Organization of Women in International Trade

What Organization of Women in International Trade does

OWIT (Organization of Women in International Trade), legally OWIT International, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional organization founded in 1989 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization supports the advancement of women in international trade and business by providing networking, education, and advocacy through a federation of 27 locally-operated chapters across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Africa, supplemented by a Virtual Chapter for members without local chapter access. Its core offerings are membership access (2,000+ individual members), monthly webinars on international trade topics (some free, some purchasable via the OWIT Shop), an annual OWITCon conference, a members-only directory, a job bank, and the annual Woman of the Year award recognizing distinguished women in trade.

The organization operates on a deliberately lean, volunteer-driven infrastructure with administrative support outsourced. Its technology stack is composed entirely of commodity third-party tools: WordPress for the website, Wistia and Dailymotion for webinar video hosting, Zoom for virtual meetings, Constant Contact for email newsletters, and WooCommerce for e-commerce. There are no proprietary technology assets, no API or developer platform, and no AI/ML capabilities. Technology serves as an operational backbone for membership management and event delivery rather than a competitive differentiator.

OWIT's revenue model is a blend of recurring and transactional streams: recurring annual chapter membership dues (collected locally and partially remitted to OWIT International), tiered corporate sponsorships priced at $200 (small business), $500 (mid-tier), and $1,150 (corporate), transactional webinar purchases and conference registration fees, and in-kind or grant partnerships with government trade agencies (U.S. Department of Commerce ITA, EXIM Bank) and international trade organizations (SheTrades/ITC, WEConnect, Vital Voices, FITT). The organization does not publicly disclose revenue, and governance is exercised by an annually elected Executive Committee reporting to a Board of Directors comprising chapter representatives.

Name

Organization of Women in International Trade

Legal name

Organization of Women in International Trade

Website

https://owit.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

OWIT International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1989 that supports women in international trade and business through a federation of 27 chapters, 2,000+ members, monthly webinars, and an annual global conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Members pay dues to their local chapter and automatically become members of OWIT International. Virtual Chapter members pay dues directly to OWIT International.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors pay $1,150/year for logo placement, webinar opportunities, social media promotion, networking access, and conference presence. Middle tier business sponsors pay $500/year and small business sponsors pay $200/year with corresponding benefits.
3. Webinar Programs: OWIT hosts webinars once/twice monthly for one hour, serving as a revenue generator. Recorded webinars are available for purchase through the OWIT Store.
4. Conference Registration: Annual international conferences (OWITCon) with registration fees for attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

OWIT is a non-profit professional membership organization that supports the advancement of women in international trade and business. It sells annual memberships through 27 local chapters and a Virtual Chapter, providing access to a global network of 2,000+ members, monthly educational webinars, annual international conferences, a member directory, and a job bank. Supplementary paid offerings include recorded webinar purchases through the OWIT Shop and tiered corporate sponsorship programs.

