International Aviation Women's Association

What International Aviation Women's Association does

The International Aerospace Women's Association (IAWA), formerly the International Aviation Women's Association, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association founded in 1988 and headquartered in Leesburg, Virginia. IAWA builds and curates a global community of 500+ women leaders and emerging talent in aviation and aerospace, spanning 30+ countries across five continents, with a stated mission to elevate women into senior leadership across airlines, OEMs, airports, MRO providers, regulators, insurers, legal, finance, and service providers.

IAWA's core offerings are organized around four programs: (i) an Annual Conference in its 38th year (São Paulo 2025; Philadelphia 2026) complemented by regional forums, breakfast connects, and virtual events in Europe, Asia, India, and Latin America; (ii) a 12-month Mentoring Program now leveraging the AI-powered Qooper platform to match Full Members and Advocates with Scholars and Apprentices, with 30+ country representation and reporting 37 of 125 participants advancing careers; (iii) a Scholarship Program launched in 2004 that has awarded 131 scholarships totaling $555,000 across 11 partner universities including Cranfield, Embry-Riddle, ENAC, McGill, SMU Dedman, Swinburne, TU Delft, and Vaughn; and (iv) Leadership Development through IAWA committees, the IAWA Insights blog, the 'Flightpaths' newsletter, the 'Connect, Inspire and Lead' podcast, and the annual 'Woman of Excellence' award. Industry research partnerships with Oliver Wyman ('Lift Off to Leadership') and Korn Ferry ('Soaring Through the Glass Ceiling') produce proprietary gender-diversity data.

IAWA monetizes through four revenue streams: recurring annual membership dues across Full, Apprentice (reduced/free for women with under 5 years of experience), Scholar (free/reduced for university students), and Advocate (men supporting the mission, with fees directed to scholarships) tiers; corporate sponsorships across Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze alliance tiers with named partners including GE Aerospace, Airbus, Boeing, FedEx Express, American Airlines, and Embraer; event registration fees with member discounts; and individual contributions. Distribution is hybrid: self-serve online enrollment, university pipeline via 8+ partner schools, corporate partner recruitment, and event-based recruitment across a global footprint spanning the US, UK, France, Germany, Australia, India, Singapore, Canada, Panama, and Brazil.

Name

International Aviation Women's Association

Legal name

International Aerospace Womens Association

Website

https://iawa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IAWA is a 501(c)(3) global nonprofit membership association of 500+ women leaders across 30+ countries, advancing women in aviation and aerospace through annual conferences, an AI-powered 12-month mentoring program, and $555,000 in cumulative scholarships awarded at 11 partner universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Leesburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from Full, Apprentice, Scholar, and Advocate members provide recurring revenue. Full membership requires 5+ years of leadership experience; Apprentice for those with less than 5 years experience; Scholar for full-time students; Advocate for men who support the organization's mission.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners at Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze alliance tiers sponsor the organization. Sponsors help develop next generation leaders through scholarship and mentoring programs. The Mentorship Program Partner tier includes ISTAT Foundation.
3. Event Revenue: Registration fees for annual conferences, regional forums, connects, and virtual events. Members receive discounted rates compared to non-members. Events provide networking, educational content, and professional development opportunities.
4. Individual Contributions: Individual supporters can contribute directly to support the organization's mission of advancing women in aviation and aerospace leadership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IAWA is a global nonprofit membership association that brings together women leaders in aviation and aerospace through tiered annual memberships, an annual conference, regional forums, and structured programs including a 12-month AI-powered Mentoring Program, a global Scholarship Program with university partners, leadership development via committees, industry research collaborations, and recognition through the Women of Excellence Award. The organization sells individual membership subscriptions, corporate sponsorship packages, and event registration access as its core offerings.

