Hot take: If we want more women in crypto, we need to make events work for working parents
Here’s a scenario that plays out constantly: You need to attend a major crypto conference. You’re also a parent. The event runs three days. Childcare costs? More than your ticket price. Finding last-minute childcare in an unfamiliar city? Good luck.
So you skip the event. You miss the networking, the learning, the hallway conversations where deals happen.
And the crypto industry misses out on your perspective and expertise.
This isn’t a “nice to have” issue. It’s a diversity problem. And it’s something I think about every time I plan an event.
The Reality Nobody Wants to Talk About
Crypto events are overwhelmingly male. We all know it. One big reason? We’ve built an event culture that assumes attendees either don’t have kids or have a partner at home handling everything.
I’ve watched talented women skip conferences because they couldn’t figure out childcare. I’ve seen mothers bring kids and spend the whole time stressed instead of networking. I’ve heard “I’d love to come, but I can’t make it work with the kids” countless times.
Here’s what frustrates me: we could fix this if we wanted to.
The Business Case
When you exclude working parents, you lose:
- Diverse perspectives on risk, long-term thinking, and sustainability—exactly what crypto needs
- Senior talent with years of experience
- Network effects from their connections, projects, and capital
- Future community members who won’t stay engaged if they can’t participate
The ROI on a kid-friendly space isn’t just about parents who use it—it signals your event is inclusive and thinks beyond stereotypes.
What Actually Works
I’m not talking about toys in a corner. Here’s what real kid-friendly spaces look like:
1. Professional, Supervised Childcare
A separate room with certified, background-checked childcare professionals. Not volunteers. Not staff doing double duty.
The space should be:
- Age-appropriate (separated areas for toddlers vs. older kids)
- Safe, clean, and well-stocked with activities
- Away from conference noise but accessible to parents
2. Clear Information and Simple Booking
Parents need to know:
- Exact hours (ideally covering full conference schedule including evening events)
- How to book and pricing (make it reasonable—not $200/day on top of expensive tickets)
- Age ranges accepted
- What to bring
Make it dead simple. Uncertainty kills participation.
3. Flexible Session Access
Offer parents ways to stay engaged:
- Live streaming to a parent lounge
- Same-day session recordings
- Quiet rooms for watching sessions while remaining available
4. Nursing and Pumping Rooms
Every event needs this. Private rooms with comfortable seating, power outlets, a fridge, and a lock.
Not a bathroom. Not a “multi-purpose room.” A dedicated, respected space.
5. Communication System
Parents need immediate contact if there’s an issue—a phone number, messaging app, or walkie-talkie. Just something reliable.
The Pushback (And Responses)
“It’s too expensive.”
You can charge a reasonable fee, find sponsors for diversity initiatives, or partner with local childcare providers. The cost is often less than what you spend on swag.
“Events aren’t for kids.”
Exactly. That’s why there’s a separate space. Parents want their kids safe nearby while they participate—not sitting in technical sessions.
“Parents should arrange their own childcare.”
In an unfamiliar city? For multiple days? Last-minute? While planning travel and prepping for sessions? We can do better.
“We’ve never gotten complaints.”
Because people who need childcare aren’t attending to complain. They’re at home. Absence of complaints ≠ absence of need.
What Success Looks Like
Events that get this right see:
- Childcare spaces booking out in 24 hours
- Parents returning after years of absence
- More diverse speaker lineups
- Actual tears of gratitude from attendees
Why Crypto Should Lead on This
Crypto claims to be about breaking barriers and building inclusive systems. We talk about “democratizing finance” and “building for everyone.”
But if our events exclude working parents—disproportionately women—we’re not living up to those values.
If we want parents building, investing, and leading in Web3, we need to make it possible for them to show up.
How to Start
Planning an event? Here’s your roadmap:
- Budget for childcare from day one
- Partner with local professional childcare providers
- Survey your community about needs
- Start small if needed (half-day is better than nothing)
- Promote it early so parents can plan
Attending events? Ask organizers for this. The more we normalize it, the more inclusive crypto becomes.
The Bottom Line
I’m a working mom planning crypto events. We can do this, we should do this, and it’s time.
It’s not about turning conferences into daycares. It’s about recognizing that talented people have kids, and that shouldn’t disqualify them.
Crypto talks big about inclusion. Let’s prove we mean it by building events that work for everyone—not just people with no caregiving responsibilities.
The future of crypto includes parents. Let’s make it possible for them to participate.