Anna Moghaddam is vice president of people at Pipe, a fintech company.
The tech industry has long positioned itself as a driver of innovation, yet recent rollbacks of diversity initiatives raise concerns about whether it is truly building for the future or taking a step backward.
While I understand the uncertainty companies are facing right now, an inclusive workforce remains critical to developing robust, widely accessible technology solutions. Removing barriers to entry isn’t just about ethics — it’s about smart business.
The risks of homogeneous teams
A lack of diversity within teams doesn’t just affect company culture; it impacts the very products and services tech companies deliver. Research consistently shows that diverse teams produce better outcomes, solving problems faster and identifying risks that more homogeneous teams might overlook.
In Pipe’s industry, fintech, the consequences of failing to reflect the customers being served can be severe. Financial products and services need to work for a broad range of users, spanning different backgrounds, income levels and financial experiences.
If the people designing these products come from similar professional and personal backgrounds, key product perspectives may be left out, potentially leading to biased algorithms, limited accessibility and a failure to meet the needs of a diverse customer base.
The business case for diversity in tech
Tech companies thrive when they recognize opportunities others miss, and one of the clearest opportunities today is ensuring solutions work for a broad spectrum of customers.
Data shows that companies with diverse leadership teams financially outperform their less diverse counterparts. Why? Because diverse perspectives lead to:
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Better decision-making: Teams with varied experiences challenge assumptions and uncover blind spots.
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Stronger product-market fit: Products designed with inclusivity in mind reach a wider audience and reduce the risk of alienating potential users.
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Higher employee retention: Employees who see opportunities for growth and representation are more likely to stay, reducing costly turnover.
Why diversity matters for the future
The core mission of fintech is to democratize access to financial tools, making capital and banking services more available to those who have traditionally been underserved. That mission is fundamentally at odds with policies and strategies that discourage diverse talent.
At Pipe, we take a remote-first approach to hiring, ensuring we can access a broad, global talent pool. This approach allows us to recruit beyond traditional tech hubs, where hiring networks tend to be more insular, and instead tap into talent with fresh perspectives, unique lived experiences and different ways of thinking. By removing geographic barriers, we’re able to build teams that truly reflect the spectrum of small business owners we serve.
How to build inclusive teams in a shifting landscape
There are several steps tech companies can take to maintain their commitment to diversity, despite regulatory shifts:
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Expand visibility to a diverse applicant pool: Partner with organizations that can help make the company more visible to underrepresented talent.
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Prioritize skills over pedigree: Hiring based on ability rather than traditional credentials opens doors to capable individuals who may have taken non-traditional paths.
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Foster an inclusive culture: Retaining diverse talent requires a workplace where all employees feel valued and heard.
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Invest in mentorship and career growth: Ensuring that employees from all backgrounds have a clear path to leadership strengthens both company culture and long-term performance.
A Call to Action
The question isn’t whether diversity matters — it’s how tech companies will choose to respond in the face of change.
At a time when some companies are scaling back, those who work to preserve diversity will be the ones that ultimately shape the next generation of innovation. The future of fintech — and of technology as a whole — depends on it.
