Queering
the Tech Ecosystem
WHO WE ARE
QueerTech is a national nonprofit advancing 2SLGBTQIA+ talent, entrepreneurship, and inclusive technology across Canada’s tech ecosystem.
Through community-led programming, original research, strategic partnerships, and actionable inclusion tools, we build pathways into tech and help shape a more responsible and equitable technology industry - because real change doesn’t happen in silos.
HOW WE DO IT
We take a community and ecosystem-first approach to transforming Canada’s tech industry. QueerTech works across the full tech sector pipeline - supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ people from initial access point to career advancement and entrepreneurship - while driving systemic change through employer, investor, regulator, and community organization partnerships.
- Building pathways into tech through skills development, mentorship, and career-ready programming that prepare queer talent for meaningful tech work.
- Advancing queer leadership by supporting professionals as they grow into decision-making roles where they can influence culture, policy and innovation internally.
- Empowering queer founders with the tools, networks and access to capital needed to launch and scale tech ventures.
- Creating safer, connected spaces where community, learning and opportunity can bloom - in person, and online.
- Shaping inclusive technology through research, cross-ecosystem convening, and strategic partnerships that centre lived experience in how tech, including AI, is designed and deployed.
Our mission defined
The Canadian technology ecosystem is a living, breathing organism; sustainable change is only possible if we address all areas of the ecosystem and deliver informed, mutually beneficial solutions to all of its players.
Queering The Tech Ecosystem means transforming how tech works - from who gets access and opportunity, to how technologies are designed, governed and used. At QueerTech, this includes advancing queer people in tech and queering technology itself, by centering queer lived experience in workplaces, products and policy.
Through community connection, career and leadership development, entrepreneurship support, and responsible tech tools, we build pathways, shift systems, and shape a tech ecosystem where queer people are thriving.
Values
Inclusivity
We create and sustain a diverse, welcoming community where every 2SLGBTQIA+ person feels valued, respected, and empowered.
Accessibility
We break down barriers, ensuring that everyone—regardless of ability or circumstance—has equal opportunities to thrive in tech.
Helpfulness
We believe in lifting as we climb, fostering a culture of mentorship, resource-sharing, and mutual support.
Pride
We champion authenticity, celebrating the power of queer identities and the strength that comes from showing up as your true self.
Collective Impact
We are stronger together. By building connections and collaborating with individuals, companies, and organizations, we create lasting change in the tech ecosystem.
Inclusivity
We create and sustain a diverse, welcoming community where every 2SLGBTQIA+ person feels valued, respected, and empowered.
Accessibility
We break down barriers, ensuring that everyone—regardless of ability or circumstance—has equal opportunities to thrive in tech.
Helpfulness
We believe in lifting as we climb, fostering a culture of mentorship, resource-sharing, and mutual support.
Pride
We champion authenticity, celebrating the power of queer identities and the strength that comes from showing up as your true self.
Collective Impact
We are stronger together. By building connections and collaborating with individuals, companies, and organizations, we create lasting change in the tech ecosystem.
History
Founded in 2016 in partnership with MontrealNewTech, QueerTech started as a meetup group to connect 2SLGBTQIA+ tech professionals in Montreal. As a grassroots initiative, QueerTech began with a simple yet powerful mission: to uplift and connect queer voices in the tech industry. This grassroots approach continues to drive everything we do. We grow by listening to our community, building with intention, and collaborating closely with the people we serve.
In two years, we became QueerTech, a non-profit organization committed to building a more inclusive tech ecosystem. From career development and entrepreneurship acceleration to workplace inclusion and policy advocacy, our programs and partnerships empower 2SLGBTQIA+ professionals and businesses to succeed. We champion inclusivity, elevate voices, and build a tech industry that reflects the diversity of the world around us. We believe that innovation can be unlocked through inclusion.
Today, we are expanding our impact across Canada and beyond, with a clear goal: to make tech more queer.
Key dates
First meetup event organizized by our co-founders in Montreal
QueerTech is incorporated as a national non-profit
Organizational growth with the virtual pivot
From volunteering to employment, the first staff members are hired
Published "Queering The Tech Ecosystem: Barriers and Opportunities," the first-ever research on 2SLGBTQIA+ experiences in Canadian tech, shaping national inclusion efforts.
QueerTech: A safe, inclusive, and proud space.