Federation of Women Entrepreneurs' Association of Nepal

What Federation of Women Entrepreneurs' Association of Nepal does

The Federation of Women Entrepreneurs' Association of Nepal (FWEAN) is the national apex body representing women entrepreneurs in Nepal. Its predecessor, the Women Entrepreneurs' Association of Nepal (WEAN), was established in 1989 and was federated into FWEAN in 2003 to serve as an umbrella organization. FWEAN operates a district-chapter network spanning 76–77 of Nepal's 77 districts across all 7 provinces, with a membership of more than 5,500 women entrepreneurs active in sub-sectors including agriculture, handicrafts, food processing, retail, and dairy. The federation has completed 43 development projects and operates with a small staff of approximately 8–10 personnel based at its Kathmandu office.

FWEAN's core products and services are the WinBiz E-Portal, an e-commerce platform that enables members to list and sell products online; the Business Development Center (BDC), established in March 2023 as a permanent infrastructure for access to finance, market facilitation, and capacity building; and the International Women's Trade Expo (IWTE), an annual trade fair that in its 8th edition (February 2025) hosted 1,000+ businesses across 200+ stalls and drew 50,000+ visitors. Complementary offerings include publications (e.g., "From Aspiration to Action"), the Teej Utsav cultural-commercial event launched in 2024, and an advisory committee of subject-matter experts and a 27-member executive committee providing governance.

The federation's revenue model combines three streams: tiered annual membership dues ranging from NPR 1,000 to NPR 25,000; institutional donor grants from bilateral and multilateral partners including USAID, ILO, GIZ, UN Women, and Standard Chartered; and revenue from the IWTE and related events. Leadership consists of President Darshana Shrestha and Acting Executive Director Bhupendra Batsa Lamsal. In November 2024, FWEAN became a founding member of the Regional Network of Bangladesh and Nepal Women Entrepreneurs Organizations (RNBWO) and hosted the Made in Nepal Expo in Australia, signaling international expansion intent.

Name

Federation of Women Entrepreneurs' Association of Nepal

Legal name

Federation of Woman Entrepreneurs' Associations of Nepal

Website

https://fwean.org.np

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Federation of Women Entrepreneurs' Association of Nepal (FWEAN) is the national apex body for 5,500+ women entrepreneurs across 77 districts, providing e-commerce (WinBiz E-Portal), business development services (BDC), and an annual International Women's Trade Expo funded by member dues and institutional grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women Entrepreneurship Development Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Trade & E-Commerce Development (BPADAMAL), Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

Keywords

• Women entrepreneurship support
• Business development services
• Capacity building programs
• Trade expo events
• MSME formalization support

Headquarters

HQ city

Kathmandu

HQ country

Nepal

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: FWEAN generates revenue through membership fees from women entrepreneurs across its 77 district chapters and individual members
2. Donor Funding and Grants: FWEAN receives funding and grants from various international development organizations, governments, and foundations including USAID, ILO, GIZ, Standard Chartered Bank, The Asia Foundation, and others for project implementation
3. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from flagship programs including International Women's Trade Expo and other events through exhibitor fees and sponsorships

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FWEAN is a non-profit apex federation that supports women entrepreneurs in Nepal through business formalization assistance, training programs (digital literacy, digital marketing, leadership, accounting), business counseling, and market access services delivered via the Business Development Center, the WinBiz e-commerce portal, and the annual International Women's Trade Expo. It also runs a grassroots network of WEAN chapters in 76 districts with Provincial Committees in all 7 provinces, serving as an advocacy and capacity-building platform for women-led MSMEs.

Product overview

FWEAN operates as an apex organization for women entrepreneurs in Nepal, offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include the WinBiz E-Portal for e-commerce and digital marketing support, the Business Development Center (BDC) providing one-stop services for business formalization, training, and counseling, and the annual International Women's Trade Expo as a flagship networking and market access platform. Supporting these are publications including the Enterprising Women Nepal magazine and FWEAN Product Catalogue, along with a nationwide network of WEAN Chapters in all 76 districts and 7 Provincial Committees. The organization does not operate as a technology company with AI capabilities or public APIs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WinBiz E-Portal (Women in Business)
• Business Development Center (BDC)
• International Women's Trade Expo (IWTE)

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,500+ women entrepreneurs served through membership
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Asia-Pacific Regional Network of Businesswomen's Organizations (RNBWO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2024FWEAN signed MoU as founding member of RNBWO, serving as Vice Chair for three consecutive years. Partnership aims to improve livelihoods and foster national prosperity through economic empowerment of women across the Asia-Pacific region.
• UN WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on women's economic empowerment initiatives and regional networks for women entrepreneurs
• Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens (Nepal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry collaborating on policy advocacy and women's economic empowerment programs
• NEPCO EntertainmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of Made in Nepal Expo Australia 2024 for promoting Nepali products in international market

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fwean_np
• Facebookfacebook.com/FWEAN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/federation-of-women-entrepreneurs-associations-of-nepal-fwean
• Instagraminstagram.com/fwean_np
• Xx.com/fweannepal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Federation of Women Entrepreneurs' Association of Nepal