Confidence was a popular women in tech topic this week. In an article on Thrive Global, Dolly Singh, head of talent innovation and inclusion at ServiceTitan, mused on the "fake it till you make it" ethos: "Confidence is the closest thing in this world to magic. It is also a self-fulfilling prophecy. To become a more confident person, you cannot continue to [do] what you're already doing. Something has to change. Act confident to become confident." She explained that learning how to be confident is one of the biggest pieces of advice that she would give to any woman in tech, and getting there requires practice, practice, practice. It's a marathon, not a sprint! (See WiCipedia: Risk Taking, Imposter Syndrome & CES Double Standards.) Figure 1: Put on your Wonder Woman gear Let's just call it like it is: Pixabay images are really, really sexist.
(Source: Pixabay)

Women Who Tech is teaming up with Google to host the tenth annual Women Startup Challenge, which provides funding for early-stage women-led companies, Yahoo reports. Ten finalists will be invited to pitch their idea to Google, and one winner will receive $75,000 in funding as well as mentorship and further opportunities to raise capital from VCs. "The tech industry can't afford not to support diverse founders or else we lose out on innovation. It's programs like the Women Startup Challenge and allies working together that are needed now to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech," said Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist as well as Craig Newmark Philanthropies, which support Women Who Tech. Startups must have at least one female founder and be based in North America. Applications will be accepted until March 29. Go get it! (See WiCipedia: New Networking Rules, Canada's Pay Gap & Investing in Female Founders.)

Black Women Talk Tech is a platform for black, female founders who are building mega companies and want support and networking exposure from their peers. This week, they held their fourth annual BWTT 2020 Roadmap To Billions conference in NYC, Yahoo reported. With so few spaces dedicated to black female entrepreneurs and founders in tech (or any industry, for that matter), it's so crucial to create dedicated spaces like this. One of the founders of the organization, Regina Gwynn, gave some same advice about the fear that comes with starting a new venture: "Always try to pursue your ideas, because if you don't pursue them, someone else will." And there's nothing like a dose of regret. (See WiCipedia: 2020's best cities for women in tech.)

— Eryn Leavens, Special Features & Copy Editor, Light Reading