Women in High-Tech 2025 - Status Report

More women are studying and working in high-tech – but  management, entrepreneurship, and investments gaps remain deep

Israel Innovation Authority publishes today the “Women in High-Tech 2025 Status Report” which presents a broad overview regarding the integration of women in the Israeli innovation industry: Despite the increasing number of women studying high-tech professions and employed in the sector, their representation in management, entrepreneurship, and venture capital remains significantly low. Only 17% of senior management in Israeli high-tech companies are women, and only 10% of startups CEOs

The data indicates mixed trends: In the last decade, the number of female students in high-tech professions has doubled, the number of women employed in the high-tech sector has increased by 65%, and the number of women in R&D roles has increased by 140%. However, the share of women in the high-tech sector remains unchanged: one-third of the workforce, and there is almost no change in female representation in management positions and the volume of investments in women-led startups. Only one in six senior managers in Israeli high-tech companies is a woman, only 10% of startups are managed by women, and only 4.3% of all capital raised in recent years by startups went to startups led by female CEOs.

Minister Gila Gamliel, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology:
“Israel is a global technological powerhouse, and we do not have the privilege of giving up on the immense potential of women in shaping the innovation of tomorrow. Despite significant progress in education and training in tech fields, the gaps in management levels, entrepreneurship, and investments remain deep and mandate systemic change led by the government to ensure more equal representation. This can be achieved by encouraging women to take on leadership and entrepreneurial roles, promoting tailored training programs, and improving access to funding. Advancing women in high-tech is not just a matter of social justice—it is an essential economic lever to strengthen Israel’s competitiveness and make the high-tech sector more inclusive, diverse, and robust. It is a critical economic engine for increasing labor productivity and maintaining Israel’s competitive edge in the global economy.”

Dror Bin, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority: “The change is evident in the numbers, but it is far from satisfactory. More women are studying high-tech professions, more women are working in high-tech – but when looking at management, entrepreneurship, and investments, the gaps remain deep. In the last decade, the number of women employed in the sector has grown significantly, but this is hardly translated into an improvement in their rate in key positions. We must continue to work to create equal opportunities for women in high-tech – from expanding training and education programs, through developing programs to promote women in management positions, to encouraging female entrepreneurship. Only a comprehensive and ongoing initiative that involves the government and the industry can bring about real change.”

Women on the high-tech track – more learning, less influence:

Education and Learning:

• The number of females taking the 5-unit matriculation exam in mathematics stands at 48.2%.
• The number of females taking the 5-unit matriculation exam in computer science has increased by more than 75% since 2016 but still stands at only 36.1% of all examinees – with no significant change since 2020.
• The percentage of female students in high-tech professions has risen from about 24% in 2012 to 32% in 2023 – this is a significant improvement trend, but their rate is still low compared to men.

Employment:

• The number of women employed in the high-tech sector has increased by 65% in the last decade, reaching about 130,000 women in high-tech, but their relative share remains only 33.5% of those employed in the sector – with no significant change for three decades.
• The highest growth was recorded in positions of research and development (R&D): the number of women in R&D roles has increased by 140% in the last decade, but they are still a minority in the industry, with only 26.5% of all R&D employees – an increase of 23% from a decade ago.

Deepening regional gaps – women in the periphery are left behind

The report points to significant gaps between the center and the periphery regions regarding high school matriculation studies, which directly affect women’s entry into the high-tech industry:

• The percentage of females taking the 5-unit computer science matriculation exam in Tel Aviv and the Central District is three times higher than in Jerusalem, twice as high as in the Southern District, and 50% higher than in the Northern District and Haifa.
• While there is a significant increase in the percentage of computer science female examinees in the center of the country, the growth in the periphery is slower, which will lead to the expansion of future gaps.

Gaps in management, entrepreneurship, and venture capital – women are excluded from decision-making centers

Despite the increase in the number of women in high-tech, their percentage in senior positions remains significantly low:

• Women constitute only 17.6% of senior management in private high-tech companies, and 24.3% of board members in public companies.
• Only 10.6% of startups CEOs in Israel are women, a significantly low figure compared to other innovation hubs around the world.
• Women-led startups raised only 4.3% of all capital raised by startups in recent years – despite managing 10.6% of startups, indicating barriers in access to capital and investments.
• In 40% of the active venture capital funds in Israel, there is not a single female partner.

To promote the representation of women in high-tech and reduce the gaps, systematic and comprehensive actions are needed.