Women Who Rock™

What Women Who Rock™ does

Women Who Rock™ is a privately held, female-founded, female-fronted, and female-produced benefit-concert and merchandise organization headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, operating with approximately 9 employees. Founded in 2017 by Melinda Colaizzi—a Berklee-trained singer-songwriter and music business executive with prior experience at Live Nation, ShowClix, and Berklee College of Music—the organization runs annual flagship benefit concerts featuring 100% female-headlined lineups, with proceeds directed to Magee-Womens Research Institute, the nation's largest research institute dedicated solely to women's health. The organization's stated mission addresses two data-anchored gaps: women represent only 19% of average music festival lineups, and women were excluded from U.S. clinical trials until 1993.

The core product surface consists of (1) annual benefit concerts with tiered ticketing (General Admission from $59.50, VIP Bleacher Seats at $150, VIP Reserved Box Seats at $225, VIP High Top Tables at $1,000 for four seats) plus silent auctions, pink carpet experiences, and VIP lounges; (2) the Women Who Rock™ Shop—branded apparel, accessories, and jewelry sold via the womenwhorock.shop e-commerce platform and a physical storefront at SouthSide Works in Pittsburgh (517 S 27th St), with merchandise also placed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland; (3) the Women Who Rock Virtual Concert Series, a digital extension developed with Gibson Gives; (4) the annual Rising Star Contest for emerging female artists, now in its 8th year (2025); and (5) the annual WWR Impact Award recognizing women in music, women's rights, and women's health. Recurring headliners have included Ann Wilson (2023), Melissa Etheridge (2024), Jessica Simpson (2025), and Taylor Dayne (announced for 2026), with prior Impact Award recipients including Sheila E. and Dr. Lisa Rohan.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: ticket sales across multiple price tiers, merchandise sales (online and in-store), corporate sponsorships (presenting sponsors have included UPMC Health Plan, BAIRD, and Peoples/Essential Utilities), and silent auction proceeds featuring autographed and custom Gibson guitars, culinary experiences, jewelry, and artwork. Distribution and audience-building channels include owned e-commerce and retail, Ticketmaster/AXS ticketing, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame shop, pop-ups (including NFL Draft Week), and a global partnership with Hard Rock International for International Women's Month programming at cafe, hotel, and casino venues worldwide. The organization has been recognized with the Live Nation Best of Live 2023 Award for "Best Fundraiser Event" and has received earned-media coverage in Forbes, People Magazine, Guitar World, Recording Academy, and iHeart Radio. The Women Who Rock™ name is a registered trademark.

Name

Women Who Rock™

Legal name

Women Who Rock™

Website

https://womenwhorock.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women Who Rock™ is a Pittsburgh-based, female-founded organization that produces annual all-female benefit concerts and sells branded apparel and accessories, with proceeds supporting Magee-Womens Research Institute and emerging women in music.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Events & Fundraising

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (459420)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual Concerts & Music Festivals (Livestreamed Performances) (MPAGAOAD), Party Favors, Gifts & Custom Merchandise (HSACACAM)

Keywords

• Benefit concert production
• Women's music events
• Cause marketing apparel
• Female artist development
• Women's health fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Benefit Concert Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticketed benefit concerts featuring female headliners. Events include VIP packages, general admission, and table sales. Proceeds benefit women's health research at Magee-Womens Research Institute.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sales of branded apparel, accessories, and jewelry through e-commerce (womenwhorock.shop) and retail storefront. A portion of proceeds support women's health research.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships from brands seeking to associate with women's empowerment and health initiatives. Custom packages and benefits offered to meet brand objectives.
4. Silent Auction & Fundraising: Rockstar Silent Auction featuring autographed guitars, custom Gibson Guitars, culinary experiences, jewelry, and artwork. All proceeds support Magee-Womens Research Institute.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Women Who Rock™ produces annual benefit concerts featuring 100% female-headlined lineups and sells branded apparel, accessories, and jewelry through an owned e-commerce platform and a retail storefront at SouthSide Works in Pittsburgh. The organization also runs the Rising Star Contest for emerging female artists, a virtual concert series with Gibson Gives, corporate sponsorship packages, and a Women Who Rock Impact Award, with proceeds supporting women's health research at Magee-Womens Research Institute.

