ATHENA International

What ATHENA International does

ATHENA International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, founded in 1982 by Martha Mertz to recognize and develop women leaders. The organization operates an experiential, empathy-based leadership development methodology built around the proprietary ATHENA Leadership Model® and the Eight Principles of Enlightened Leadership™ (Live Authentically & Learn Constantly; Build Relationships & Foster Collaboration; Act Courageously & Advocate Fiercely; Give Back & Celebrate), originally developed from research funded by the WK Kellogg Foundation. Its core products include the ATHENA Leadership Institute (with three tiered programs — Being ATHENA, Becoming ATHENA, and Discovering ATHENA), ATHENA Certified Facilitator Training, ATHENA PowerLink™ advisory boards for women entrepreneurs, and a portfolio of recognition awards spanning Global, National, Community, Young Professional, Organization, Servant Leader, Champion, and Youth Leader categories.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack combining individual membership subscriptions (monthly and annual), licensing fees from 500+ local ATHENA Award Communities (primarily chambers of commerce), corporate leadership training programs sold directly to businesses, annual international conference registrations, donations across micro and recurring tiers, and merchandise sales (apparel, drinkware, and the signature ATHENA Pendant Necklace priced from $88 to $1,350). Distribution is multi-channel: an e-commerce storefront and online membership portal, direct enterprise sales for corporate programs, a virtual delivery model for global accessibility, and licensed local communities operating as quasi-franchised event hosts. The organization has recognized 8,300+ award recipients across 500+ regions, 48 U.S. states, and 11 countries, and is currently led by President & CEO Traci Costa (appointed October 2021). No funding rounds, no parent company, and no institutional investor ownership are indicated.

Name

ATHENA International

Legal name

ATHENA International

Website

https://athenainternational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ATHENA International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1982 that delivers experiential women's leadership development through its ATHENA Leadership Institute, Eight Principles framework, global awards program across 500+ regions in 11 countries, and ATHENA PowerLink advisory boards for women entrepreneurs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development & Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Business Associations (813910), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Leadership Development (BPACANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Talent Management & Leadership Advisory (Succession, Performance, Culture) (BPACAJAH), DEI, Equity & Inclusion Advisory (BPACAJAJ)

Keywords

• Leadership development
• Women's leadership
• Executive mentoring
• Corporate training
• Leadership recognition

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Monthly or annual subscription fees for individual members providing access to ATHENA Connects networking platform, resources, forums, member events, and program discounts. License fees are invoiced monthly (individual) or annually per online registration.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online store selling ATHENA branded merchandise including pendant necklaces, pins, apparel, drinkware, notebooks, and accessories with prices ranging from $5 to $1,350
3. Award Community Licensing: Local organizations pay annual license fees to host ATHENA Leadership Awards in their communities, receiving handbook, guidelines, and rights to use ATHENA materials
4. Corporate Leadership Programs: Customized leadership programs and training delivered to corporations and organizations, with pricing determined based on company needs
5. Conference Revenue: Registration fees for annual international conferences including the 2027 ATHENA International Leadership Conference in Los Angeles
6. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to General Fund and Student Conference Scholarship fund, processed as one-time or recurring (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ATHENA International develops and sells leadership development programs, recognition awards, mentorship networks, and corporate training for women, girls, and allies. Offerings include the ATHENA Leadership Institute programs (Discovering, Becoming, Being, Certified Facilitator Training, Allyship Training), ATHENA PowerLink mentorship, ATHENA Global Cafe networking, the ATHENA Leadership Awards across multiple categories, annual conferences, individual subscription memberships, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

