A CEO attending London Tech Week was turned away at the venue gates for bringing her baby daughter, sparking outrage across the tech community and reigniting urgent conversations around parental inclusion and support for working mothers.

Davina Schonle, founder and CEO of Humanvantage AI — a startup specialising in AI-powered role-play training — said she felt “absolutely humiliated” after being denied entry to the flagship tech event at Olympia, London. She had travelled over three hours to attend, accompanied by her 18-month-old daughter, Isabella, in a pram. Her story has since gone viral after she shared her experience in a heartfelt post on LinkedIn.

Schonle recounted the moment she was stopped at the entrance, saying she had intended to meet potential suppliers and network as part of building her early-stage company. Instead, she was refused entry by event staff who reportedly cited event policy as the reason for denying access with a child.

"I was refused entry at London Tech Week… because I had my baby with me,” Schonle wrote. “It's a three-hour drive one way for me to come to London. 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. I should be able to build my company with her by my side."

Schonle’s post quickly drew support from hundreds of voices across the tech and startup ecosystem. Her experience resonated deeply with parents, caregivers and especially women in leadership, many of whom shared their own struggles balancing professional responsibilities and childcare in a sector that frequently champions innovation but rarely reflects that ethos in its infrastructure or event design.

“As someone passionate about innovation, tech and the future of work, I was excited to attend, connect, have meetings and contribute,” Schonle continued. “In today's age, shouldn't we be more inclusive?”

She went on to ask hard questions about industry standards: “Parents are part of this ecosystem. Caregivers are innovators, founders, investors, and leaders. If major events like London Tech Week can't make space for them, what message does that send about who belongs in tech? I don't necessarily mean make it a kid-inclusive event in general, or do I? Doesn’t our future belong to the kids?”

While event organisers have not issued an official response to the incident, the backlash highlights the persistent gap between diversity discourse and the realities faced by many attendees. Despite many conferences and corporate initiatives promoting inclusion, policies often fall short of accommodating caregivers or supporting family-friendly participation.

Industry professionals, including senior women in tech, DEI advocates and working parents, voiced their disapproval on social media, calling for clearer guidelines, on-site childcare options, or family-supportive infrastructure at high-profile events. Some suggested even a designated family lounge could be a small but meaningful step toward making tech more accessible to all contributors.

The exclusion of caregivers from such influential forums raises broader questions about what genuine inclusion looks like in an industry striving to build the future. As technology evolves rapidly, the human systems around it — including leadership practices and event accessibility — are now under renewed scrutiny.