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Women's Entrepreneurship Day

Women's Entrepreneurship Day (WED) celebrated annually on November 19 is a day on which the work of women entrepreneurs is observed and discussed, held each year. The inaugural event was held in New York City at the United Nations, with additional events being held simultaneously in several other countries. 144 nations overall recognized the first WED in 2014, which included the presentation of the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Pioneer Awards. The organization behind WED also has an ambassadorship and fellowship program.

History

Women's Entrepreneurship Day was founded and implemented by Pet Pioneer, Animal Fair Media Founder and Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipient Wendy Diamond, after volunteering with the Adelante Foundation who provides microcredit to low income women while in Honduras. Upon her return to the US she decided she wanted to develop something to help this and similar philanthropic causes. The first day was held on November 19, 2014, and was observed in 144 countries that year. It was described by Fortune as "a global movement to celebrate and support female founders and shed light on some of their challenges." Forbes Magazine wrote that the intention was also "to mobilize a global network of female business owners, entrepreneurs, and change-makers who support and empower this community of women entrepreneurs and their businesses." November 19 was proclaimed an "official day" by both New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and is celebrated annually at the United Nations and around the globe.

Inaugural event at the United Nations

Women's Entrepreneurship Day event convenes at the United Nations in New York City including a conference, speakers, and the inaugural Women's Entrepreneurship Day Pioneer Awards. An Education Philanthropy Pioneer Award was given to Barack Obama’s grandmother Sarah Obama, for her work in bringing gender equality to education in that country. Obama was presented the award by actress Quvenzhané Wallis. Loreen Arbus received an award for her philanthropic work, as did to Lynn Tilton.

Other attendees of the United Nations inaugural launch included Miss Universe Gabriela Isler; Jimmy Choo co-founder Tamara Mellon; and First Ladies Gertrude Maseko of Malawi and Penehupifo Pohamba of Namibia. Delegations were sent from many different nations attended the event as well. A second WED is planned at the United Nations in 2015: the United Nations Foundation is a founding partner of the events.

List of Pioneer Award winners

2014

  • Loreen Arbus (Philanthropy) – President of Loreen Arbus Productions
  • Lynn Tilton (Business) – Founder and CEO of Patriarch Partners
  • Mama Sarah Obama (Education) – Founder and CEO of The Mama Sarah Obama Foundation
  • Sandy Lerner (Technology) – Co-founder of Cisco Systems and Founder of Urban Decay
  • Shannon Schuyler (Social Responsibility) – Chief Corporate Responsibility and Purpose Officer of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (PwC US), and President of the PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc.
  • Tamara Mellon (Fashion) – Co-founder of Jimmy Choo and Creative Director & Founder of the Tamara Mellon brand

2015

2016

2017

  • Andrea Kerzner (Arts) – Daughter of Sol Kerzner, Founder and CEO of Lalela Project, Co-Creator of themoreweshare.com, Director of the Board of Kerzner International Holdings Limited
  • Angie Bastian (Culinary) – Founder, Angie's Boomchickapop
  • Bobbi Brown (Beauty) – CEO of Beauty Evolution and Former CEO & Chief Creative Officer of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics
  • Dorothy "Dottie" Herman (Business) – Co-founder, President & CEO of Real Estate brokerage firm Douglas Elliman Real Estate, LLC
  • Judith Ripka (Accessories) – Luxury Jewelry Designer & Founder of Judith Ripka
  • Lucy Jarvis (Media) – First woman television producer, Peabody Award winner
  • Muna Rihani Al-Nasser (Philanthropy) – Chairwoman of the UN Women for Peace Association
  • Sara Bareilles (Music) – Singer-Songwriter Waitress Writer/Composer
  • Sonia Gardner (Finance) – President, Managing Partner, and co-founder of Avenue Capital Group & Global Chair of the Board of 100 Women in Finance
  • Suzanne Lerner (Fashion) – President and co-founder of Michael Stars and board member of Women Thrive Alliance
  • Twinkle Khanna (Celebrity) – actress, entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist

2018

  • Anna Sui (Fashion) – Fashion Designer and Entrepreneur
  • Eileen Murray (Finance) – CO-CEO Bridgewater Associates
  • Her Highness Princess Märtha Louise of Norway (Politics) – Author & Chair Princess Märtha Louise's Fund to benefit disabled children
  • Kathleen King (Culinary) – Founder Tate's Bake Shop
  • Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk (Civics) – President/Co-founder Memnosyne Foundation & The John Philip Thompson Foundation
  • Shannon Dellimore (Beauty) – Co-founder & Creative Director GLAMGLOW
  • Shari Staglin (Philanthropy) – CEO Staglin Family Vineyard, Co-founder One Mind
  • Shelley Zalis (Technology) – Founder OTX Global Technology Consulting Firm, CEO/Founder The Female Quotient