Product overview

OWIT International is a non-profit professional organization structured as a membership-based platform offering networking, educational, and professional development services for women in international trade and business. The core offering is membership access to a global network of over 2,000 members across chapters worldwide, supplemented by webinars (OWIT Int'l Webinars), annual conferences, a job bank, and a members-only directory. Additional programs include the OWIT Virtual Chapter for geographically dispersed members, the OWIT Woman of the Year Award, HappyHER Hour networking events, Annual MSME Day celebrations, newsletters, and an online shop for recorded webinar content. The organization operates through locally-operated chapters in Africa, the Americas, and Europe, with all chapter members automatically becoming OWIT International members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OWIT Membership A global membership network providing women in international trade and business with networking opportunities, educational resources, and access to a directory of over 2,000 individual members across 27 worldwide chapters plus a Virtual Chapter. Members join through local chapters or the Virtual Chapter by paying annual dues, which automatically enrolls them in OWIT International.
• OWIT Int'l Webinars Educational webinars on international trade topics offered live once or twice monthly, with some sessions free and others available for purchase through the OWIT Shop; recorded webinars are available for purchase.
• OWIT International Conferences (OWITCon) Annual global conferences bringing together trade professionals and subject matter experts to address challenges in internationalization of trade and investment; registration fees apply and non-members pay higher fees.
• OWIT Job Bank An online employment resource where members can advertise and browse job opportunities in the international trade field, with advertising access included as part of mid-tier business sponsorship benefits.
• OWIT Virtual Chapter An online chapter for members without a local chapter nearby, providing the same benefits as local chapter membership, with dues paid directly to OWIT International.
• OWIT Shop Online store offering past recorded webinars for purchase, enabling members and non-members to access educational content on international trade topics.
• Corporate Sponsorship Program Tiered annual sponsorship packages (Corporate $1,150/year, Middle Tier Business $500/year, Small Business $200/year) offering logo placement, webinar speaking opportunities, social media promotion, networking access, and conference presence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 individual members connected globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Forum For International Trade Training (FITT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFITT is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing international business training, resources and professional certification. They offer the only international business training programs and related professional designation (CITP|FIBP) endorsed by the World Trade Centers Association and the Canadian government. OWIT members receive special membership benefits through this partnership.
• Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (EXIM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOWIT and EXIM formed an alliance to enhance trade education for business owners who are members of OWIT as well as for clients of EXIM. LaTaunya Darden serves as OWIT International Partner and Business Development Specialist representing EXIM.
• GroYourBiz Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeadquartered in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, GroYourBiz brings tactical approach to women business owners who want to grow. Their MyBusinessMyBoard program has 25+ Advisory Boards active in Canada and USA. Barbara Mowat serves as OWIT International Partner, President of GroYourBiz. Organizations share core values and expertise to mentor and assist women business owners.
• SheTradescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn initiative of the International Trade Centre to connect 1 million women around the world to business opportunities and markets. The platform allows women entrepreneurs and women-owned companies to sign up for visibility to potential buyers. OWIT serves as a verifying partner for all members.
• Vital VoicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOWIT is a 'nominating partner' of Vital Voices and actively promotes the VV Grow Fellowship program to all OWIT Chapters. The VV GROW Fellowship is a highly competitive one-year accelerator program for women owners of small and medium businesses in Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa.
• North American Small Business International Trade Educators (NASBITE)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASBITE is a non-profit supporting training and education in global business and is steward of The Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) credential. NASBITE offers new online resources on OWIT's website to help members earn this professional designation.
• NCBFAA Educational InstitutesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America Educational Institute provides educational opportunities in international trade, supply chain management, global logistics, customs brokerage, export transactions, and transportation for NCBFAA members and the larger trade community.
• WEConnect InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA corporate-led non-profit helping build sustainable communities by empowering women business owners to succeed in local and global markets. OWIT International provides WEConnect International members with access to training and information on doing business internationally. WEConnect operates in over 70 countries.
• Women Entrepreneurs GROW Global (WEGG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Chicago sharing mission of educating women business owners and entrepreneurs worldwide on how to go global. OWIT members receive a discount on WEGG webinars and global trade educational programs.
• International Trade Administration, Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOWIT and the Department of Commerce provide learning opportunities and networking that engages and educates participants on economic benefits of trade and access to ITA resources. Partnership includes webinars, trade-specific networking, workshops and direct trade capacity building support. OWIT was a major partner for the Department's inaugural Women's Global Trade Empowerment Program.
• TFO CanadasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade Facilitation Office Canada is a non-profit improving lives by creating sustainable trade partnerships for exporters from developing countries with Canadian and foreign buyers. They provide free market information, webinars, and contact services to qualified export-ready companies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• International Women's Forum (IWF): A global membership organization of accomplished women leaders across industries and geographies; offers comparable peer networking, leadership programs, and global chapter structure for senior women professionals.
• SheTrades (International Trade Centre): An ITC initiative connecting women entrepreneurs to global markets, with which OWIT has a partnership serving as a verifying partner; both focus on increasing women's participation in international trade.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): The largest U.S. membership organization for women business owners across industries; comparable chapter structure, advocacy mission, and educational programming aimed at advancing women-owned businesses.
• Forum for International Trade Training (FITT): A non-profit providing international business training and the CITP|FIBP designation endorsed by the World Trade Centers Association; OWIT has a core partnership with FITT offering members access to trade certification programs.
• Vital Voices Global Partnership: A global non-profit that invests in women leaders solving global challenges; OWIT is a 'nominating partner' and both organizations serve women entrepreneurs with global ambitions through programming and fellowship opportunities.
• Women Entrepreneurs GROW Global (WEGG): A 501(c)(3) nonprofit sharing OWIT's mission of educating women business owners on going global; OWIT members receive discounts on WEGG webinars and programs, reflecting direct programmatic overlap.
• WEConnect International: A corporate-led non-profit helping women business owners succeed in local and global markets; OWIT International has a formal reciprocal partnership with WEConnect and both serve overlapping constituencies of women entrepreneurs seeking international trade opportunities.
• Women Presidents' Organization (WPO): A peer membership organization for women presidents and leaders of multi-million dollar enterprises; comparable chapter-based and peer-group networking model targeting accomplished women business leaders, including those engaged in international commerce.

Emerging players

• Astia: A global non-profit providing expertise-driven access to capital and networks for women-led high-growth companies; comparable focus on removing barriers for women in business and international growth, though more oriented toward venture-backed founders.
• Springboard Enterprises: A non-profit accelerator connecting women entrepreneurs with investors and advisors; comparable in mission to advance women-led businesses, though focused on scaling through capital rather than trade-specific networking.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/owitintl
• Facebookfacebook.com/OWITIntl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/organization-of-women-in-international-trade-owit
• Instagraminstagram.com/owit_intl/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Organization of Women in International Trade