NOWIE - The Network of Women in Events CIC

What NOWIE - The Network of Women in Events CIC does

NOWIE - The Network of Women in Events CIC is a UK-registered Community Interest Company, founded in 2013 and restructured as a CIC in 2021 under Chair Cat Kevern. It operates as a community and professional network for women working in the UK live events industry, addressing underrepresentation in senior leadership, pay inequity, workplace safety, and limited access to mentorship and safe networking spaces. The organisation delivers value through a tiered membership model: individual memberships at £20 per year and corporate memberships starting at £500 per year, granting access to a WhatsApp community, the Level Up mentorship programme (running since 2022 with 125+ graduates), regional and virtual networking events, and partner-shared resources and CVs.

Beyond memberships, NOWIE runs two flagship non-revenue programs: the Level Up annual mentorship scheme, which pairs junior-to-mid-career women with senior industry mentors, and The Big Survey, positioned as the UK's largest study into the experiences of women in events, which collected 600+ responses in its 2025 launch year and is being expanded in 2026. The platform stack is deliberately lightweight — a Squarespace-hosted website, a WhatsApp community, a Typeform-based survey, and an email newsletter — consistent with a CIC operating model rather than a venture-backed software business.

The go-to-market is community-led. NOWIE acquires individual members via word-of-mouth, industry event presence (Event Production Show, Showman's Show, Event Tech Live), and social channels, while corporate members are engaged through direct outreach and partnerships with event-industry employers (named corporate members include Center Parcs, Tysers, SKIDDLE, and Event Industry News). The organisation reports over 10,000 online community members and 350+ official paid members, operating predominantly in the UK with no disclosed international footprint. Revenue is generated solely through membership fees and is not publicly disclosed; the organisation is not venture-backed and operates as a non-profit under UK CIC regulation.

Name

NOWIE - The Network of Women in Events CIC

Legal name

The Network of Women in Events CIC

Website

https://nowie.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NOWIE is a UK Community Interest Company that runs a paid membership network for women in the events industry, offering mentorship (Level Up), industry research (The Big Survey), and in-person and virtual networking events, alongside corporate memberships for event-industry employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership: Annual subscription membership at £20 per year providing access to WhatsApp community, Level Up mentorship programme, networking events, resources, and CV sharing with partner companies.
2. Corporate Membership: Annual corporate membership starting at £500 per year, includes individual memberships for team members, access to view members' CVs, and enhanced CSR benefits for partner companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NOWIE is a UK Community Interest Company that operates a tiered membership ecosystem for women working in the events industry, providing individual membership (£20/year) and corporate membership (from £500/year). Its core offerings include access to a WhatsApp community, the Level Up annual mentoring programme pairing junior-to-mid-career women with experienced mentors, in-person and virtual networking events across the UK, The Big Survey research initiative on women's experiences in events, and a Community Events Fund supporting member-led local meet-ups.

Product overview

NOWIE (Network of Women in Events CIC) is a community interest company providing a tiered membership ecosystem for women in the UK events industry. The core offering consists of Individual Membership (£20/year) and Corporate Membership (from £500/year), which grant access to the Level Up Mentorship Programme (running since 2022 with 125+ graduates), The Big Survey research initiative, Networking Events (both virtual and in-person including regional IWD series), Newsletter, and the Community Events Fund. The organization focuses on community-building, professional development, and advocacy for women at all career stages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Level Up: Annual event industry mentoring programme that pairs women in junior to mid-career with experienced mentors for tailored professional support.
• The Big Survey

Products and services

• Individual Membership Annual individual subscription at £20 per year providing access to the NOWIE WhatsApp community, Level Up mentorship programme participation, priority access to networking events, member resources, and the ability to share CVs with partner companies. Targeted at women at all career stages in the UK live events industry.
• Corporate Membership Annual corporate subscription starting at £500 per year including individual memberships for team members, access to member CVs, enhanced CSR benefits, and priority access to networking events. Targeted at event industry companies seeking to support gender equity and access diverse talent.
• Level Up Mentorship Programme Annual industry mentoring scheme pairing junior to mid-career women in events with experienced mentors, providing tailored support for navigating professional challenges and career transitions. Operated as an annual cohort-based application programme with 125+ mentees graduated since launch.

