Lopa Patel MBE, digital founder, and Chair of the equality charity Diversity UK, has been recognised in Computer Weekly’s UKtech50 2025 list, it was announced on 15 July 2025 at an event hosted by recruitment specialist Harvey Nash in London. This annual ranking highlights the most influential figures in UK technology, including chief information officers, industry executives, public servants and business leaders who are shaping the UK’s digital economy, with Lopa named as one of the ‘Top 5 Female Founders’ for 2025.
Lopa plays a significant role in supporting large-scale digital transformation projects across the public sector. She champions women and ethnic minority entrepreneurs in Britain’s digital landscape and promotes the social impact of digital media delivery.
In addition to founding three companies – a data marketing consultancy and two digital ventures – her wide-ranging achievements include:
- Co-founding Diversity UK, an equality charity which provides a platform for women and underrepresented founders;
- Curating the flagship Diversity Tech Summit on the theme ‘Investing in Women’s Health‘, which addresses the gender health gap, and organising five panel debates focused on closing the funding gap for female entrepreneurs;
- Leading the Asians in Tech initiative, which has published ten editions of the Asian Stars in UK Tech list, celebrated 150 Asian tech pioneers, recognised six honourees, produced an inclusion podcast and commissioned an impact report demonstrating the initiative’s success in helping founders secure funding and support;
- Hosting ten tech pitch events and a demo day, as well as supporting numerous external pitching opportunities as a speaker and judge, to help propel start-up founders forward in their entrepreneurial journey; being panel judge for the King’s Awards for Enterprise, reflecting her ongoing support for innovation; launching further initiatives aimed at encouraging STEM education across the UK.
- Served as a non-executive director for the Science Museum Group, where she provided oversight on the development of the digital collection, and for the Intellectual Property Office, where she contributed to its digital transformation and she currently serves as an non-executive director on two other public sector boards.
Ramesh Vala CBE, Deputy Chair of Diversity UK, said: “Lopa Patel has a long-standing background in both diversity and STEM, so it is no surprise to us that she has been recognised as one of the top 50 leaders in UK tech. Over the past decade, Lopa has directly supported around 1,500 individuals through the Asians in Tech initiative, Diversity UK’s ‘Investing in Women Founders’ debates, and her involvement in numerous entrepreneurship programmes, pitch days, judging events and women’s networks. Her dedication to empowering founders has resulted in tangible outcomes, such as faster job creation and greater access to funding, as confirmed by independent analysis.”
“She is now exploring the potential of emergent technologies such as AI and quantum computing. At the same time, she has been vocal about the risks posed by biased or poorly implemented AI systems. We know she will continue to advocate for the rapid adoption of these technologies in ways that address inequalities, while also championing best practice and sound governance.”
“As Trustees, she has challenged us to consider diversity, equality and inclusion from a more human-centred perspective. It is no longer simply a matter of race, age, gender or any of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act. It is about ensuring that human rights remain central in the age of AI and emerging technologies. Whether the context is data, digital, AI-driven, robotic or quantum, the rights of people must come first. Thanks to Lopa’s insight and vision, this will be an area of focus for Diversity UK in the coming years.”
“We would like to thank the judges for recognising Lopa’s contribution and affirming our long-standing belief that she is one of the leading figures in the UK technology sector.”
About the Computer Weekly UKtech50
The individual who tops the UKtech50 list is selected based on their influence over the future of the UK technology sector and, by extension, the careers and development of IT professionals across the country.
This year’s judging panel selected 50 leaders from over 400 nominations, submitted by readers, the Computer Weekly editorial team and the judges themselves. Key themes that influenced the final selection include the increasing significance of artificial intelligence, the need for ethical oversight in the IT industry, and the growing focus on diversity – in terms of gender, ethnicity, geography, sector and company size.
Judging the UKtech50
The judging panel brought together a range of perspectives from across the IT sector. Each member acted both as an impartial evaluator and as a representative of their particular area of expertise. The judges were:
- Helen Fleming, Executive Director – Search and Specialisms, Harvey Nash
- Laura Meyer, Investor at Angel Academe and former CIO
- James Woodward, Director of Communications at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
- Matthew Evans, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Markets at TechUK
- Roy Illsley, Chief Analyst, Omdia
Evaluation Criteria
The top 50 were chosen according to the following criteria:
- Influence: The person’s capacity to affect the direction of UK technology or influence others in key positions.
- Achievements: Contributions over the past year that have advanced UK technology.
- Profile: Recognition as a role model and authority within the tech community.
- Leadership: Demonstrated leadership and its impact on the growth of the tech sector in the UK.
- Potential: Likelihood of significant future influence in the sector and continued growth in authority and responsibility.
The 2025 list reflects a year of innovation and resilience across all sectors, highlighting the accomplishments of both organisations and individuals.
For further information visit: https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366627653/UKtech50-2025-The-most-influential-people-in-UK-technology