Israel’s High-Tech Gender Gap Persists Despite Rise in Women’s Participation

A new report by the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) reveals that while more women are entering Israel’s high-tech sector, their representation in leadership and entrepreneurship remains significantly low. The "Women in High-Tech 2025 Status Report," released on March 4, highlights persistent gender disparities in key areas such as senior management, R&D roles, and startup funding.

According to the report, women now make up 33.5% of the high-tech workforce, a figure that has remained largely unchanged for three decades. The number of women in R&D positions has grown by 140% over the past ten years, yet they still hold just 26.1% of these roles. Meanwhile, female-led startups account for only 10% of the total, and those with women CEOs have secured just 4.3% of venture capital funding in recent years.

Education trends show a positive trajectory, with 48.2% of students taking advanced mathematics matriculation exams now being female. However, women remain underrepresented in computer science studies, with little change since 2020.

Innovation Minister Gila Gamliel called for systemic reforms to close these gaps, emphasizing the economic importance of greater gender diversity in high-tech. Dror Bin, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority, warned that while progress has been made in education and employment, these gains are not translating into leadership opportunities.