The Summit Series, a new event focused on advancing gender equity and diversity within the cycling industry, is set to take place on 25-27 March in Paris, France.
The event, created in partnership with Women in Cycling (CIE) and BikeBusinessHUB will gather leaders from across the global cycling sector to discuss, learn, and collaborate on actionable solutions for improving gender diversity and inclusion in the industry.
The organisers say that the event will bring together an exceptional lineup of speakers from various sectors of the cycling world, both inside and outside the industry. With a focus on technical roles and strategies for creating pathways into cycling through strategic partnerships with schools and professional networks, the event will emphasize how diversity and gender equity benefit businesses, innovation, and organisational success.
We believe that gender equity is not just a moral imperative but a business one as well. After years in the industry, it’s clear that to thrive, we must evolve and integrate diversity into the DNA of the cycling world. – April Marshke, founder of Summit Series and Outside Advice, GmbH.
Highlights of Summit Series 2025:
– Notable Keynote Speakers: Expect to be inspired by leading voices in sport, diversity, and workforce development starting with an exploration into the importance of allyship with Julie Cornelius of World Ride. Next, we will hear from Claudia Glass, founder of Swijin, to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of representation in product development.
– Panel Discussion presented by SRAM: A deep dive into the talent pipeline for women in engineering and their journey into and within the cycling industry. What can we learn from their experience to increase the number of applications for technical roles from women?
– Inclusivity in Sport: Case Study with Laura and Chris Marsh: Gain valuable insights from sport culture trend leaders on fostering inclusivity and community through sport.
– Hectar Farm – Farm’Her Program: Our venue will also explain how technology is changing the face of agriculture and enabling more space for women. Hear how they are using technology to create diversity.
– Workshops & Breakout Sessions: Collaborative sessions focused on developing and sharing strategies for workforce diversity, backed by actionable data and resource planning including a recruitment workshop by industry recruiters, BikeBusinessHUB.
– The Role of Policy: A presentation of the policy landscape and how this will affect the way our workforce is shaped presented by Women in Cycling Expert Group.
– Industry Collaboration: The event will culminate with the delivery of an Industry Pledge—a clear statement of commitment to collaboration within the cycling sector to deliver to the European Commission.
The organisers are inviting people to attend to become part of the greater movement. They say the event is designed to “empower industry professionals with the knowledge and resources to create lasting change in their workplaces and communities.”
Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of the importance of addressing gender equity now, improve recruitment and retention strategies, and develop goals that drive success.
Women make up only 20-25% of the workforce in areas like retail and advocacy, and even fewer—around 10-15%—in technical and leadership roles, according to industry reports – Summit Series
You can register for the Summit Series 2025 online now. A three-day ticket costs 550.00. For more information on the Summit Series 2025, please contact April Marshke at april@Outside-Advice.com.
For those unable to attend, on 7-8 March, Reframing MTB will host its conference in Bristol with the aim of making mountain biking ‘a better, more inclusive, and sustainable, fun space for all.’ With a growing number of industry initiatives from mentor programs like Uplift to conferences, and seminars such as the cultures of mountain biking series, momentum is growing to create a more inclusive, representative workforce within the cycling industry.
