Women in Animation

What Women in Animation does

Women in Animation (WIA) is a US-headquartered nonprofit membership organization dedicated to gender equity across the animation, visual effects, and gaming industries. The organization was founded in 1993 (per firmographic records) and operates globally through a network of chapters, event-based 'connects,' and deeper-engagement 'collectives,' including the recently formalized WIA UK Collective. Its mission is to advocate for and empower people of underrepresented gender identities — women, nonbinary, and other marginalized genders — at all professional levels, both behind the scenes and on screen.

WIA's core products are programmatic rather than technological. The portfolio includes a Mentorship Program, Portfolio Reviews, a Career Resource Center (Job Board, Resource Hub, Video Library), a Talent Database of 7,000+ underrepresented animation professionals, the Voices of WIA content platform (Spotlight Stories, Member Snapshots, Ink & Paint Podcast, Recorded Histories), Higher Education initiatives (Scholarship Program, Student Collectives), a Research function, Global Communities, and the flagship annual World Summit held at Annecy, France (celebrating its 10th year in 2026). WIA also runs educational programming on emerging topics, including an AI-fluency event for animation, VFX, and gaming professionals. Technology assets are operational — a website hub, a searchable talent database, a job board, a video library, and a podcast — rather than a proprietary product stack.

WIA is funded by individual membership dues, tax-deductible donations (including the Fumi Kitahara Membership Fund for access), corporate sponsorships supporting events and programs, and merchandise sales through a Fourthwall storefront. Its go-to-market is community- and event-led: the Talent Database serves as a two-sided marketplace connecting members to studios, the World Summit anchors the annual engagement cycle, and ongoing chapter activity sustains member acquisition and retention. The organization maintains active presence across Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and a newsletter, and has earned recurring press coverage from outlets such as Variety.

Name

Women in Animation

Legal name

Women in Animation

Website

https://womeninanimation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women in Animation is a US-based nonprofit membership organization that supports people of underrepresented gender identities in animation, VFX, and gaming through mentorship, a 7,000+ talent database, global chapters, content programming, and an annual World Summit at Annecy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animation Industry Professional Association / Nonprofit Membership Organization

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (71141)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Membership Communities with Learning (Community-Led Education) (MPACALAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual Networking & Matchmaking Events (1:1/Group Networking) (MPAGAOAM)

Keywords

• Animation industry advocacy
• Professional mentorship programs
• Talent database platform
• Gender equity initiatives
• Creative industry networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Clarita

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for individuals seeking access to mentorship programs, networking events, career resources, talent database visibility, and professional development opportunities.
2. Donations & Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations supporting WIA's mission and programs including the Fumi Kitahara Membership Fund which helps provide access to membership for those who cannot afford standard dues.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships supporting WIA events, programs, and initiatives. Sponsors gain visibility and alignment with gender equity advocacy in the animation industry.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of WIA branded merchandise through their online shop (WIA Shop via Fourthwall).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Women in Animation (WIA) is a global nonprofit membership organization that provides career development, mentorship, networking, and advocacy services for people of underrepresented gender identities working in animation, VFX, and gaming. Its core offerings are an annual individual membership delivering access to mentorship programs, a Talent Database of 7,000+ professionals, career resources, regional/global chapters, and the annual WIA World Summit at Annecy.

Product overview

Women in Animation (WIA) is a global membership organization offering a platform of interconnected programs and services for animation, VFX, and gaming professionals. The core offerings include a Mentorship Program connecting professionals with mentors, a Talent Database of over 7,000 underrepresented professionals, Portfolio Reviews, Career Resource Center (with Job Board and Video Library), Voices of WIA content platform (including Ink & Paint Podcast), Higher Education programs (Scholarship and Student Collectives), an annual World Summit event (now celebrating 10 years at Annecy), Global Communities with local Chapters and Collectives, and Research initiatives. WIA also hosts events like 'Building AI Fluency in Animation, VFX & Gaming.' The organization operates on a membership model with donation and sponsorship options, serving as an advocacy organization for gender equity rather than a commercial software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WIA World Summit: Annual global summit celebrating women and nonbinary creators in animation, held in Annecy, France.
• Ink & Paint Podcast
• WIA Recorded Histories
• WIA Mentorship Program
• WIA Talent Database
• WIA Scholarship Program
• WIA Spotlight Stories

Products and services

• WIA Membership Annual subscription membership program offering individuals in animation, VFX, and gaming access to mentorship opportunities, talent database visibility, networking events, career resources, and community engagement. Members receive member-only benefits and the ability to participate in the Fumi Kitahara Membership Fund for those unable to afford standard dues.
• WIA World Summit at Annecy Annual global summit bringing together the animation community for panels, networking, and celebration of women and nonbinary creators in animation, VFX, and gaming. Held in Annecy, France, with the 10th edition celebrating a decade of advocacy.
• WIA Talent Database Searchable talent directory of 7,000+ underrepresented gender animation, VFX, and gaming professionals made available to studios and employers seeking diverse talent for open roles.
• WIA Mentorship Program Structured mentorship program that pairs animation, VFX, and gaming professionals of underrepresented gender identities with industry veteran mentors for career development and progression, accessed through separate application tracks for mentees and mentors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,000+ professionals in talent database
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Locksmith AnimationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWIA announced a mixer event with Locksmith Animation in partnership with the WIA UK Collective, facilitating networking between UK-based animation professionals and a major studio committed to diversity in animation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839): Labor union representing animation, VFX, and game artists in the US. Comparable as a large-scale membership organization serving the same underlying talent pool WIA targets, though its mission is collective bargaining rather than gender equity.
• ASIFA-Hollywood: The Hollywood chapter of the International Animated Film Association, a long-standing industry body for animation professionals. Comparable as a global membership/advocacy organization serving animation practitioners, but broader in scope and not focused on gender equity.
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: Institutional membership organization for film professionals with global recognition and programming. A broader industry incumbent whose membership, events, and DEI initiatives overlap with parts of WIA's audience and partner base.
• International Animated Film Association (ASIFA): Global umbrella organization for animation societies with chapters across many countries. Comparable as an international animation membership structure, paralleling WIA's global Chapters/Connects/Collectives footprint.

Direct peers

• Free The Work: Nonprofit talent platform advancing underrepresented creators in film and advertising. Comparable mission of connecting diverse creative talent with industry hiring pipelines, similar to WIA's Talent Database.
• Women in Technology International (WITI): Global nonprofit supporting women in technology through mentorship, events, and a member network. Highly comparable operating model — membership-based, mentorship-driven, event-anchored — applied to an adjacent professional vertical.
• Brown Girls Doc Mafia: Community organization supporting women and non-binary documentary filmmakers through events, mentorship, and a member directory. Comparable membership-and-community model for underrepresented creators in a creative industry vertical.
• Women in Film: A nonprofit membership and advocacy organization advancing gender equity in the film and entertainment industry. Operates a similar model of mentorship programs, networking events, scholarships, and career resources — making it the closest structural analog to WIA in an adjacent creative vertical.
• Women in Games: Global nonprofit advocating for women and non-binary professionals in the games industry, offering events, mentorship, and community chapters. Directly comparable in mission and structure to WIA's gaming-side programming.

Regional players

• Les Femmes s'animent: French association promoting women in animation, closely aligned with WIA's mission in a single European market. Comparable peer operating in WIA's home region for the Annecy World Summit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wia_animation
• Facebookfacebook.com/wia.animation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/groups/158636/profile
• Instagraminstagram.com/wia.animation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Women in Animation