Women’s Entrepreneurship Day – Nov. 19, 2026

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day
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Women’s Entrepreneurship Day champions female founders and their contributions every November 19. This global observance highlights the vital role women play in driving economic growth and innovation. Celebrate by supporting women-owned businesses, mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs, and advocating for equitable opportunities.

Want to sponsor Women’s Entrepreneurship Day? Learn how

Expected Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Deals

As a ‘Cause’ holiday, Women’s Entrepreneurship Day focuses less on commercial deals and more on advocacy, support, and investment in women-led ventures. Organizations like Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO) and SCORE often host virtual summits, workshops, and networking events. Financial institutions such as Bank of America and Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women initiative may announce new funding programs or grants for female entrepreneurs. Retailers like Etsy and Amazon Handmade frequently feature women-owned shops, offering special promotions or curated collections. Nonprofits such as the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) encourage members to share success stories and offer mentorship. Look for local chambers of commerce and business incubators to host pitch competitions or educational sessions. We will update this page with confirmed live events and initiatives as November 19 approaches.

Platform Guide for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day

LinkedIn

Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #WomensEntrepreneurshipDay. Share stories of inspiring female founders and discuss challenges and triumphs.

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #WomensEntrepreneurshipDay. Post visuals celebrating women-owned businesses, products, or entrepreneurial journeys.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #WomensEntrepreneurshipDay. Join conversations about policy, funding, and mentorship for women in business.

Social Media Tips for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day

Individuals

Support women-owned businesses by purchasing their products or services. Share their stories on your social media to amplify their reach and impact.

Creators

Interview local female entrepreneurs for a series of short videos or blog posts. Highlight their journey, challenges, and advice for aspiring businesswomen.

Brands

Launch a mentorship program for aspiring female entrepreneurs or host a workshop on business development. Feature women-owned businesses in your supply chain or as partners.

Organizations & Brands for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day

  1. Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO)

    Founded by Wendy Diamond in 2014, WEDO is a non-profit organization that aims to empower, support, and celebrate women entrepreneurs worldwide. It works with the United Nations and other global partners to amplify the voices of women in business.

  2. National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)

    Established in 1975, NAWBO is a national organization representing the interests of women entrepreneurs across all industries. It provides advocacy, networking, and educational resources to help women-owned businesses grow and thrive.

  3. Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Women

    This global initiative, launched in 2008, provides women entrepreneurs in underserved communities with business education and access to capital. It has reached over 100,000 women across 100 countries, fostering economic growth and job creation.

  4. Springboard Enterprises

    Founded in 1999, Springboard Enterprises is a highly selective network of innovators, investors, and influencers dedicated to accelerating the growth of women-led companies. It has helped 885 women-led companies raise over $12.3 billion.

  5. The Tory Burch Foundation

    Launched in 2009 by designer Tory Burch, the foundation empowers women entrepreneurs by providing access to capital, education, and digital resources. It offers programs like the Fellows Program and a capital program with Bank of America.

  6. Hello Alice

    Hello Alice is a free platform that helps entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses, with a strong focus on supporting women and underrepresented founders. It provides access to funding, resources, and a community of peers.

  7. Stella & Dot

    Founded in 2000 by Jessica Herrin, Stella & Dot is a social selling company that empowers women to become flexible entrepreneurs through selling jewelry and accessories. It has created a community of thousands of stylists globally.

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Hero

Wendy Diamond

Wendy Diamond is the founder of the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO) and the driving force behind the global observance. A social entrepreneur, author, and TV personality, she launched WED in 2014 at the United Nations to inspire, empower, and support women in business worldwide, creating a massive platform for female economic empowerment.

History of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day

Wendy Diamond, a social entrepreneur and humanitarian, volunteered with the Adelante Foundation that provides microcredit to locally impoverished women in Honduras. This inspired her to start a movement that empowers women and alleviates poverty, thus creating the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO) in 2013 as a non-governmental, non-racial, non-gender, and non-political volunteer non-profit organization. She established WEDO to bring light to the plight of 250 million girls living in poverty worldwide and deserve a chance. It also seemed to empower 4 billion women living in this world. In 2014, the organization held its inaugural women’s entrepreneurship day in New York City at the United Nations.

WEDO empowers women and girls to become active participants in the economy by creating a network of women leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to initiate startups, drive economic expansion, and enhance communities. It also builds a community of like-minded individuals that women leaders can benefit from to make a real impact in this world.