Product overview

IAWA is a global nonprofit membership organization dedicated to advancing women in aviation and aerospace leadership. The organization operates as a platform combining membership services with professional development programs. Core offerings include annual conferences (now in its 38th year), a 12-month AI-powered Mentoring Program via Qooper, a Scholarship Program partnering with 8 universities globally (having awarded $555,000 to 131 recipients), Leadership Development through committee participation, and Industry Research partnerships with Oliver Wyman. Additional offerings include IAWA Communities for peer engagement, Career Growth resources, an IAWA Insights Blog for industry news, a Career Hub job board, and the Women of Excellence Award. Events include Annual Conferences, European Leadership Forums, and regional Connects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IAWA Full Membership Annual membership for women with 5+ years of leadership/executive experience in aerospace or aviation. Includes access to all events, committees, communities, mentorship program, and annual conference at member rates. Renewed annually via online portal.
• IAWA Apprentice Membership Annual membership for women within 10 years of graduation and with less than 5 years of aerospace/aviation experience. Requires participation in an IAWA committee. Access at reduced or free rates.
• IAWA Scholar Membership Annual membership for current full-time university students pursuing degrees or certificates in or related to aerospace and aviation. Requires committee participation. Offered at free or reduced rates.
• IAWA Advocate Membership Annual membership for men who support, promote, back, encourage, and sponsor IAWA's mission. The Advocate fee is directed to IAWA's scholarship programs.
• IAWA Annual Conference IAWA's flagship annual event bringing together women leaders in aviation and aerospace for networking, panels, workshops, and the Women of Excellence Award ceremony. The 37th Annual Conference was held in São Paulo in 2025; the 38th is scheduled for Philadelphia in 2026.
• IAWA Mentoring Program 12-month mentorship program pairing experienced members (mentors) with apprentices and scholars (mentees). Uses AI-powered Qooper platform for matching based on career goals, industry segments, and professional development needs. Mentoring pairs meet at least six times and work on realizing at least one goal.
• IAWA Scholarship Program Annual scholarship awards to women pursuing aviation and aerospace degrees at partner universities globally. Since 2004, has awarded 131 scholarships totaling $555,000 at 11 universities. University partners include Cranfield, Embry-Riddle, ENAC, McGill, SMU Dedman School of Law, Swinburne, TU Delft, and Vaughn College.
• IAWA Leadership Development Programs developed through IAWA committees providing volunteering opportunities, community leadership roles, and speaking opportunities to develop leadership skills across the international membership base.
• IAWA European Leadership Forum Annual forum held in European locations featuring keynotes, panels, and networking for women in aviation leadership across the continent.
• IAWA Corporate Partnership Program Corporate sponsorship program with five tiers (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) providing financial support for IAWA's scholarship and mentoring programs. Partners include GE Aerospace, Boeing, Airbus, FedEx, American Airlines, and Embraer.
• IAWA Regional Connects and Forums Smaller regional events including breakfast connects (London, Hartford), leadership forums (Europe, Asia, India, Latin America), and virtual networking sessions for IAWA members.

