WISTA USA

What WISTA USA does

WISTA USA (Women's International Shipping and Trading Association USA), founded in 1997, is a private non-profit professional association serving women in management and decision-making roles across the U.S. maritime industry. The organization has grown to over 900 members distributed across twelve regional chapters spanning the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Gulf Coast, Great Lakes/Midwest, Texas, Pacific Northwest, and West Coast (including Hawaii). Its membership base covers the full maritime value chain — shipowners, charterers, operators, brokers, bankers, insurance professionals, attorneys, analysts, and government officials — and admission is gated by a recommendation from an existing member plus review by the Membership Director, Chapter Presidents, and Board of Directors.

The organization's core offerings are membership services and convening rather than a technology product: an Annual General Meeting and Conference each spring, a Fall International Conference hosted under WISTA International, year-round regional chapter events and seminars, educational scholarships (7 annual ICS Foundation Diploma scholarships plus 5 MLA College remote degrees), a job postings board, a Marine Log Top Women in Maritime Awards co-sponsorship, and a Member Portal launched in November 2024 for engagement, event RSVP, directory access, and dues payment. There is no proprietary software stack, AI/ML capability, or API surface area; the portal appears to run on a standard association-management platform (member365).

WISTA USA is funded by individual membership dues billed annually in January and by tiered corporate sponsorships (Lighthouse, Gold, Silver, Bronze). The 2026 sponsor roster includes ABS, Blank Rome, Maersk Line Limited, OSG, The Pasha Group, and Stolt-Nielsen, with the American Club sponsoring specific events. The organization is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors and operates under the umbrella of WISTA International (6,000+ members across 60 countries). It runs on a lean staff of 8 and does not have external investors or venture backing.

Name

WISTA USA

Legal name

WISTA USA

Website

https://wistausa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WISTA USA is a non-profit professional networking association founded in 1997 for women in maritime management roles, with over 900 members across 12 U.S. regional chapters. It generates revenue through annual membership dues and tiered corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues billed in January by the WISTA USA Treasurer. Members must pay dues to remain in good standing for voting purposes.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Annual corporate sponsorships available for companies and organizations wishing to support the mission and activities of WISTA USA. 2026 sponsors include ABS, Blank Rome, Maersk Line, Limited, OSG, The Pasha Group, and Stolt-Nielsen.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WISTA USA sells annual membership in a non-profit professional networking association for women in management roles across the U.S. maritime industry. Members gain access to 12 regional chapters for local events, seminars, and social gatherings, a spring Annual General Meeting and Conference, the fall WISTA International Conference, the WISTA/Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers scholarship program, a member-only job postings board, and a Member Portal launched in November 2024 for directory access, event RSVP, and online dues payment.

Product overview

WISTA USA is a networking organization for women in management roles in the maritime industry, not a technology product company. Its core offerings consist of membership services providing access to networking opportunities across 12 regional chapters throughout the United States, annual events including the Spring AGM & Conference and Fall International Conference, regional chapter events and seminars, the WISTA and ICS Scholarship Program in partnership with the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, job postings platform for members, and a Member Portal launched in November 2024 for member engagement, event RSVP, directory access, and dues management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WISTA USA Membership Annual individual membership in WISTA USA providing networking access across 12 regional chapters, the Annual General Meeting, the WISTA International Conference, and educational resources. Available to women at decision-making and/or management levels in U.S. shipping, trading, and logistics organizations.
• Annual General Meeting & Conference Spring Annual General Meeting hosted by WISTA USA (with 2026 edition in New Orleans and 2025 in Cape Canaveral) for networking, professional development, board elections, and industry panel discussions; the companion Fall International Conference is open to all WISTA members worldwide.
• Regional Chapter Events Local and regional networking events, seminars, and social gatherings hosted year-round by each of WISTA USA's 12 regional chapters (Connecticut; Delaware River & Bay Area; Florida; Great Lakes/Midwest; Hampton Roads; New England; New Orleans; New York/New Jersey; Pacific Northwest; Texas; Washington, DC Metro; West Coast).
• WISTA and ICS Scholarship Program Joint program between WISTA International and the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers offering seven annual scholarships for the Foundation Diploma in Shipping, covering registration, course materials, tutor support, and examination entry for specialization subjects such as Dry Cargo Chartering, Ship Operations & Management, Tanker Chartering, Marine Insurance, and Shipping Finance.
• Job Postings Platform Online member-only platform hosting job listings from maritime industry employers seeking to reach WISTA USA members, covering full-time, part-time, internship, and temporary roles.
• WISTA USA Member Portal Online member portal built on member365, launched November 2024, enabling members to engage, RSVP to events, search a member-only directory, manage contact information, and pay annual dues online.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 900 members across 12 chapters
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered secondary, core and flagship.

• SHIPPINGInsightsecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 October 2024Third year of collaboration hosting breakfast events at SHIPPINGInsight conferences. Event titled 'Shaping the Maritime Industry: Women Entrepreneurs of WISTA USA' held at The Westin New York at Times Square, featuring panels on entrepreneurship and startup journeys.
• Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between WISTA International and ICS to increase competence and education of women in maritime. Offers 7 scholarships annually for the Foundation Diploma course, covering registration, course materials, tutor support, and examination entry. Includes mandatory Introduction to Shipping and optional specialization subjects such as Dry Cargo Chartering, Ship Operations & Management, and Shipping Finance.
• Marine LogcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWISTA USA serves as Association Sponsor for the Top Women in Maritime Awards by Marine Log. The awards recognize 20 exceptional women leaders in maritime annually, with a celebration event held in conjunction with the International WorkBoat Show. WISTA USA members are featured among winners.
• MLA CollegesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerWISTA USA promoted MLA College's scholarship program offering 5 full scholarships for women in maritime: 2 BSc and 3 MSc in Sustainable Maritime Operations. Degrees studied remotely, available to applicants globally. Focused on increasing female representation in maritime (currently ~2% of workforce).
• WISTA InternationalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWISTA USA is the largest National WISTA Association (NWA) and proud member of WISTA International, which comprises more than 6,000 members in 60 countries. WISTA USA participates in the International Conference held each fall, open to all WISTA members worldwide.
• American ClubsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the 2026 AGM Lunch and Learn session hosted at Port NOLA. Insurance organization serving maritime industry.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Marine Log: Maritime industry publication that partners with WISTA USA as the association sponsor for the annual Top Women in Maritime Awards. Operates adjacent to WISTA USA in maritime industry recognition and media coverage.
• NAMEPA (North American Marine Environment Protection Association): Maritime industry association focused on environmental stewardship and education, with corporate sponsorship and event programming similar to WISTA USA. Both organizations engage maritime industry professionals through conferences and educational programming.
• Propeller Club of the United States: Long-standing US maritime industry networking organization with port-based chapters, similar chapter-based distribution model to WISTA USA. Both serve maritime professionals through local chapter events and national conferences.
• SHIPPINGInsight: Maritime industry conference organizer with which WISTA USA has a multi-year partnership to co-host breakfast events featuring women entrepreneurs. Operates in the same maritime events/conference space.
• WISTA International: The global parent organization of WISTA USA, comprising 6,000+ members across 60 countries. WISTA International operates with the same networking and professional development mission, hosting the annual International Conference that WISTA USA members attend.

Emerging players

• Women in Aviation International: Professional organization supporting women in another male-dominated transportation industry (aviation). Comparable to WISTA USA in structure (membership, chapters, conferences, scholarships) and mission (advancing women in transportation).
• Women's Energy Network: Professional networking organization for women in the energy sector, with local chapters and national events. Shares WISTA USA's chapter-based networking model and mission of advancing women in male-dominated industries.

Broad incumbents

• International Chamber of Shipping: Principal international trade association for the merchant shipping industry, representing shipowners and operators globally. WISTA USA operates in the same maritime industry context, though ICS represents employers rather than individual professional women.
• Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME): Established international professional society serving maritime and ocean engineering professionals. While not gender-specific, it shares WISTA USA's professional membership and conference-based engagement model for maritime industry participants.

Regional players

• American Maritime Officers (AMO): US-based maritime professional union representing licensed merchant marine officers. Shares WISTA USA's US focus on maritime professionals and is comparable in scale and geographic concentration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/wistainternational
• Facebookfacebook.com/wistainternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wista-usa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 WISTA USA