The Refugee Who Led a Software Revolution - with Ben Walter

About this episode

The episode explores the life and legacy of Steve Shirley, a pioneering figure in the tech industry who overcame significant challenges to create opportunities for women.

Millionaire-making tech start-ups are most often associated with Silicon Valley. But this software revolution begins on a woman’s kitchen table in rural Britain in the 1960s. Steve Shirley faced extraordinary odds. After escaping Nazi Germany as a child, she later encountered workplace discrimination and endured deep personal tragedy. But she persevered to build a business decades ahead of its time, creating opportunities for hundreds of women. Tim Harford is joined by Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business and host of The Unshakeables podcast, to explore the life, legacy and lessons of an overlooked titan of tech. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Tim Harford

Guest: Ben Walter

Topics covered

• refugees
• technology
• women in business
• entrepreneurship
• history

Keywords

• Steve Shirley
• software revolution
• Silicon Valley
• workplace discrimination

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Chase for Business

Books & works: The Unshakeables

Places: Silicon Valley, Britain, Germany

More episodes of Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

• The Dunning Canoe-ger Effect · June 12, 2026 · 39 min
• Presenting...This is History: A Dynasty to Die For · June 11, 2026 · 33 min
• How Civilizations Die - with Paul Cooper · June 5, 2026 · 41 min
• Can You Make a Sherman Tank Float? · May 29, 2026 · 40 min
• The Inventor who Almost Ended the World (Classic) · May 22, 2026 · 37 min
• From Drilled: The Carbon Gold Rush · May 19, 2026 · 28 min