On September 23rd, 2025, Rockstar Recruiting AG and grape co-hosted Fearless in Tech: Women Who Build in Zurich — with the help of IBM Nordcloud and contributions from NVIDIA, Technis, and Alexander Thamm. Five women in leadership shared what it takes to build a strong tech career as a woman today and in the years to come.
Thank you to grape and Rockstar Recruiting AG (rockstar.jobs) for an inspiring evening — a powerful reminder that it’s on all of us to champion diversity and build inclusive environments in tech. It was fantastic to see a strong speaker line-up bringing energy, insight, and real stories — and great to see so many familiar faces in the audience.
Speaker Highlights
Yijie Zhang (Senior Consultant, Rockstar Recruiting AG) — Navigating the Market & the Hidden Job Channel
Yijie laid out how today’s labor market can be tough to navigate — especially as a candidate — and offered concrete strategies for women to stand out and accelerate their careers:
- Go where demand is strongest: Focus on in-demand domains like defense, blockchain, AI/LLMs, robotics, and cybersecurity. Double-down on your existing domain knowledge to create a rare, valuable skill profile.
- Show sustained focus: Avoid switching fields too often. Depth beats breadth when hiring managers assess seniority and impact.
- Level up technical skills: Prioritize capabilities that compound — e.g., large language models, ML toolchains, security fundamentals, and data infrastructure for AI.
- Target scale-ups: In Greater Zurich’s deep-tech ecosystem, scale-ups are the most critical hirers right now for impactful tech roles.
- Apply boldly: Men often apply when they meet part of the spec; many women hesitate unless they meet nearly all criteria. Don’t self-reject — apply and let the process test fit.
- Unlock the hidden market: For senior roles, 50%+ are never published; for leadership roles, 80–90% remain off-market. This is the “hidden job market.” Invest in networking and work with specialized deep-tech recruiters like Rockstar to access it.
Valentina José Sulbarán Sánchez (Full-Stack Engineer, grape) — Thriving in Technical Teams
Valentina reflected on her early journey learning to code with her brother and the prejudices she encountered — including colleagues questioning whether she had done her own work. Her advice:
- Choose equal-opportunity employers: Look for teams that collaborate, share knowledge, and avoid blame or gossip.
- Seek positive team dynamics: Environments where questions are met with enablement — not humiliation — accelerate growth.
- Consider startups: She loves the pace and ownership at grape and encourages others to explore similar environments.
Dr. Eva-Maria Hempe (Executive Director, Healthcare & Life Sciences EMEA, NVIDIA) — Networking as a Woman
Eva-Maria emphasized that networking is essential — and looks different for women:
- Create safe spaces: Decide thoughtfully about private settings, alcohol, and mixed-company events; go with trusted colleagues or ensure other women are present.
- Balance risk and access: There’s a real cost to not networking; craft strategies that let you participate fully and safely.
- Use community: Build networks that amplify each other’s voices and open doors to opportunities.
Oktawia Kata (CTO, Technis) — Beyond Impostor Syndrome: Confidence Through Action
Oktawia reframed the impostor voice as a tool rather than a stop sign:
- Reframe: From “I don’t belong” to “I don’t know enough yet.”
- Take small, deliberate risks: Evidence of success compounds confidence.
- Practice high agency: Don’t wait for permission — take ownership.
- Redefine failure: Treat setbacks as part of learning.
- Find mentors & sponsors: Let champions open doors while you build the self-advocacy muscle.
Upcoming Top 100 Women in Swiss Tech Report by Greater Zurich Area and ETH AI Center
Daria Mühlethaler from Alexander Thamm Consulting previews the upcoming Top 100 Women in Swiss Tech Report by Greater Zurich Area and ETH AI Center which will be released on Monday.
Panel & Q&A
The panel tackled practical questions: how to find a good mentor, switch careers into tech, network effectively (and safely), land roles in Switzerland without German, and discover communities that accelerate learning and opportunity. The evening wrapped with an opera performance and relaxed networking at the bar.
Thank you to IBM Nordcloud for supporting the event and to our contributors from NVIDIA, Alexander Thamm, grape, and Technis. If you’re a woman in tech (or an ally) looking for your next role, reach out to Rockstar Recruiting. If your company wants to hire exceptional tech talent, we’d love to help!
Event partners: grape • Rockstar Recruiting AG • with the help of IBM Nordcloud
