Delhi – Women in Cloud (WIC) has released its Economic Access Report 2026, a community-driven study that examines access to employment, skills, funding and leadership opportunities across the global digital economy.
The report draws on insights from women founders, students and leaders and highlights significant gaps in clarity around career progression and economic participation. According to the findings, only one in ten participants said they could clearly understand how to get hired, with many describing today’s labour market as difficult to navigate despite ongoing skill development. Nearly two-thirds of respondents reported being unable to identify a direct pathway from skills acquisition to employment.
Skills development emerged as the most visible access pathway in the ecosystem, but the report noted that clarity remains limited. Only one in four participants said they experienced genuine understanding of how skills translate into economic opportunity.
Access to funding and entrepreneurship was identified as the most fragile area. More than 56 per cent of respondents said pathways to funding and entrepreneurial support were completely unclear, indicating persistent barriers for women seeking to start or scale businesses.
Leadership progression also remained a challenge. Around one-third of respondents said pathways to leadership roles and sponsorship opportunities were vague or poorly defined.
While community participation was reported to be relatively high, the report found that many participants struggled to convert networks into tangible outcomes. About 26 per cent said they did not know how to translate relationships into referrals, capital or professional opportunities.
Women in Cloud said the report aims to inform policymakers, industry leaders and ecosystem builders about structural gaps in economic access and to support the development of clearer, more inclusive pathways within the digital economy.