Quantifiable outcome

• 131 scholarships awarded totaling $555,000 to women at 11 universities since 2004
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Oliver WymanflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026IAWA collaborates with Oliver Wyman on research initiatives including the 'Lift Off to Leadership' report highlighting the urgent need for diversity amid global talent shortage in aerospace. The partnership conducts surveys and publishes insights on gender balance, barriers to advancement, and industry trends affecting women in aviation leadership.
• ISTAT FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024ISTAT Foundation has provided grants to IAWA's Mentoring Program for three consecutive years, including $7,300 to support the Qooper platform - an AI-powered app-based platform that facilitates mentorship pairings between Members/Advocates and Scholars/Apprentices. The platform is also used by Fortune 1000 companies like Google and Merck.
• Korn FerryflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2019IAWA partnered with Korn Ferry and other industry associations to conduct the 'Soaring Through the Glass Ceiling' study - the first truly international study on gender diversity in aviation and aerospace. The study interviewed 40+ multinational organizations, collected 2,400+ responses from four stakeholder groups, and gathered answers from 1,880+ women in the industry.
• GE AerospacecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Partner providing sponsorship support for IAWA's scholarship and mentoring programs. GE Aerospace supports talent development and diversity initiatives in aviation and aerospace.
• AirbuscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate Partner providing sponsorship support. Airbus actively supports development of women leaders in aviation through IAWA events and initiatives.
• FedEx ExpresscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDiamond Alliance sponsor supporting IAWA's mission. FedEx supports scholarship programs and professional development opportunities for women in aviation.
• The Boeing CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGold Alliance sponsor providing sponsorship support. Boeing has been a long-standing supporter of IAWA's initiatives to advance women in aerospace.
• EmbraercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGold Alliance sponsor supporting IAWA's scholarship and mentoring programs.
• American AirlinescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGold Alliance sponsor supporting IAWA initiatives.
• Cranfield UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner offering scholarships to female students pursuing aerospace degrees. Cranfield University specializes in aerospace technology and is the first UK university to receive an IAWA scholarship award.
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner (Arizona and Florida campuses) offering scholarships to female students in aviation and aerospace programs.
• École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile (ENAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench university partner providing scholarship for female students seeking aviation/aerospace careers. ENAC is a leading aeronautics and aviation university in Europe with 28 higher education programs.
• McGill UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner offering scholarships for Air and Space Law programs. McGill's Graduate School offers versatile and refined legal proficiency in aviation law.
• Southern Methodist University Dedman School of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner offering scholarships to female law students pursuing aviation and aerospace law careers.
• Swinburne University of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian university partner offering scholarships to female students in aviation management and related programs.
• TU DelftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch university partner (Delft University of Technology) offering scholarships for aerospace engineering, control, and simulation programs.
• Vaughn College of Aeronautics and TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner (New York) offering scholarships to female students in aeronautical science, aircraft maintenance, and aviation management programs.
• ALTA (Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint scholarship partnership providing aviation scholarships to students in Panama through Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá (UTP).
• IATAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAWA collaborates with IATA at events including the Montreal Connect held at IATA headquarters in partnership with ICAO and ACI, focusing on gender diversity progress.
• ICAOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Civil Aviation Organization partnership for diversity initiatives. Dr. Fang Liu, ICAO Secretary General, has supported IAWA events including the Montreal Connect.
• ATRminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurboprop aircraft manufacturer hosted first IAWA networking event in Toulouse, supporting women leaders in aviation and diversity values.
• Association & Conference GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership announced in March 2022 for association and conference management services.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Catalyst: A global nonprofit focused on advancing women in the workplace through research, consulting, and inclusion tools. Comparable to IAWA in the gender-diversity research and advisory space, though cross-industry rather than aerospace-exclusive.
• Society of Women Engineers: The largest global organization advocating for women in engineering, with strong aerospace engineering membership. Comparable as a women-in-STEM professional association using scholarships, awards, and conferences, though not aviation-exclusive.
• International Women's Forum: A global membership organization of senior women leaders across industries, with national forums and an annual conference. Comparable to IAWA in the women-executive-network model, though broader across industries rather than aerospace-specific.

Broad incumbents

• International Air Transport Association (IATA): The global trade association representing ~300 airlines, with whom IAWA collaborates on diversity initiatives including the Montreal Connect. Comparable as the industry umbrella association and a research/data partner, though much larger and airline-only.
• Aerospace Industries Association: The principal US aerospace and defense industry trade association representing manufacturers and suppliers. Comparable as an aerospace-sector membership/advocacy body, though broader in mandate and not gender-focused.
• National Business Aviation Association: The leading US trade association for business aviation, with conferences, member services, and workforce programs. Comparable as an aviation-focused membership association, though broader across companies rather than women leaders specifically.

Direct peers

• International Society of Women Airline Pilots (ISA+21): A global nonprofit representing female airline pilots and supporting women pursuing aviation careers. Comparable to IAWA as a membership-based women-in-aviation association, though narrower in scope to cockpit crew rather than executive leadership.
• Women in Aerospace: A US-based professional organization dedicated to expanding women's opportunities for leadership and increasing their visibility in the aerospace community. Most directly comparable to IAWA on the 'Aerospace' side of the rebrand and shares the leadership-development mission.
• Women in Aviation International: The largest international membership organization dedicated to encouraging women in all aviation careers. Directly comparable to IAWA in mission and membership model, though WAI is broader across pilot/technician roles whereas IAWA focuses on executive leadership.

Regional players

• Women in Aviation & Aerospace Chapters (various regional): A loose collection of regional/country-level women-in-aviation associations (e.g., European Women in Aviation, Canadian Women in Aviation) that operate in defined geographies. Comparable as regional peers to IAWA's local engagement model, often partnering or co-hosting events with IAWA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/inspire_iawa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjUMEFZb3VVUDj9kHFRtnxQ?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/175823829132038
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-aviation-womens-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Aviation Women's Association