en
Osaka, Japan — The WEConnect International APAC Summit brought together 415 purpose-driven leaders, entrepreneurs, buyers, youth delegates, and ecosystem builders—and the energy was electric from start to finish.
Held alongside Expo 2025, May 28-30, the three-day summit aligned with global themes of sustainability, innovation, and shared prosperity. The event served as a dynamic platform for cross-border collaboration, strategic sourcing, and tangible business opportunities for women-owned businesses.
A Global Gathering with a Common Mission
Women entrepreneurs from 12 countries and representatives from 18 member buyer companies united with one goal: to drive economic growth by opening more doors for women business owners in global value chains.
The Summit officially launched at the Expo Women’s Pavilion with a powerful forum titled “Leveraging Procurement to Pave the Way for More Women-Owned Businesses to Deliver Solutions.” The session sparked bold conversations on how smarter sourcing can unlock better solutions—and set the tone for what followed.
Access, Insights, and Action
Day 2, themed “Going Global – Leverage the Power of Access,” featured panels, keynotes, workshops, and matchmaking sessions designed to help women entrepreneurs compete and grow across borders.
Global procurement leaders led a standout roundtable on Responsible Sourcing, offering practical strategies for becoming supply-chain ready and meeting the standards of leading buyers focused on impact and sustainability.
A Marketplace of Bold Ideas
Day 3 featured the Women’s Business Tradeshow, where women-owned businesses showcased innovations across industries. The day also included ESG workshops for youth leaders, supplier pitch sessions, and a closing reception—Celebrating Success—hosted by the Osaka Business Development Association.
Key Outcomes
In her closing remarks, WEConnect International CEO and Co-Founder Elizabeth Vazquez encouraged attendees to stay focused on what’s next:
“Let’s turn today’s connections into tomorrow’s contracts, collaborations, and game-changing partnerships. Because when women rise, we all rise.”
The APAC Summit marked a significant step forward in advancing market access for women-owned businesses across the region. WEConnect International remains committed to building on this momentum—working with its global network of member buyers, business owners, and partners to drive progress in supplier engagement and economic opportunity worldwide.
