What began as one woman’s frustration with being the only female in the room has become a 24,000-strong community changing the face of Israel’s tech industry.
Hilla Bakshi, founder of "HaMeetupistiot", launched the initiative after realizing just how few women were showing up at industry events. “Ever since I started attending meetups and technical events, I noticed I was often the only woman in the room,” she told Ynet in an interview. “It was shocking — not because I hadn’t experienced it before but because I realized women were holding themselves back professionally.”
Sharon Kidon with Hilla Bakshi Founder of HaMeetupistiot podcast ynet news
When she asked women why they weren’t attending, the answers were consistent: “We don’t know about them and even if we do, we don’t have anyone to go with.” That was the gap Bakshi decided to close.
At 36, after years in the tech industry and attending countless entrepreneurship events, Bakshi turned her idea into reality. “I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I read that the average age for entrepreneurs is 36, so I kept delaying until I started this community at 36. It felt like my own startup.”
The response was immediate. “Yes, surprisingly,” she said when asked if success came quickly. But as the community expanded, so did the challenges. “I was transitioning from a steady job to managing a community, which felt like an entrepreneurial journey. Funding was tough — startups don’t always have money to support initiatives like this.”
But HaMeetupistiot wasn’t just about filling seats at events — it was about shifting the balance on stage. “Technical events often had 80% male speakers. I started connecting event organizers with women in my community, turning us into a one-stop shop for both audience and speakers.”
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One of the most defining moments came just three months in. “We organized an event at Microsoft Reactor. I brought 3,000 women to an entrepreneurship event where men usually dominated. We made up 95% of the audience. It felt like my ‘wedding’—everyone showed up to support me.”
Today, Bakshi’s initiative is the go-to resource for event organizers seeking female speakers. “When women began speaking up and event organizers reached out for help finding female speakers—that’s when I realized the seeds were growing.”
Her work also tackles the deeper roots of gender imbalance. “Women often hesitate to say yes to opportunities, while organizers may unconsciously overlook female candidates. My community encourages women to lean in and teaches them networking and personal branding—critical skills in the AI era.”
Leading such a mission-driven space comes with its own pressures. “A lot of coffee!” she joked, before adding, “But seriously, I’m inspired by the feedback I receive. Men and women follow my work, and their support keeps me grounded. I also remind women to own their stories—scream your successes, or someone else will tell your story for you.”
And she’s not stopping there. “We’ve started in New York and plan to launch communities in Austin, London, and Germany. The goal is to amplify Israeli women’s voices worldwide, leveraging their chutzpah as a strength.” With authenticity, community and an eye on global growth, Bakshi’s journey is far from over.