International Association of Women

What International Association of Women does

International Association of Women (IAW) is a Chicago-headquartered, private for-profit membership organization that operates an online networking platform serving professional women. Founded in 2017 and employing 51-100 staff, IAW generates revenue through recurring annual membership dues, primarily through its premium Inner Circle membership tier distributed via the self-serve innercircle.iawomen.com platform. The association's core offering bundles structured peer circles, formal mentoring programmes, capacity-building masterclasses, industry visits, and chapter-based local events, with the IAWL Summit functioning as its flagship annual gathering.

The organization's product surface extends beyond a single membership tier into affiliated verticals. The International Association of Women in Leadership (IAWL) provides leadership development for women in corporate, entrepreneurial, social, and grassroots roles, while a strategic partnership with the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) supports the Asian Women's Film Festival, screening roughly 75 films annually across documentary, fiction, animation, and experimental formats. Distribution combines a self-serve digital enrollment channel with chapter-based in-person community events; a Kolkata chapter was launched as the first international outpost, with planned expansion across Indian cities and eventually globally.

Commercially, IAW addresses structurally underserved demand for structured mentorship, peer networking, and professional development among women leaders. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, chapter expansion, and flagship events rather than paid acquisition. Pricing for the Inner Circle tier is not publicly disclosed, and no revenue, funding, or financial KPIs have been made available, limiting visibility into unit economics and growth velocity. The association does not operate a mobile app, has no disclosed API, and has no documented AI/ML capability within its product stack.

Name

International Association of Women

Website

https://iawomen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

International Association of Women is a Chicago-based private membership organization that runs an online networking platform serving professional women. It generates revenue via Inner Circle annual subscriptions, delivering peer circles, mentoring programmes, masterclasses, and chapter-based events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Women's Networking & Leadership Membership

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGABAF

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation

SECONDARYTHAHAIAA

Internal Meeting & Workshop Management

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Corporate Event Management & Internal Meetings

Keywords

• Women professional networking
• Membership association
• Leadership development
• Mentoring programmes
• Professional peer circles

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: IAW generates revenue through membership fees, including an Inner Circle premium membership tier. The association offers structured peer circles, formal mentoring programmes, masterclasses, and industry visits as member benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

International Association of Women operates a paid membership program (Inner Circle by IAW) that provides professional women with structured peer circles, formal mentoring programmes, capacity-building masterclasses, industry visits, and access to its annual IAWL Summit. The association runs a chapter-based community model (starting with Kolkata) to deliver localized networking and leadership development for women across corporate, entrepreneurial, social, and grassroots sectors.

Product overview

International Association of Women operates as a membership-based organization offering programs through its Inner Circle membership, while maintaining affiliated organizations including IAWRT (International Association of Women in Radio and Television) which organizes the Asian Women's Film Festival, and IAWL (International Association of Women in Leadership) which provides leadership development through peer circles and mentoring.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Inner Circle by IAW

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026IAW supports IAWRT in organizing the Asian Women's Film Festival, a flagship annual event now in its 21st edition (2026). The festival screens approximately 75 films across documentary, fiction, animation, and experimental formats, accompanied by discussions, masterclasses, and curated sessions. This partnership enables cross-organizational programming and shared audience engagement for women's storytelling initiatives.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI): A global network of women in film/TV chapters organizing festivals, mentoring, and industry programs. Directly comparable to IAWRT's media-industry programming and film festival operations.
• Ellevate Network: A membership-based professional networking platform for women offering peer circles, mentoring, events, and career resources. Closely comparable to IAW's Inner Circle model in both audience and delivery format.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): A membership organization for women entrepreneurs and business owners offering chapter networks, mentoring, and advocacy. Comparable chapter-based, dues-funded women's professional model.
• 85 Broads (now part of Ellevate): Originally a women professional networking community, now merged with Ellevate; a historical reference point for the women-only professional networking model IAW operates.
• Vital Voices Global Partnership: A nonprofit that invests in women leaders through mentoring, training programs, and global summits. Closely comparable to IAWL's leadership-development mandate and global footprint aspirations.

Broad incumbents

• Lean In: A globally recognized women's empowerment organization operating peer circles, education content, and large-scale community campaigns. Comparable as a broader-incumbent women's community platform with deeper brand reach than IAW.
• Catalyst: A global nonprofit focused on advancing women in leadership through research, advisory, and inclusion programs. Comparable at the leadership-development intersection where IAWL competes.
• Women for Women International: An international women's empowerment nonprofit offering structured training, peer support, and capacity-building for women in marginalized contexts. Comparable as a global women-empowerment program operator.

Regional players

• The Women's Foundation of Colorado: A regionally focused women's foundation running leadership, economic security, and capacity-building programs. Comparable programming model, though with a U.S. regional rather than international geographic focus.

Emerging players

• Asian Women's Resource Exchange (AWRE): A regional network supporting women's empowerment and information exchange across Asia. Comparable as a smaller, Asia-focused women's development community with overlapping program themes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Association of Women