A LinkedIn post shared by Davina Schonle, founder and CEO of Humanvantage AI, has gone viral after she revealed she was denied entry to London Tech Week because she brought her baby daughter along.
The incident has triggered a debate about inclusion, accessibility, and the realities of working parents in the tech industry.
“Hi, I hate that I’m having to write this but today I was refused entry at London Tech Week because I had my baby with me,” Schonle said in her post, describing her three-hour journey to attend the event.
“At this stage I limit how many hours I am away from my baby girl. This is about new environments for her as much as it is about me,” she added.
Schonle had planned to attend key meetings, network, and contribute to conversations shaping the future of tech. However, she was met with a barrier that reflects a bigger problem in the industry.
“This moment was more than inconvenient. It was a clear reminder that as a tech industry, we still have work to do when it comes to inclusion beyond buzzwords,” she said.
Furthermore, Schonle emphasised that parents and caregivers are essential contributors to the tech ecosystem – as innovators, founders, investors, and leaders. “If major events like London Tech Week can’t make space for (parents), what message does that send about who belongs in tech?”
She concluded her post with an important question: “I don’t necessarily mean make it kid inclusive event in general, or do I? Doesn’t our future belong to the kids?”
Take a look at the post here:
Schonle’s post has sparked outrage, with several calling on event organisers to re-evaluate policies that may unintentionally exclude caregivers.
“Wow! How impressively regressive,” a user said. Another added, “Sadly, this sounds typical of a largely male-dominated industry that pays corporate lip-service to inclusivity but fails to carry through those supposed values when it doesn’t contribute to executive box-ticking.”
See the comments here:
The organisers of London Tech Week are yet to respond publicly to the incident.
