated six Top Asian in UK Tech Award Winners, and honoured 150 Asian Tech Pioneers. It has hosted eight Tech Showcases, enabling founders to pitch directly to investors, convened five Investing in Women Founders debates, a Demo Day, and produced influential content including the Asian Tech Pioneers video and AI Inclusion Podcast. Its recent Asians in Tech Impact Report 2024, launched at the House of Lords, highlighted the initiative’s far-reaching influence.
To mark this transition, Diversity UK will host its third Diversity Tech Summit in London on Wednesday 25 June 2025.
Lopa Patel MBE, Chair of Diversity UK, said: “This milestone highlights the significant contributions of Asian tech talent in the UK and offers a moment for reflection. When we began this journey, the tech landscape was very different. Following conversations with funders, partners and founders, we believe this is the right time to return to our roots – catalysing support for founders, tackling inequalities, and using our platform to highlight what truly matters. Right now, one of the most pressing issues is inequality in women’s health. Thanks to the generous support of sponsors we are proud to focus this year’s Diversity Tech Summit on women’s health.”
Women’s Health Gap: A $1 Trillion Opportunity
The Summit will explore findings from a recent McKinsey Health Institute report, Closing the Women’s Health Gap: A $1 Trillion Opportunity to Improve Lives and Economies. The report reveals that women spend 25% more of their lives in poor health than men – an inequality with serious economic and social consequences.
Closing this health gap could not only improve the lives of 3.9 billion women globally but also contribute an additional $1 trillion annually to the world economy by 2040.
The report emphasises that health equity is not only a moral imperative but also a major economic opportunity.
Reflecting on Diversity UK’s journey, Lopa Patel MBE added: “Our Impact Report showed that we’ve inspired and empowered diverse tech founders – helping them to secure funding and scale. But as we face increasing economic uncertainty, with many incubators and co-working spaces shutting down, the real challenge is reaching these founders and supporting their access to innovation pathways.
“Going forward, Diversity UK will focus on three core areas as outlined in our 2025–2028 strategy: increasing representation in public appointments, supporting women, especially through International Women’s Day events, and hosting the annual Paul Stephenson Lecture on race equality. We will also be evaluating new ways to assist under-represented founders and changemakers.”
The Diversity Tech Summit 2025 takes place on Wed 25 June 2025, click here to attend.
About Diversity UK
Diversity UK is an equality and inclusion charity that researches, advocates and promotes ideas for improving diversity in Britain. Diversity UK delivers its charitable objectives by undertaking research, facilitating debates, hosting roundtable meetings, producing white papers and publishing a newsletter focusing on contemporary equality issues. Diversity UK is a registered charity (No: 1155189) in England & Wales.
About Asians in Tech
The Asians in Tech initiative was established in 2015 with Lord Vaizey, then the Minister for the Digital Economy launching the first Top 100 Asian Stars in UK Tech list. Successes of the Asians in Tech initiative over the past decade include ★ 10 AT100 lists published; ★ 8 Tech Showcases hosted (Cambridge, London, Manchester); ★ 6 Chairman’s Awards presented; ★ 150 Asian Tech Pioneers recognised; ★ 5 Investing in Women Founders panel debates held, ★ 1 Demo Day delivered, ★ Asian Tech Pioneers video ★ AI Inclusion Podcast and ★ Impact Report published.
Diversity UK is proud that the aim of showcasing Asian talent in the tech sector has been realised with founders achieving their investment targets, receiving grant funding, forming new partnerships and recognition in scaling their ventures. For further information visit https://asiansintech.com/
