Vegan Women Summit

What Vegan Women Summit does

Vegan Women Summit (VWS) is a privately held, for-profit events and media organization founded in early 2020 by Jennifer Stojkovic and headquartered in San Francisco, California, with flagship events produced in Los Angeles and New York City. VWS positions itself as the world's first events and media organization dedicated to empowering, educating, and inspiring women to bring compassion to their careers across the future of food, fashion, beauty, and sustainability. The company operates a portfolio of products including the annual flagship Vegan Women Summit, VWS Pathfinder (a women-founder pitch competition dedicated to animal-free innovation), VWS Connect (a virtual employer-talent networking series), the VWS Awards, the VWS Top Chef Challenge, VWS Restaurant Week in Los Angeles, the Conscious Leadership Retreat, a 50,000+-subscriber newsletter across 31 countries, and editorial content. THE 2100 SUMMIT was announced in November 2024 as a new global gathering scheduled for April 26, 2025 in Los Angeles, expanding into longevity, AI, sustainable fashion, and green technology themes.

VWS generates revenue through three primary streams: (1) ticketing for in-person summits and virtual events, with VIP packages offering two-day access and general admission providing single-day entry, plus discounted rates for students and nonprofits; (2) sponsorship packages that include event activations, newsletter sponsorship with a 44% average open rate, social media amplification, and bespoke brand collaborations; and (3) ancillary book sales from founder Jennifer Stojkovic's 'The Future of Food Is Female' published on Amazon. Customer segments include individual attendees and rising leaders, women founders seeking capital and visibility, mission-driven employers recruiting diverse talent, and impact-oriented investors sourcing deal flow from the VWS Pathfinder competition. Notable brand partners and sponsors include Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat, Oatly, NotCo, Pacifica Beauty, Meati, Nature's Fynd, Violife, VBites, The Vegan Society, and Mercy for Animals.

VWS has no proprietary technology platform, API, or developer-facing infrastructure; its competitive position rests on a community of over 100,000 women leaders and allies, a trademarked brand, and recurring flagship events that anchor the plant-based and sustainable industries. The company has not disclosed funding rounds, headcount, or revenue, and operates without a parent company or institutional ownership structure identified in source materials. Jennifer Stojkovic is also reported as a General Partner at Joyful VC, suggesting parallel investment activity in the plant-based ecosystem that may overlap strategically with VWS's mission.

Name

Vegan Women Summit

Legal name

Vegan Women Summit (VWS)

Website

https://veganwomensummit.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vegan Women Summit (VWS) is a private events and media organization founded in 2020 that produces flagship summits, pitch competitions, and virtual networking to empower women in the plant-based, food, fashion, and sustainability industries. It serves founders, investors, employers, and rising leaders through ticketing, sponsorships, and a 50,000+-subscriber newsletter.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Events & Media

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual Conferences & Summits (Webinars, Keynotes) (MPAGAOAA), Virtual Awards Ceremonies & Competitions (Judging, Voting) (MPAGAOAN)

Keywords

• Women leadership events
• Plant-based industry events
• Female founder pitch competition
• Vegan industry conferences
• Sustainability networking summits

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Ticketing: VWS generates revenue through ticket sales for flagship in-person summits (Vegan Women Summit Hollywood, NYC) and virtual events (VWS Pathfinder, VWS Connect). Tickets range from general admission to VIP packages, with VIP tickets providing two-day access and exclusive events.
2. Sponsorship: VWS offers brand activation opportunities at virtual and in-person events, newsletter sponsorship with an average open rate of 44%, social media amplification, and full brand collaborations. Sponsors include plant-based food brands, beauty companies, and industry organizations.
3. Book Sales: Founder Jennifer Stojkovic authored 'The Future of Food Is Female: Reinventing the Food System to Save the Planet,' published on Amazon. Revenue from book sales contributes to the organization's broader mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Vegan Women Summit (VWS) is a global events and media organization that hosts in-person summits (Vegan Women Summit Hollywood and NYC), virtual pitch competitions (VWS Pathfinder), virtual networking events (VWS Connect), and an annual awards ceremony. It sells event tickets, sponsorships, recruitment packages, and related media products targeting women founders, investors, and professionals in the plant-based, vegan, and sustainability industries.