New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio, Philadelphia Mayor, Jim Kenney, and Los Angeles Mayor, Eric Garcetti, proclaimed November 19 an official day for women entrepreneurship. The United Nations also celebrates the day annually. Additionally, the U.S. House of Representatives recognizes the WEDO movement as “A Day in Honor of Women Entrepreneurs” under the leadership of Congresswoman Grace Meng. Women Entrepreneurship Day needs more support worldwide because if women receive fair and equal opportunities, they can make a greater impact in their country, boost the economy, and inspire others. And now, with a multitude of scholarships geared specifically towards women, women have even more opportunities to do so.

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day timeline

2013
WED’s Inspiration

WED’s founder gets inspired to launch WEDO after volunteering in Honduras with the Adelante Foundation.

2014
Women Wednesday

Women Entrepreneurship Day launches the Women Wednesday social media event held on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving.

2018
Microloans for Impoverished Women

WED donates 1,000 microloans to impoverished women to empower them economically and help them start their businesses.

2019
#ChooseWOMEN Initiative

Women Entrepreneurship Day launches the initiative to inspire women and men to pledge their support to #ChooseWOMEN in business, politics, finance, art, etc.

How Businesses Can Celebrate Women’s Entrepreneurship Day

Local businesses can honor Women’s Entrepreneurship Day by showcasing products and services from women-owned suppliers or partners. Consider hosting a networking event or a panel discussion featuring successful local female entrepreneurs to share insights and inspire others. Offer special discounts or promotions for women-owned businesses, or dedicate a portion of sales to a local organization supporting female founders. Highlight the contributions of women within your own company to foster a culture of recognition and support.

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day FAQs

When is Women’s Entrepreneurship Day?

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day 2026 falls on Thursday, November 19. This global day recognizes and celebrates the achievements of female entrepreneurs.

How many women-owned businesses are there?

In the U.S., women-owned businesses represent approximately 42% of all businesses, employing 9.4 million people and generating $1.9 trillion in revenue. This number continues to grow steadily.

What percentage of startups are founded by women?

While women-owned businesses are prevalent, only about 20% of startups globally have at least one female founder. This highlights a persistent gap in early-stage entrepreneurial ventures.

Why is Women’s Entrepreneurship Day celebrated?

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day is celebrated to empower, support, and celebrate women entrepreneurs worldwide. It aims to raise awareness of the challenges women face in business and advocate for their advancement.

How To Observe Women’s Entrepreneurship Day

  1. Promote a female entrepreneur’s business

    Do you have a female entrepreneur in your friend circle or family? Use social media to promote their business. Help them grow, especially if it is a small business. Speak about the entrepreneur’s achievements and inspire others.

  2. Support a small business owned by a woman

    The next time you need to purchase an item, check whether a small woman-owned business sells it. You will be contributing your bit to the success of a woman entrepreneur. If women don’t become other women’s cheerleaders, who will?

  3. Read a book on entrepreneurship

    Read a book on entrepreneurship. It will give you an insight into how challenging it is to build a successful empire. On top of that, women have to face many more challenges. This will help you appreciate women entrepreneurs even more.

5 Important Facts About Women Entrepreneurs

  1. The study of conflict resolution

    Women have founded leading companies like SlideShare, Cisco, Flickr, and The Body Shop.

  2. Reason for women entrepreneurship

    Women have often stated flexibility around family care as the primary reason to start a business.

  3. Undercapitalized

    Women often end up starting a business with lower funds than required owing to various factors.

  4. Expression of patterns

    Women own 36% of small businesses across the globe.

  5. Panama and women

    Panama has the most number of female entrepreneurs at 29.1%.

Why Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Is Important

  1. Economic growth and stability

    A country’s workforce supports its growth, and women entrepreneurs have a role to play in it. When women entrepreneurs start a business, it invariably motivates other women to follow in their footsteps. The creation of more business means more jobs and also bridging the gender gap.

  2. Alleviates poverty

    When more women are in the workforce starting businesses and creating jobs, it helps to alleviate poverty. Even a small business with a handful of employees is helping someone earn their bread and butter and live a stable life.

  3. Breaks gender stereotypes

    Women Entrepreneurship Day directly empowers women by letting them know their work is valued and appreciated. Sometimes it just takes simple acknowledgment to motivate people. This day sets the tone that women can equally contribute to the growth of a country and breaks gender stereotypes.

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day dates

Year Date Day
2026 November 19 Thursday
2027 November 19 Friday
2028 November 19 Sunday
2029 November 19 Monday
2030 November 19 Tuesday