People often assume entering tech requires years of planning, connections, and perfect timing. But waiting for perfect conditions means you never move at all. Bravery isn't the absence of fear—it's looking at the risk, respecting it, and choosing to move forward anyway.
Stamford has the energy of New York City without the anonymity. On any weekday, you can sit in a café and hear conversations about fintech, healthcare, and data science bouncing between tables. I found my people at Moden Love Coffee Roasters, discovered the Stamford Innovation Center, attended Tech Hub events run by the Stamford Partnership, and worked alongside other builders at Serendipity Labs.
CT Digital Forum's monthly events at UConn feature sharp voices from finance, banking, and fintech. Forge events opened doors into hardware tech. These weren't places I visited before launching, they were the support team I sought after I'd already taken then leap.
When I needed to refine my services and better understand a niche market of start ups, I went back to that network—specifically through the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program at The Ferguson Library, which connected me with people who sharpened my thinking. More than a few of them were women.
Savanha from Moneyling is tackling the financial education gap—covering money concepts that never make it into basic school curriculum. Marlene Megos, founder of Equate Education, is modernizing how teacher residency and apprenticeship programs track and support candidates. Kira Dineen
hosts DNA Today, an award-winning podcast covering advances in genetics. Geeta is building Excellence, a Christian business directory connecting values-aligned entrepreneurs and customers.
Hearing each of them talk through the real struggles of developing a product or service helped me see where a fresh approach to software development and client relationships could create genuine value. The network didn't make me brave enough to start—it made me smart enough to keep building.
Women are bringing a distinct leadership ethic to Stamford's tech scene: one that values collaboration over ego, and treats engineers, partners, and early customers as essential to any outcome. That experience makes us more attuned to who's missing from the conversation and more intentional about culture. Those aren't soft extras—they're strategic advantages.
Stamford's strength is its support structure. Tech Hub connects startups to mentors and corporate partners. UConn's Innovate Labs in Stamford brings students and founders into the same orbit — and with a proposed AI Innovation Institute potentially on the horizon, that orbit is expanding.
Connecticut Innovations provides early-stage funding without leaving the state. WITS – Women in Tech Stamford meets regularly at Serendipity Labs. The Women's Business Development Council runs the Ignite grant program, offering up to $10,000 for women- owned businesses. SCORE Fairfield County provides mentorship to refine business models. Governor Ned Lamont's proposed R&D tax incentives would further help business owners adopt technology. The list keeps growing.
Your passion is your foundation. Your experience is your greatest asset. Your Stamford network is ready to work alongside you. The choice to step into something uncertain and build anyway is where transformation happens—and right now, in Stamford, the door is open and there is room for every woman ready to walk through it.
Linda Drabova
Linda Drabova is the founder of Bottleneck Technologies, a custom software development company offering AI/ML, app development, and integrations/automations that solve complex challenges and drive growth across a range of industries.