Washington International Trade Association

What Washington International Trade Association does

Washington International Trade Association (WITA) is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(6) non-profit, non-partisan trade association founded in 1982 that operates as the largest neutral forum in the U.S. capital for open discussion of international trade and economic policy. Governed by a 20-member Board of Directors, the organization educates policymakers and the public on pressing trade issues through a portfolio of interconnected programs: WITA Events (webinars, conferences, and panel discussions), WITA Academy (trade education, career development, and the WITA Academy Fellowship), America's Trade Policy (research and commentary), Young Trade Professionals (YTP), and WITA International (launched in 2024 at the WTO Public Forum in Geneva). WITA has hosted over 200 online events since 2020 and maintains an active recurring event calendar including the Washington International Trade Conference, Trade & Tech Summit, USMCA Review Series, and WTO Matters series. Affiliated with the Washington International Trade Foundation (WITF).

Name

Washington International Trade Association

Legal name

WITA - The International Trade Association

Website

https://wita.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Washington International Trade Association is a non-profit, non-partisan trade association founded in 1982 that educates policymakers and the public on international trade policy through events, webinars, research, and career development programs, serving trade professionals, businesses, law firms, academia, NGOs, embassies, and U.S. government officials.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Policy, Agreements & Negotiations (BPADAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Economic & Trade Cooperation Organizations (BPADAAAC), Trade Facilitation, Customs & Border Regulatory Cooperation (BPADANAG)

Keywords

• International trade policy
• Trade association events
• Trade policy education
• Trade policy research
• Professional development trade

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: WITA generates revenue through individual and group membership fees. Membership tiers include group memberships ($350 for up to 5 members, $500 for up to 10 members) and Executive Level Membership ($1,000 with 10 free passes and unlimited members). Members receive discounts on event registration.
2. Event Registration: Revenue from event registration fees. Events typically cost $50 for non-members and $30 for members. Some events are free to attend. Events include webinars, conferences, in-person gatherings, and hybrid events.
3. Job Postings: Job postings on the WITA Career Center generate revenue at $25 per 30-day posting.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate and group sponsorships provide revenue. Sponsorship opportunities exist for events and the organization overall.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WITA is a non-profit, non-partisan trade association that operates a neutral forum in Washington, DC for discussion of international trade and economic policy. It offers a portfolio of programs including webinars and conferences on trade policy, educational programming through WITA Academy, trade policy research and commentary through America's Trade Policy, networking for young professionals through YTP, a podcast series, and a job/career board.

Product overview

WITA is a non-profit trade association that serves as a neutral forum for discussing international trade and economic policy issues. Rather than a unified software product, WITA's offering consists of multiple interconnected programs: WITA Events (webinars and conferences on trade topics), WITA Academy (trade education and career development), America's Trade Policy (research and commentary), and the Young Trade Professionals program. The organization hosts recurring event series including the Washington International Trade Conference, Trade & Tech Summit, USMCA Review Series, and WTO Matters series. WITA also provides career services through its Trade Jobs/Career Center platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WITA Academy: Trade education, career development, and capacity building programming including the WITA Academy Fellowship
• America's Trade Policy (ATP)
• Young Trade Professionals (YTP)
• WITA International
• NextGenTrade
• Washington International Trade Conference (WITC)
• WITA/Foundation Annual Dinner
• WITA's Trade & Tech Summit
• USMCA Review Series

Products and services

• WITA Events WITA's flagship event programming consisting of webinars, conferences, panel discussions, and networking events focused on international trade policy, featuring keynotes from trade officials and experts. Registration is open to members and non-members via the WITA website and Eventbrite.
• WITA Academy Educational platform offering career development programming, trade education, capacity building, and the WITA Academy Fellowship for professionals seeking careers in international trade. Has hosted over 200 online events since 2020.
• America's Trade Policy (ATP) Research and commentary platform providing analysis of international trade policy issues through published research papers, blogs, and the Friday Focus on Trade newsletter.
• Young Trade Professionals (YTP) Networking and professional development program for young professionals in the trade community, featuring happy hours, career events, and mentorship opportunities.
• WITA Exchange Podcast Podcast series featuring discussions on global trade outlook and interviews with trade policy experts, distributed as part of WITA's content programming.
• Trade Jobs / Career Center Job board and career resources for trade professionals. Employers pay $25 per 30-day posting; job seekers can find opportunities in international trade.
• WITA International International extension of WITA hosting events abroad, linking Washington DC perspectives with global capitals; launched at the 2024 WTO Public Forum in Geneva.
• WITA Membership Membership tiers including Group Membership ($350 for up to 5 members, $500 for up to 10 members) and Executive Level Membership ($1,000 with 10 free passes and unlimited members); members receive discounted event registration.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 online events hosted since 2020
• +1 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Asia Society Policy InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host partnership for events on trade policy topics including Chinese EV tariffs, US-China trade relations, and broader Asia trade policy discussions. ASPI provides policy expertise and speakers for joint events.
• U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for AI governance events including discussions on OECD AI recommendations and global regulatory frameworks. Joint efforts on digital trade and AI policy topics.
• Wilson Center Africa ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host for AGOA reauthorization events and US-Africa trade discussions. Partnership focuses on African trade policy and development issues.
• World Trade Centers Association (WTCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWITA produces podcast content for WTCA Global Business Forum events. Active participation in WTCA events including the 2026 Global Business Forum in Philadelphia.
• World Trade OrganizationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWITA hosts events at WTO including International Trade Reception during WTO Public Forum. Co-hosts briefings on WTO Ministerial Conferences (MC12, MC13, MC14).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: One of the oldest and largest U.S. think tanks with substantial international economics and trade programming. Comparable as a DC-based convener producing trade policy research, but operates at significantly larger scale and endowment.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: The largest U.S. business federation with significant international trade advocacy. Comparable as a Washington-based business association influencing trade policy, but with a vastly larger membership base and broader mandate beyond trade.
• Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): Long-standing non-partisan membership organization focused on U.S. foreign policy and international affairs. Comparable to WITA in serving as a neutral forum for policymakers, though its remit spans broader foreign policy beyond trade.
• Atlantic Council: Non-partisan international affairs think tank with active trade and economic policy programming. Comparable to WITA in convening policymakers and producing trade commentary, though with a global rather than primarily U.S. policy focus.
• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM): One of the largest U.S. manufacturing trade associations, advocating on trade, tax, and regulatory policy. Comparable to WITA as a membership-based business association engaging on trade policy in Washington, DC, but operating at a much broader industry scope.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Major bipartisan policy research organization with a dedicated trade and economics program. Comparable in hosting trade-related convenings and producing policy analysis in Washington, DC, but with significantly larger staff and budget.

Direct peers

• Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI): Non-partisan policy institute addressing trade and economic issues affecting Asia-U.S. relations. Already a WITA co-host partner on US-China trade events and EV tariff discussions, comparable in convening trade stakeholders and producing policy analysis.
• World Trade Centers Association (WTCA): International trade association network connecting 300+ World Trade Centers globally, focused on trade promotion and business networking. Already an active WITA partner, and comparable as a membership-based trade association offering events and global convenings.
• Peterson Institute for International Economics: A leading non-partisan think tank focused exclusively on international economics and trade policy research. Highly comparable to WITA in policy focus area and non-partisan posture, but differentiates through deep research output rather than convening and events.
• Women in International Trade (WIIT): Non-profit organization promoting women in international trade through networking, mentoring, and policy engagement in Washington, DC. Highly comparable in mission and structure, hosting joint YTP events with WITA; differs by focusing on a specific demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wita_dc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wita

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Washington International Trade Association