WIBN

What WIBN does

WIBN (Women In Business Network) is a UK-based, women-only business networking organization founded in 2005 and registered as WIBN Associates Ltd (Company No. 06300257) at 82 Wandsworth Bridge Road, London. The company operates a franchise-led model in which 19-21 active associates manage 97 local in-person groups across England and Wales, supplemented by 9 national online groups running monthly via Zoom; reported membership stood at 949+ to more than 1,000 members as of 2025 with a 95% first-year renewal rate. Its primary end-users are SME business owners, self-employed women, professional service providers (accountants, lawyers, marketing consultants), and part-time or side-hustle entrepreneurs, with Women In Industry events further opening participation by sector (Business Support & Marketing, Coaching & Therapy, Financial & Legal, Health & Wellbeing, Property).

The product surface is built around structured monthly networking meetings rather than a software product. Core offerings include Local Meetings (in-person, monthly, with lunch or brunch), National Online Groups (themed, Zoom-based, cross-visitable at no extra cost), Intro to WIBN sessions for newcomers, Women In Industry events, and add-on engagement modules such as the 'Maximise Your Membership' training (Monthly Minute, Networking Strategy, Spotlight Masterclasses) and 'Let's Talk' speed-networking sessions. Members receive an SEO-optimised business profile on the WIBN website, social media promotion across a ~60,000-follower footprint, access to a member directory, a community blog, and a closed Facebook group. The underlying technology is a YourMembership association management platform hosting directory, events, registrations, and member-only content; identity is handled through Facebook Login and LinkedIn Login OAuth. No proprietary AI/ML, app, or API is disclosed.

WIBN generates revenue through three primary streams: Local Membership (an annual fee of £275 plus per-meeting fees from £24, equivalent to an annual all-in bundle of £587 or 12 monthly payments of £48.90 for the venue-inclusive package), National Online Membership (£587 annual or £48.90 monthly), and Franchise Fees paid by associates to operate groups in their geographic areas, with visitor fees (£20-£39 depending on group) providing a smaller transaction layer. The defining competitive mechanic is professional exclusivity-one representative per profession per group-which, combined with a no-hard-sell meeting format, is positioned to produce a non-competitive referral environment. Distribution runs through franchisees rather than a centralized sales team, the company has no disclosed external funding, and the head office comprises four staff (Director Helen Fletcher, Franchise Development Manager Rachel Gilbert, Operations & Marketing Manager Caroline Sidney-Payne, Digital Marketing Manager Helen Clarke).

Name

WIBN

Legal name

WIBN Associates Ltd

Website

https://wibn.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WIBN (Women In Business Network) is a UK franchise-led, women-only business networking organization founded in 2005, operating 100+ local and national online groups across England and Wales for SME owners, self-employed professionals, and part-time entrepreneurs seeking referral-based business relationships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Local Membership Fees: Annual membership fee of £275 plus monthly meeting fees from £24. Members receive access to local group meetings, professional exclusivity, member directory listing, social media promotion, and access to WIBN community resources.
2. National Online Membership: Annual payment of £587 or monthly payments of £48.90. Includes unlimited visits to national groups, online meeting access, and full member benefits.
3. Visitor Fees: Non-members can visit meetings for fees ranging from £20-£39 depending on location and meeting type. Local WIBN members visiting other groups pay discounted rates.
4. Franchise Fees: WIBN operates as a franchise business where associates pay to run groups in their geographic areas. The franchise opportunity provides a proven business model with training and ongoing support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WIBN operates a franchise-based women-only professional networking organization delivering structured monthly meetings — 97 local in-person groups across England and Wales plus 9 national online groups on Zoom — together with industry-specific Women In Industry events and Intro to WIBN sessions for newcomers. Members pay an annual subscription (£275) plus monthly meeting fees (from £24) for access to meetings, a member directory listing with an SEO-optimised business profile, social media promotion across 60,000 followers, free networking training, and community forum access. The model also sells franchise licences to women who run their own geographic groups.