2019

  • Wendy Diamond (Humanitarian) – A Social Entrepreneur, Impact Investor, Humanitarian, Animal Advocate, Best-Selling Author and CEO/Founder of Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO)/#ChooseWOMEN, a non-governmental philanthropic volunteer organization. WED, with chapters in 144 countries and 112 universities/colleges, is on a global mission to alleviate poverty and empower women in business.
  • Hannah Stocking (Influencer) – Global Entertainer 25+ Million Followers
  • Missy Elliott (Music) – Grammy Award Winning Musical Artist
  • Leah Solivan (Technology) – General Partner Fuel Capital & Founder TaskRabbit
  • Stephanie Newby (Finance) – Founder Golden Seeds, the premiere early-stage investment firm for women-led companies
  • Patty Baker (Philanthropy) – Philanthropist, Broadway Producer, Founder Baker Scholars, Board Member Hunter College Foundation (Baker Theater Building), New York Public Theater, Naples Players, Baker Art Museum & Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
  • Norma Kamali (Fashion) – International Fashion Designer, Founder/CEO Normalife, Founder/CEO Wellness CAFÉ & STOP OBJECTIFICATION CAMPAIGN
  • Francine LeFrak (Accessories) – Founder/Visionary Same Sky, Chair Harvard Kennedy School Women's Leadership Board & Founder LeFrak Productions.

2021

  • Nadja Swarovski — Chair, Swarovski Foundation & Founder Atelier Swarovski
  • Mona Scott Young — CEO/Founder Monami Entertainment
  • Dawn Dickson — Founder/CEO PopCom
  • Congresswoman Grace Meng — Member House Appropriations Committee & Vice Chair Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations
  • Judy Heumann — International Disability Rights Advocate/ The Heumann Perspective

2022

  • Janice Bryant Howroyd — Founder/Chief Executive Officer the ActOne Group
  • Marta Belcher — Chair Filecoin Foundation & General Counsel & Head Policy Protocol Labs
  • Wendy Fisher — Artist, Philanthropist, President Board of Trustees Guggenheim Foundation
  • Neeti Mehta — Co-founder/Social Impact Officer, Automation Anywhere
  • Amanda Fielding — Founder/Director Beckley Foundation & Psychedelics Pioneer
  • Lele Pons — Influencer, NFT/Crypto Enthusiast
  • Beverly Johnson — Founder Beverly Johnson Enterprises, supermodel
  • Mitzi Perdue — Businesswoman, philanthropist, anti-human trafficking advocate
  • Coco Rocha — Founder, investor, and fashion model pioneer

2023

  • Nancy G. Brinker — Founder Susan G. Komen Foundation
  • Susan Wagner — CoFounder BlackRock Inc.
  • Bonnie Anderson — Founder Veracity Diagnostic
  • Dr. Ruth Westheimer — Sex therapist, media personality, author
  • Carol Reiley — CoFounder and President Drive.AI
  • Jenny Just — Founder Peak 6 Investments
  • Fran Weissler — Broadway Producer

2024

  • Helena Christensen (Model)—UNHCR Global Ambassador, Former Victoria's Secret Angel, Co-founder Nylon Magazine
  • Marilyn Simons (Philanthropy)—Founder/Board Chair Simons Foundation
  • Suneera Madhani (Finance)—Founder & CEO Worth AI Founder Stax Payments CEO/Founder CEO School
  • BINA48 (Science)—Breakthrough Intelligence via Neural Architecture 48* Humanoid AI Robot
  • Tanis Jorge (Technology)—Co-founder Trulioo.com & the Cofounders Hub
  • Tina Nova (Health)—Co-founder Genoptix Medical Laboratory /Former CEO DecipherBiosciences

2025

  • Jessy Draper (Venture Capital) — Founding Partner of Halogen Venture and Founder of Valley Girl Ventures and Venture Girls.
  • Howard Morgan (Finance/Technology) — Chair and General Partner at B Capital and co-founder of First Round Capital
  • Sheila Lirio Marcelo (Technology/Entrepreneurship) — Co-founder and CEO of Ohai.ai, Founder of Care. com, and Venture Partner at NEA.
  • Gloria Allred (Law) — Founding Partner of Allred, Mark & Goldberg and civil rights attorney.
  • Rachel Drori (Entrepreneur ship) — Founder and former CEO of Daily Harvest.
  • Chloe Ting (Fitness/Media) — Certified personal trainer and digital fitness creator.

International events

Additional events were held internationally, including one at the University of Luxembourg, which held a conference that featured speeches from women entrepreneurs as well as discussions between local entrepreneurs. The keynote address was provided by Deputy Chief Executive of the European Investment Fund Marjut Santoni. Other events were also held, for example, in Lagos, Nigeria. WED founded and launched the Women Wednesday social media event held on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving in 2014, to support women in business and related causes.

Fellowships

In addition to the annual events, WED founded and initiated a Global Ambassador Initiative, in order to develop WED communities on university campuses. It also runs the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Fellows Program, which is chaired by Kunal Sood.

References

External links