Product overview

Women Who Rock™ is a female-founded, female-fronted, and female-produced organization operating primarily as an event and merchandise company. Its core offerings center on annual benefit concerts featuring all-female music lineups, the online and physical Women Who Rock™ Shop selling branded apparel and accessories, virtual concert series, the Rising Star Contest for emerging artists, and the Impact Award recognizing women in music and women's health. The organization also operates pop-up retail experiences, corporate sponsorship programs, and women-in-music mixer events. All initiatives support the dual mission of amplifying women in music and advancing women's health research through partnership with Magee-Womens Research Institute.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Benefit Concerts Annual flagship benefit concerts featuring 100% female-headlined lineups, with proceeds supporting women's health research at Magee-Womens Research Institute. Events include performances by female artists, beauty bars, silent auctions, pink carpet experiences, and VIP lounges; tickets sold in tiers from general admission through VIP high-top tables.
• Women Who Rock™ Shop (Apparel & Accessories) E-commerce and physical retail store selling branded apparel, accessories, jewelry, and limited-edition merchandise. A portion of proceeds supports women's health research and women in music initiatives. Available online at womenwhorock.shop and at the SouthSide Works retail location in Pittsburgh.
• Women Who Rock™ Virtual Concert Series Online concert series featuring female artists performing virtually in partnership with Gibson Gives; showcases artists such as Rita Wilson, Orianthi, Emily Wolfe, and Celisse.
• Rising Star Contest Annual competition supporting emerging female artists, offering mentoring sessions with music industry professionals, studio recording time with Grammy-winning producers, and opportunities to open for major artists at benefit concerts.
• Women Who Rock™ Impact Award Annual award recognizing trailblazing women making meaningful contributions in women's health, women's rights, or women in music. Past recipients include Sheila E., Dr. Lisa Rohan, Dr. Jocelyn Fitzgerald, Michele Michaels, and Kiya Tomlin.
• Women Who Rock™ Pop-Up Shops Temporary retail locations featuring merchandise, live music performances, community engagement, and partnerships with women-owned businesses. Includes locations at SouthSide Works in Pittsburgh and various event venues.
• Corporate Sponsorship Programs Customized sponsorship packages for brands seeking to connect with Women Who Rock's audience and support women's empowerment and women's health causes; includes presenting sponsorships of events such as the Pink Carpet Experience, Rockstar Silent Auction, and Impact Award.
• Women in Music Mixer Events Networking events connecting women in the music industry, featuring vendor showcases, live performances, and community building among female artists and music professionals; examples include the Babes & Bubbles women-owned market series.