Quantifiable outcome

• 125+ mentees graduated from Level Up mentoring programme since 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UKHospitalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKate Nicholls OBE, CEO of UKHospitality, has contributed to NOWIE's development, highlighting synergies between events and hospitality industries and shared challenges.
• Safe Events GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMark Breen of Safe Events Global has expressed support for NOWIE's mission, stating they believe those doing great work to address women's challenges should be supported, and are delighted to partner with NOWIE.
• Event Production ShowcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNOWIE partners with the Event Production Show (EPS), with Steve Theivendrarajah noting NOWIE brings immense value to their event through extensive network and innovative thinking that enhances attendee and partner experience.
• ABPCOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociation of British Professional Conference Organisers listed as NOWIE partner organization.
• Acumen SafetyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent safety consultancy listed as NOWIE partner organization.
• A Greener Future (AGF)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSustainability organization listed as NOWIE partner organization.
• Controlled EventsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent production company listed as NOWIE partner organization.
• Event AcademyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvents industry training academy listed as NOWIE partner organization.
• Event Site DesignminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent venue design company listed as both partner and corporate member of NOWIE.
• The EgalitarianminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiversity and inclusion organization in events listed as NOWIE partner.
• The Iconic Events CollectionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvents collection/group listed as NOWIE partner organization.
• The Ops NestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvents operations training organization listed as NOWIE partner.
• SKIDDLEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent ticketing platform listed as both partner and corporate member of NOWIE.
• Stream7minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvents industry organization listed as NOWIE partner.
• TRIVANDIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvents industry consultancy listed as NOWIE partner and Big Survey 2026 supporter.
• tideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness banking platform listed as NOWIE partner.
• TranslateAbleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTranslation/localization service listed as NOWIE partner.
• x2 ConsultminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvents industry consultancy listed as NOWIE partner.
• XerominorGTM or Marketing PartnerAccounting software platform listed as NOWIE partner.
• Major Events InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as Big Survey 2026 supporter.
• Chloe Dunscombe PhotographyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPhotography services provided for NOWIE events (Bristol Meet-Up).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Eventbrite: Global event ticketing and management platform that underpins much of the UK events industry; relevant as enabling infrastructure for the kinds of networking events NOWIE runs.
• Event Industry News (EIN): UK events industry media outlet and NOWIE corporate member, serving the same audience with editorial content and serving as a distribution channel for industry news and initiatives.

Broad incumbents

• PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association): Global professional association for the convention and events industry, providing education, certification, and community — a scaled incumbent analogue to NOWIE's professional community model.
• Meeting Professionals International (MPI): Global association for meeting and event professionals with a membership-based model, education, and community programming — structurally analogous to NOWIE at significantly larger scale and broader remit.
• Association of Event Organisers (AEO): Established UK trade association for event organisers, offering networking, awards, and standards across the broader industry. NOWIE is listed as a partner and serves an overlapping constituency at a narrower gender-focused slice.

Regional players

• ABPCO (Association of British Professional Conference Organisers): UK membership association for professional conference organisers, structurally similar to NOWIE's membership and events model but serving conference organisers rather than women specifically.

Direct peers

• Women in Exhibitions: Network and advocacy organization for women working across the exhibitions industry, sharing NOWIE's focus on career development, networking, and equity within an adjacent live-events vertical.
• Women in Meetings & Events (WIME): UK-based network dedicated to supporting and connecting women working in the meetings and events industry, with a directly comparable mission, audience, and membership-based model to NOWIE.

Emerging players

• The Egalitarian: Diversity and inclusion organization within the UK events industry and listed NOWIE partner, operating with overlapping D&I advocacy mission but a different programmatic emphasis.
• Women in Tech: Global professional network advocating for women in the technology sector, structurally analogous to NOWIE in mission, membership model, and emphasis on mentorship and representation in a different vertical.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nowie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 NOWIE - The Network of Women in Events CIC