ATHENA International is a non-profit organization offering a comprehensive suite of experiential leadership development programs under the ATHENA Leadership Institute. The core offerings include the Being ATHENA, Becoming ATHENA, and Discovering ATHENA leadership programs, along with ATHENA Global Cafe, Certified Facilitator Training, and Allyship Leadership Training Programs. The organization also administers prestigious ATHENA Leadership Awards at Global, National, Young Professional, Organization, Local, Servant Leader, Champion, and Youth Leader levels. ATHENA PowerLink provides national mentorship connecting women entrepreneurs with advisory boards. A YouTube channel and the Women Really Mean Business podcast extend reach. The annual International Leadership Conference (next: January 2027 in Los Angeles) and Conference at Sea events provide in-person gathering opportunities. Individual subscriptions offer ongoing membership access. The organization also operates a merchandise store featuring branded items including apparel, drinkware, bags, and the signature ATHENA Pendant Necklace.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ATHENA Leadership Institute™: Empathy-based and collaborative leadership development programs offering tools and knowledge for individuals, corporations, and organizations to grow transformative leaders.
• ATHENA PowerLink™
• ATHENA Global Café
• ATHENA International Leadership Awards
• ATHENA's Women Really Mean Business podcast

Products and services

• ATHENA Leadership Institute
• ATHENA PowerLink
• ATHENA Global Cafe
• ATHENA Leadership Awards
• ATHENA Certified Facilitator Training
• ATHENA Allyship Leadership Training Programs
• ATHENA Individual Subscription
• 2027 ATHENA International Leadership Conference
• ATHENA International Conference at Sea
• Women Really Mean Business Podcast
• Local ATHENA Award Community Licensing
• ATHENA Branded Merchandise

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,200+ women leaders recognized since 1982
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• MindWire + The Predictive Index™coreTechnology or IntegrationMindWire is a Workforce Analytics firm providing behavioral assessments via The Predictive Index™ to ATHENA Leadership Program participants. This partnership offers participants access to science-based tools and data on leadership effectiveness.
• PowerLink™coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPowerLink's flagship advisory board program matches entrepreneurs with volunteer advisors. ATHENA International adapted this model to create ATHENA PowerLink™, exclusively serving women-led and owned businesses in Award Events communities.
• WIT Network (Women in Tech)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHonored with the inaugural Global Pantheon Award in 2024 for their work supporting women in technology. Recognition of their trailblazing contributions to advancing women's leadership.
• WK Kellogg FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded the original research into the characteristics shared by ATHENA award recipients, leading to the development of the ATHENA Leadership Model and Eight Principles of Enlightened Leadership.
• Corporate Training PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporations and organizations interested in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion efforts partner with ATHENA for Allyship Leadership Training Programs designed for men but open to all, focused on active allyship for women and marginalized individuals.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC): WBENC is a large-scale nonprofit certifying and supporting women-owned businesses with corporate and government partnerships — overlaps with ATHENA PowerLink in supporting women entrepreneurs at greater scale.
• Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT): WICT is a long-established industry-specific association advancing women in cable/telecom through leadership training, awards, and mentoring — comparable model but narrower industry focus than ATHENA.

Direct peers

• National Association of Female Executives (NAFE): NAFE is one of the longest-running associations for women executives, providing training, networking, and recognition — directly comparable in mission, audience, and programming to ATHENA.
• Forte Foundation: Forte Foundation focuses on advancing women in business through education and leadership programs, including corporate and university partnerships — overlapping ATHENA's corporate training and PowerLink-style mission.
• Watermark (formerly Watermark Conference for Women): Watermark produces large-scale conferences and leadership events for women professionals, including a major annual conference — a direct comparison for ATHENA's conference revenue stream and awards programming.
• Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership: Simmons University's Institute for Inclusive Leadership offers executive education and women's leadership programs — directly comparable in mission and curriculum to ATHENA's Leadership Institute offerings.
• International Women's Forum (IWF): IWF is a global membership organization of women leaders across countries and industries, operating local chapters and leadership programming — closely comparable to ATHENA's chapter/award-community model and mission.
• Catalyst: Catalyst is a global nonprofit focused on advancing women in the workplace through research, advisory, and leadership development — the most direct comparably-structured peer to ATHENA International, serving overlapping corporate clients.

Emerging players

• Ellevate Network: Ellevate Network is a digital-first community and membership platform for professional women — a comparable, more technology-driven alternative to ATHENA's subscription/community offering.
• Chief: Chief is a venture-backed membership platform for women executives offering peer groups, events, and corporate programming — an emerging digital competitor targeting the same corporate-training and individual-membership wallet.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@athenainternational
• Facebookfacebook.com/ATHENAInternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/athena-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/athenaintl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 ATHENA International