Quantifiable outcome

• Women make up only 19% of average music festival lineup, addressed by 100% female-headlined concerts
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Pittsburgh PenguinsmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 March 2026Partnership for Her Hockey Day on March 22, 2026. Every ticket purchased through WWR's link sends $10 directly to Magee-Womens Research Institute. First 500 fans receive exclusive Her Hockey Day Hockey Shirt.
• Magee-Womens Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary nonprofit partner for women's health research. Women Who Rock benefit concert proceeds support the institute, which is the nation's largest research institute dedicated solely to women's health. The partnership addresses the funding gap in women's health research and clinical trials.
• Hard Rock InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal campaign partnership for International Women's Month featuring hundreds of all-female-led performances at Hard Rock Cafe, Hotel, and Casino locations worldwide. Joint 'WE ARE' campaign with Eva Longoria. WWR presents benefit concerts at Hard Rock venues including Las Vegas.
• Gibson GivescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Women Who Rock Virtual Concert Series featuring artists like Rita Wilson, Orianthi, Emily Wolfe, and Celisse. Gibson Gives provides guitar donations and support for the concert series.
• Rock & Roll Hall of FamemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMerchandise partnership placing Women Who Rock apparel at Rock Hall shop in Cleveland, Ohio. WWR merchandise featured alongside Revolutionary Women in Music Exhibit.
• City Winery PittsburghminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for Babes & Bubbles events and Women Who Rock presented concerts. Collaborates on women-owned market events and live music programming.
• UPMC Health PlanmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of 2025 Pink Carpet Experience at Women Who Rock Benefit Concert. Supports the pink carpet entrance featured in People Magazine.
• BAIRDmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of Rockstar Silent Auction featuring autographed guitars, custom Gibson Guitars, culinary experiences, jewelry, and artwork.
• KeyBank & Key4WomenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Babes & Bubbles Women-Owned Market events supporting local women-owned businesses.
• Audacy's Leading LadiesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for event featuring Gwen Stefani, Lainey Wilson, Alessia Cara, Kassi Ashton, and Haven Madison at Hard Rock Hotel New York. WWR turns up volume on women's health awareness.
• Pittsburgh Steelers Women of SteelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on merchandise or events supporting women in Pittsburgh.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Susan G. Komen: Susan G. Komen is a major nonprofit funding women's health research (including breast cancer) and runs cause-marketing events including concerts and races. Comparable to Women Who Rock's women's-health-research fundraising mission and corporate sponsorship-driven model, though at much larger scale.
• Live Nation: Live Nation is the world's largest concert promoter and live entertainment company. Women Who Rock's founder previously worked at Live Nation and WWR won Live Nation's Best of Live award; broadly comparable as a concert promoter with overlapping artist booking and ticketing infrastructure.
• Hard Rock International: Hard Rock International is a global entertainment/hospitality company that operates cafes, hotels, and casinos hosting live music events. WWR is a strategic partner of Hard Rock and is comparable as a music-events operator leveraging Hard Rock's venue footprint for cause-driven concerts.
• AEG Presents: AEG Presents is a major concert promoter producing live music events and festivals globally. Comparable to Women Who Rock in concert promotion and ticketing operations, though AEG operates at vastly larger scale as a broad incumbent.

Direct peers

• City Winery: City Winery is a venue operator combining live music with food and beverage experiences. WWR has a venue partnership with City Winery Pittsburgh; comparable in operating intimate live-music events tied to community programming and women-owned markets.
• MusiCares: MusiCares, the Recording Academy-affiliated charitable organization, hosts benefit concerts and fundraising events for music industry members in need. Comparable to Women Who Rock in combining live music events with charitable fundraising and music-industry community-building.
• Reverb: Reverb runs eco-conscious concert and event programs at major music festivals and tours, raising funds for environmental and social causes. Comparable to Women Who Rock in operating cause-driven music events and leveraging concert audiences for fundraising.
• Global Citizen: Global Citizen organizes large-scale benefit concerts and festivals that raise funds and awareness for humanitarian causes. Directly comparable to Women Who Rock in operating benefit concerts tied to a social/cause mission, with similar event-driven revenue and corporate sponsorship models.
• She's The Music: She's The Music is a nonprofit organization focused on increasing female representation in the music industry through mentorship, education, and industry advocacy. Direct peer to Women Who Rock in addressing gender disparity in music, with overlapping Rising Star-style artist development programs.

Emerging players

• Sound Off Showcase: Sound Off Showcase is a music-industry initiative supporting female artists through showcases, mentorship, and performance opportunities. Direct peer to Women Who Rock's Rising Star Contest in creating platforms and career-launch opportunities for women in music.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/officialwomenwhorock
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@womenwhorock
• Facebookfacebook.com/officialwomenwhorock
• Instagraminstagram.com/officialwomenwhorock
• TikToktiktok.com/@officialwomenwhorock
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/womenwhorock

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 Women Who Rock™