Product overview

Vegan Women Summit (VWS) is a global events and media organization offering a portfolio of products centered on empowering women to build a kinder, more sustainable world. The core product portfolio consists of: The Vegan Women Summit (annual flagship in-person conference), VWS Pathfinder (virtual pitch competition for women founders), VWS Connect (virtual networking events), VWS Newsletter (reaching 50,000+ members), VWS Awards (industry awards ceremony), VWS Top Chef Challenge (culinary competition), VWS Restaurant Week (dining program), VWS Scholarship Program, VWS Shoot Your Shot Pitch Slam (live pitch competition), Conscious Leadership Retreat (luxury professional retreat), published book 'The Future of Food Is Female', and VWS News/Publications (media content). The organization also runs THE 2100 SUMMIT as a new global event. The portfolio serves women leaders, founders, investors, and changemakers across food, fashion, beauty, and sustainability industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Vegan Women Summit (annual flagship in-person conference) Annual flagship in-person conference that brings together CEOs, celebrities, athletes, investors, and activists from the future of food, fashion, beauty, and sustainability industries. Held at venues like the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood with VIP and General Admission ticket tiers.
• VWS Pathfinder (virtual pitch competition) World's first female founder virtual summit and pitch competition dedicated exclusively to plant-based/animal-free innovation. Alumni have raised over $20M combined from 1,300+ applications across 40 countries.
• VWS Connect (virtual networking event series) Virtual networking event series where mission-driven employers meet with rising talent, offering employer branding opportunities, recruitment sessions, and one-on-one speed networking.
• VWS Newsletter Email newsletter reaching 50,000+ members across six continents and 31 countries, covering industry news, exclusive events, funding opportunities, and editorial features.
• VWS Awards Annual industry awards show recognizing companies, nonprofits, or individuals leading in empowering women and making meaningful impact on the planet and animals across categories including Woman of the Year, Founder of the Year, Ally of the Year, Creator of the Year, Nonprofit of the Year, Company of the Year, Innovation of the Year, and Best Place to Work.
• Conscious Leadership Retreat VWS-branded all-inclusive luxury retreat for purpose-driven professionals, focused on shaping a new kind of leadership movement.
• The Future of Food Is Female (book) Book authored by founder Jennifer Stojkovic featuring cross-cultural stories from fifteen CEOs, venture capitalists, scientists, and trailblazers reinventing the food system, sold via Amazon.
• THE 2100 SUMMIT New global gathering announced for April 26, 2025 in Los Angeles, dedicated to transforming innovation, sustainability, and human connection across themes including Longevity & Wellness, Sustainable Fashion & Beauty, Better Living & AI, and Future of Food & Green Technology.
• VWS Top Chef Challenge Culinary competition at the annual summit where chefs compete to create the ultimate plant-based dish, judged by industry executives from Impossible Foods, Lazy Acres Natural Market, and Mellody.
• VWS Scholarship Program Program providing free summit tickets to selected recipients to support future changemakers who cannot afford discounted ticket options.