Product overview

WIBN operates a franchise-based women-only networking organization with Local Meetings (in-person groups meeting monthly in venues across the UK), National Online Groups (monthly virtual meetings via Zoom), Intro to WIBN Meetings (introductory sessions for new members), and Women In Industry Events (industry-specific networking). The core membership product provides access to networking groups, a member directory, SEO-optimized profiles, social media promotion, blog publishing, and community forums. Additional offerings include Maximise Your Membership Training (Monthly Minute Masterclasses, Networking Strategy, Spotlight sessions) and Let's Talk speed networking sessions. WIBN also offers a franchisee business opportunity for women to operate their own networking groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Local Meetings In-person monthly networking groups held in venues (restaurants, hotels, member venues) across England and Wales, bringing together business women from diverse professions in a structured format with professional exclusivity (one representative per profession per group). Includes lunch or brunch. Managed by franchisees and group leaders in each geographic area.
• National Online Groups Online networking groups meeting monthly via Zoom for women who prefer virtual meetings or whose businesses are not geographically limited. Includes 9 themed national groups (e.g., Coco Global, Thrive Evening, Pankhurst, Nightingale, Austen). Members can visit any national group at no extra cost.
• Intro to WIBN Meetings Monthly introductory sessions for non-members new to networking or new to WIBN, providing an overview of local groups, national groups, and the WIBN meeting format so prospective members can experience it before joining.
• Women In Industry Events Industry-specific networking events covering Business Support and Marketing, Coaching and Therapy, Financial and Legal Services, Health and Wellbeing, and Property. Open to members and non-members; the professional exclusivity rule does not apply, enabling industry peers to connect within their sector.
• WIBN Membership Annual (£275 or £587 inclusive of meetings) or monthly (£48.90) subscription providing access to networking groups, member directory, an SEO-optimised business profile, social media promotion across WIBN channels, blog publishing opportunities, and access to the WIBN Community Forum. Includes free Maximise Your Membership training.
• WIBN Franchise Licence Franchise business opportunity for women to run their own WIBN networking groups in defined geographic territories, with comprehensive training, ongoing support, collaborative franchisee community, and a proven system built over 20 years.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of members renew their membership after their first year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 4Networking: The UK's largest business networking organization operating structured weekly meetings across the country. Highly comparable to WIBN in meeting-based networking format, franchise/licensed-operator model, and SME/solopreneur target market, though co-ed.
• The Athena Network: Women's business networking organization running structured local meetings in the UK with professional exclusivity rules. Directly competes with WIBN on women-only networking, franchisee-led local groups, and SME/professional member targeting.
• Women's Business Club: UK-based women's business networking organization running local meetings with membership subscriptions. Directly comparable to WIBN in target audience (women in business), meeting format, and tiered subscription revenue model.
• Business Over Breakfast International (BOB): UK-origin business networking franchise running structured breakfast meetings. Comparable to WIBN in franchise-based meeting format, local group structure, and SME member targeting, though co-ed.
• Refresh Networking: Women's networking events and membership organization in the UK. Comparable to WIBN on women-only positioning, event-driven networking format, and SME/professional audience.

Emerging players

• Ladies Who Latte: Women's networking organization in the UK with informal cafe-based meetings. Comparable to WIBN on women-only positioning and SME targeting, but operates on a different (less structured, more casual) format.
• F:Entrepreneur: UK-based campaign and community supporting female entrepreneurs, with events and a member directory. Comparable to WIBN in target audience and SME member support, though primarily a campaign/community brand rather than franchise meetings.

Regional players

• WIRE Women in Rural Enterprise: UK women's business membership organization providing networking, training, and support for women in rural enterprise. Comparable to WIBN on women-in-business membership model and SME support, though focused geographically on rural areas.

Broad incumbents

• BNI (Business Network International): Global business networking franchise with structured chapter-based meetings and exclusivity rules. Comparable to WIBN in professional exclusivity policy and franchise model, though serving both genders and operating globally.

Others

• Inspiring Women (IOIC): UK platform connecting female professionals with schoolgirls for career talks. Tangentially related to WIBN through women-in-business community engagement, but with a different (education/mentorship) mission rather than direct business networking.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women-in-business-network-assoc-12
• Xx.com/wibn_wam

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 WIBN