People identifying as 2SLGBTQ+ are estimated to represent only 8.8 per cent of the Canadian tech industry. Montréal-based non-profit organization QueerTech — co-founded by Naoufel Testaouni and Eustacio Saldaña in 2016 — hopes to improve this statistic by creating spaces and communities that empower 2SLGBTQ+ people within the technology industry. QueerTech has ambitious goals to improve queer representation in the industry to 20 per cent and to ensure that five per cent of leadership positions are held by members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

To learn how the organization operates and plans to achieve its goals, The Varsity interviewed QueerTech CEO and co-founder Testaouni, and U of T alumnus and Queertech volunteer Alex Semmelhack.

The inspiration behind QueerTech

When asked about what influenced him to start QueerTech, Testaouni cited his experience in the tech industry since 2010.

“I was participating in a lot of events, conferences, meetups, and one of the things that started to draw my attention was [the] lack of diversity at these events,” he told The Varsity. “[When] the lack of diversity [becomes] more apparent, you start to feel a lack of belonging.” 

After conducting more research, he decided to start QueerTech in 2016 to aid the 2SLGBTQ+ community in having a bigger role in the tech industry.

According to Testaouni, having higher queer representation can be highly beneficial for technology companies. “A diverse community means having diverse perspectives, having more creative ways to… approach innovation, more creative ways to solve problems.” Moreover, QueerTech is guided by his belief that tech is “inherently progressive” and that it is important that the 2SLGBTQ+ community is part of the industry’s journey to “create and build the future.”

The QueerTech Research Report

QueerTech faces various challenges trying to improve diversity in the tech community. Beyond the high barriers 2SLGBTQ+ members face in entering the tech industry, Testaouni noted that securing funds for QueerTech’s programs is also challenging. He believes that this is largely driven by a lack of data on queer people in the technology industry.

“If there’s a lack of data, there’s also a lack of programming and lack of investment in challenges that our community faces because there is no data around, where either policymakers or the government can base their decision on,” said Testaouni. 

After surveying 254 people and interviewing 30 employees within the tech industry who mostly identify as 2SLGBTQ+, QueerTech has attempted to fill the data gaps by publishing its “Queering the tech ecosystem: Barriers and Opportunities” Research Report in 2024. The report highlights various disparities in the workforce based on identities such as non-queer respondents being significantly more likely to feel safe at being themselves compared to queer individuals, and interviewees labelling the tech industry as “male-dominated” or “homogenous.” QueerTech’s report also called attention to problems with the recruitment process of queer individuals in technology, with 35.6 per cent of survey respondents having experienced or suspect that they have been  discriminated against in the interview process. 

According to the report, the industry’s problems cannot stop at “band aid solutions” like “DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] committees,” which the report claims puts the responsibility on employees. Instead, the report calls for “a focus on complete organizational transformation which prioritizes collective responsibility.” 

QueerTech’s impact on the community

QueerTech’s work to improve 2SLGBTQ+ representation in technology goes beyond publishing research reports. Initially a meetup group, the organization now offers programs like the six-month QueerTech Leader program to help queer people with more than five years of experience take on leadership roles. 

Semmelhack participated in QueerTech’s various events such as their career fair and appreciated the available resources. After graduating with an undergraduate degree in computer science and mathematics, they initially struggled to find work opportunities through U of T’s postgraduate resources. “There were a few [resources] like resume reviews… but nothing that was actually able to connect me with other people,” they said in an interview with The Varsity. 

Semmelhack later received information about QueerTech’s advocacy efforts. After joining the organization, QueerTech provided them with various opportunities, primarily through connecting them with people. “It seems to me that a major goal [which] they’re accomplishing, is constructing an actual network of queer folks… that can support one another,” said Semmelhack. They believe this helps Queertech provide “continued support over people’s careers.”