Quantifiable outcome

• VWS Pathfinder alumni have raised over $20 million combined
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Charlie's AcrescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 May 2024Charlie's Acres served as the 2024 Non-Profit Partner for the Vegan Women Summit Hollywood 2024. The organization works to end animal exploitation through education.
• Impossible FoodsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerImpossible Foods was a major sponsor and exhibitor at VWS Hollywood 2024. The company provided samples throughout the summit and was recognized as Best Place to Work. Rachelle Moore, VP Insights & Analytics, participated as a speaker.
• Beyond MeatmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeyond Meat was a sponsor and exhibitor at VWS 2024. Founder & CEO Ethan Brown delivered a keynote on unity in the plant-based industry. Shira Zackai serves as CCO.
• OatlymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOatly was a sponsor and exhibitor at VWS Hollywood 2024, providing product samples and brand visibility.
• Pacifica BeautymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPacifica Beauty was a sponsor and exhibitor. Founder & CEO Brook Harvey-Taylor spoke at the summit. Pacifica is a vegan and cruelty-free beauty brand.
• The Vegan SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Vegan Society was a sponsor of VWS 2024. Steve Hamon, CEO, and Ella Marshall, Certification Manager, and Karen Spinner, Sales and Marketing Manager, participated as speakers.
• Nature's FyndmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNature's Fynd was a sponsor and exhibitor at VWS 2024. CMO Karuna Rawal spoke at the summit.
• MeatimajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMeati was a sponsor and exhibitor at VWS Hollywood 2024, showcasing their mycelium-based protein products.
• ViolifemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerViolife was a sponsor providing breakfast food truck offerings at VWS 2024, featuring their plant-based cheese products.
• VBitesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVBites was a sponsor and exhibitor. Founder Heather Mills, Paralympian and CEO, delivered a keynote at the summit.
• Upside FoodsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerUpside Foods was recognized with the Innovation of the Year award at VWS Awards 2024. COO Amy Chen spoke at the summit.
• Mercy for AnimalsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMercy for Animals was a sponsor and exhibitor at VWS 2024. Leah Garces serves as President.
• VegNewsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVegNews was a sponsor and media partner. Jill Ettinger, Director of Content, spoke at the summit.
• ChellamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerChella collaborated with VWS to develop the Pathfinder Eyeshadow Palette. The brand provided free brow makeovers at the summit and was an exhibitor. Sarah Siegel served as Director of Sales.
• TiNDLEmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTiNDLE was a sponsor providing breakfast food truck offerings at VWS 2024. JJ Kass serves as VP.
• NotComajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNotCo was a sponsor and exhibitor at VWS Hollywood 2024, showcasing their AI-powered plant-based products.
• Cha's OrganicsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCha's Organics was a sponsor. VP Marketing Marise May participated as a speaker. Provided VWS-themed mango lassi mocktails at VIP reception.
• 2FoodsmajorGTM or Marketing Partner2Foods was a sponsor and exhibitor. Angie Coyne, Director of Sales & Operations, participated as a speaker. Provided divine chocolate gâteau at VIP reception.
• MellodymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMellody was a sponsor and exhibitor at VWS 2024, providing product samples as part of the food offerings.
• Blue Zones KitchenmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Zones Kitchen was a sponsor and exhibitor. Abigail Coleman, COO, participated as a speaker.
• SPINSmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSPINS was a sponsor. Angela Flatland, Sales Director, Plant-Based, participated as a speaker.
• GoodSAMmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGoodSAM was a sponsor and exhibitor. Founder & CEO Heather Terry participated as a speaker.
• Lazy Acres Natural MarketmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLazy Acres Natural Market was a sponsor and participated as a judge in the Top Chef competition.
• HotelPlannerminorOthersHotelPlanner provides exclusive accommodation rates for summit attendees through a dedicated booking URL.
• VWS Restaurant Week PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVWS Restaurant Week includes partner restaurants in Los Angeles: Donna Jean, Hart House, Hot Vegan Chicks, Mazal, Pura Vita, Real Food Daily, Rawberri, Sugar Taco, Ubuntu, Yoga-urt, Besties Vegan Paradise.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Food Tank: Food Tank is a nonprofit food-focused media and events organization hosting summits and producing editorial content on the future of food. Comparable to VWS in mission-driven positioning and event+media business model, with overlap on plant-based, food systems, and women-in-food content.
• Compassion in World Farming: CIWF is a global nonprofit advocating for farm animal welfare, hosting events and producing content aligned with plant-based and cellular agriculture missions. Comparable to VWS in the animal-welfare/plant-based advocacy space and in running events that engage corporate sponsors and policymakers.
• Women Who Tech: Women Who Tech hosts the annual Women Who Tech TeleSummit and other virtual events connecting women in tech, founders, and investors. Comparable to VWS in its women-in-emerging-industry focus, virtual event format, and founder/investor community-building mission - though its industry vertical is tech rather than plant-based.

Broad incumbents

• Natural Products Expo West: Operated by New Hope Network (Informa), Natural Products Expo West is the largest natural and organic products trade show in the U.S. It overlaps VWS's plant-based sponsor base (Impossible, Beyond, Oatly are all exhibitors) but operates at much greater scale and serves a broader natural-products audience beyond vegan/women.
• Web Summit: Web Summit operates some of the world's largest technology conferences (Web Summit, Collision, Web Summit Rio). Comparable to VWS as a large-scale conference organizer with sponsorship-driven revenue and a media/community layer, though at materially larger scale and with no women/plant-based vertical focus.
• GreenBiz Group: GreenBiz produces flagship conferences (GreenBiz) and content covering corporate sustainability, ESG, and clean technology. Comparable to VWS in serving sustainability-focused executives and producing event-driven revenue, but broader in scope (B2B ESG vs. women-in-plant-based).
• SXSW: SXSW is a multi-track festival and conference spanning tech, music, film, food, and sustainability. Comparable to VWS in hosting industry leaders, celebrities, and brands for cross-vertical programming with sponsorship as a core revenue stream, though vastly larger in scale and without a women/vegan focus.

Others

• Supply Change Capital: Supply Change Capital is an early-stage VC firm investing in food system transformation, with women founders as a portfolio priority. Not a direct competitor but a meaningful adjacent/complementary player: VWS Pathfinder provides Supply Change Capital deal flow, and the firm serves on VWS pitch-slam juries.

Direct peers

• VegNews: VegNews is the leading vegan media brand covering food, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle - the same content verticals VWS editorial covers. VegNews is also an actual VWS media partner and speaker source, making it the closest peer in audience, content, and advertiser base.
• Plant Based World Expo: Operated by Informa, Plant Based World Expo is the largest B2B trade event dedicated to the plant-based industry in North America. Directly comparable to VWS in serving plant-based brands, investors, and food-service buyers through in-person event formats and content programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@veganwomensummit
• Facebookfacebook.com/veganwomensummit
• Instagraminstagram.com/veganwomensummit

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 Vegan Women Summit