Femme Defence

What Femme Defence does

Femme Defence is a Swedish non-profit membership organization (Org.nr: 802525-5376) founded in 2017 by five students at the Swedish Defence University (Försvarshögskolan) to advance women's leadership in Sweden's defense and security sector. Its core offerings are a two-tier membership program (Aktivt Medlemskap at 300 SEK/year for women under 35 engaged in defense/security, and Stödmedlemskap at 150 SEK/year for supporters), a structured annual mentorship program pairing young women with experienced female leaders (800 SEK self-funded or 2,400 SEK employer-funded, running from autumn to late spring), professional networking, competence development through lectures/workshops/seminars/study visits, and leadership development workshops. The organization is governed by a six-person board with functional roles covering chair, vice chair, economy/membership, mentorship, events, and communications. It operates community-led go-to-market primarily through LinkedIn, member email communications, and partnerships, with kick-off events, training days, and graduation ceremonies held in Stockholm.

The business model is subscription-based community funding plus sponsorship. Membership fees and mentorship program fees are individually small (in tens of dollars per year), so revenue scale depends materially on sponsorship and partnership contributions from organizations in the defense and security sector. A formal Partnership Program (Samarbetspartnerskap) offers economic sponsorship, event collaboration, and product/service support to organizations aligned with the gender-equality mission, with three partner logos displayed on the website. Distribution is domestic Sweden only, with enrollment via Google Forms on the website and annual mentorship intakes opening in spring. The organization has no proprietary technology platform, no app, no API, and no AI components; the deliverable is the matched mentorship experience, in-person and online events, and the underlying community network.

Strategic execution is centered on scaling the mentorship cohort, broadening the supporter base through the supporting membership tier, and deepening institutional partnerships. The organization explicitly positions itself as the leading voice for gender equality and young women's leadership in Sweden's defense and security sector, which is the anchor of its brand and network effects. With a small paid operating team (six people) and no external funding rounds disclosed, scaling is constrained by volunteer bandwidth and partnership economics rather than venture capital.

Name

Femme Defence

Legal name

Femme Defence

Website

https://femmedefence.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Femme Defence is a Swedish non-profit founded in 2017 that promotes women's leadership in Sweden's defense and security sector through membership tiers, an annual mentorship program pairing young women with senior leaders, networking, and competence and leadership development events held principally in Stockholm.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Development & Non-profit Membership Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD)

Keywords

• Non-profit association
• Women leadership development
• Defense sector mentorship
• Professional networking
• Competence development

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from active members (300 kr/year) and supporting members (150 kr/year). This provides recurring revenue to fund mentorship programs, events, and organizational operations.
2. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Economic sponsorships from partner organizations that support the long-term development of Femme Defence's operations including mentorship, events, organizational renewal, and strategic change.
3. Mentorship Program Fees: Fees for participation in the mentorship program: 2400 kr when employer-funded, 800 kr for self-funded participants. Revenue covers program administration and leadership training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Femme Defence is a membership-driven non-profit organization that promotes women's leadership in Sweden's defense and security sector. It offers annual membership subscriptions, a structured year-long mentorship program matching young women with experienced leaders, and professional networking, competence development, and leadership development activities (lectures, workshops, seminars, and study visits). Revenue is generated from membership fees, mentorship program fees, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

Femme Defence is a membership-driven non-profit organization that operates as a unified platform offering multiple interconnected services to promote women's leadership in Sweden's defense and security sector. The core offerings include: Active and Supporting Membership programs (300 kr/year and 150 kr/year respectively), providing access to all organizational activities; a structured Mentorship Program that matches young women with experienced leaders combined with leadership training; professional Networking opportunities; Competence Development through lectures, workshops and seminars; and Leadership Development workshops. The organization also offers a Partnership Program for organizations wishing to collaborate on gender equality initiatives. All services are designed to work together to support members' professional development from entry to senior levels within the sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Active Membership (Aktivt Medlemskap) Annual membership at 300 kr providing access to activities, lectures, workshops, mentorship programs, and voting rights at annual meetings. Targeted at women under 35 with engagement in defense/security issues and at least two semesters of higher education, completed national service, or one year of relevant professional work.
• Supporting Membership (Stödmedlemskap) Annual membership at 150 kr for those who wish to support the organization or who do not meet the active membership criteria. Open to any individual wanting to support the organization's vision.
• Mentorship Program (Mentorskap Program) Year-long mentorship program matching young women in the defense and security sector with experienced female leaders, combined with leadership training. Available to employer-funded participants (2,400 kr) or self-funded participants (800 kr subventioned price). Runs annually from autumn to late spring.
• Partnership Program (Samarbetspartnerskap) Collaboration program for organizations including financial sponsorship, event partnerships, and product/service support to promote gender equality in defense and security. Partners receive brand strengthening and visibility through Femme Defence's external channels.

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Collaboration Partners (Samarbetspartners)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFemme Defence collaborates with partner organizations that share the vision of a gender-equal defense and security sector. Partners receive brand strengthening and visibility through Femme Defence's external channels. Three partner logos are displayed on the main website without individual names being specified in the text. Partners can engage through economic sponsorship, event collaboration, or by providing products/services.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Athena SWAN: Charter program advancing gender equality in higher education and research in the UK and Ireland. Comparable in its advocacy and structural intervention focus for women in technical/professional sectors, though it operates as a charter rather than a membership community.

Broad incumbents

• NATO: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, of which Sweden is a member, runs Women, Peace and Security initiatives across allied defense sectors. Comparable as a much larger incumbent shaping the same gender-equality-in-defense agenda that Femme Defence addresses at the national level.
• Försvarsmakten (Swedish Armed Forces): Sweden's national military, the largest single actor in the defense sector Femme Defence serves. Comparable as the broader institutional environment whose diversity gaps create Femme Defence's mission, and a potential partner/funder rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• Women in International Security (WIIS): Global membership-based organization advancing women's leadership in international peace and security. Directly comparable to Femme Defence in mission (women's leadership in security/defense), membership-driven model, mentorship and networking offerings, and advocacy focus.
• WiN Global (Women in Nuclear): Worldwide membership organization supporting women working in the nuclear sector. Operates an analogous chapter-based, member-driven model in another historically male-dominated technical/defense-adjacent industry, with comparable networking and professional development offerings.
• International Women in Defense & Security (IWDS): Independent nonprofit fostering women's participation in international peace, defense, and security. Closely comparable to Femme Defence in sector focus, nonprofit membership structure, and mentorship/networking offerings, though operating at international rather than national scale.

Others

• Sveriges Kvinnoorganisationer (Swedish Women's Lobby): Swedish umbrella coalition of women's rights organizations. Comparable as a domestic gender-equality advocacy actor at national level; not a direct competitor but a potential coalition partner for Femme Defence's policy and visibility work.
• Jämställdhetsmyndigheten (Swedish Gender Equality Agency): Swedish government agency coordinating gender equality policy. Comparable as the public-sector counterpart pursuing the same underlying mission; could be a funder or program partner rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xlinkedin.com/company/femme-defence
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/femme-defence

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 Femme Defence