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In 2025, WEConnect International proved that access changes everything.
This year, our work reached women entrepreneurs across 144 markets, facilitated over 17,000 business connections, and trained more than 20,800 women. We hosted 300+ events and convenings, and engaged 180 member buyers committed to building supply chains that are not only stronger, but more resilient. In a survey of women-owned businesses in our network, 70% reported increased business revenue, and 59% said they hired more people.
These are not just numbers. They are contracts won, companies scaled, and jobs created. They represent the compounding power of access—to markets, to knowledge, to connections, and to opportunity.
But these are also not just business outcomes. The ripple effects reach further—into households, neighborhoods, and communities. Women-owned businesses told us they are creating jobs, mentoring other entrepreneurs, supporting children’s education, and reducing economic vulnerability in the places they call home. When a woman-owned business wins a contract, the benefits don’t stop at the balance sheet.
In a year defined by economic uncertainty and shifting global trade dynamics, the resilience of women-owned businesses stood out. From a supplier in Japan landing a major contract after getting certified to a tech firm in India securing high-value engagements with 11 multinational buyers—our network delivered. In South Asia alone, a five-year initiative supported by the U.S. Department of State resulted in 207 confirmed contracts and 2,533 new jobs. In Latin America, the WE3A initiative generated 3,000+ business connections.
From Osaka to Johannesburg, Mumbai to Madrid, São Paulo to Toronto, our summits, bootcamps, and matchmaking events connected purpose-driven buyers with qualified, ambitious women suppliers ready to compete on the global stage.
As we reflect on 2025, we are proud of what this community has built together. But we are also clear-eyed about what remains. Half of the world’s population is still underrepresented as suppliers in global value chains. Every purchase is a chance to invest in untapped potential, drive innovation, and build markets that work for everyone.
For 16 years, WEConnect International has been unlocking what we believe is the largest untapped source of growth in the world economy. Women-owned businesses are ready, qualified, and hungry to compete—and the buyers who find them first gain a real competitive edge. Our work exists to accelerate that match, at scale, across every market.
We invite you to read our 2025 Annual Report to see what can be accomplished when we invest in access. Then we ask you to join us in going further.
Denise Naguib, Chair of the Board
Elizabeth A. Vazquez, CEO & Co-Founder
