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“We have continued to expand our programs and convenings that amplify voices, elevate actionable solutions, and drive impact for women in business. With every partnership, every program, and every initiative, we move closer to an economy where women can access the capital, mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership opportunities they deserve.” –Gwen Young

As we close out 2025, Women Business Collaborative (WBC) stands proudly at the intersection of momentum and mission. This year has been one of growth, connection, and bold movement toward a business landscape where women lead with equal power, pay, and position. We have listened, convened, built, and accelerated—and we are stepping into the new year with clarity: women are not asking for permission to lead. We are leading now.

2025 reminded us that progress is not linear. It requires persistence, partnership, and a commitment to meet the moment with the full strength of our collective voice. WBC has done exactly that.

2025: A Year of Strategic Investment in Women’s Leadership


Across industries—from boardrooms to locker rooms, and veteran communities to entrepreneurial ecosystems—WBC has strengthened the networks, visibility, and pathways available to women.

We have continued to expand our programs and convenings that amplify voices, elevate actionable solutions, and drive impact for women in business. With every partnership, every program, and every initiative, we move closer to an economy where women can access the capital, mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership opportunities they deserve.

Women in Sports: Turning Athletic Excellence Into Executive Leadership

This year, WBC sharpened its focus on women in sports—an arena rich with leadership, discipline, and strategic thinking. Through the In the Arena: Women’s Leadership in the Sports Industry initiative and the development of the Athlete Business Academy, we are working to bridge the gap between athletic skill and corporate ascent.

Women athletes are leaders. They manage risk, adapt under pressure, strategize in real time, and influence teams. In 2026 and beyond, WBC will continue building the career pathways that translate athletic talent into executive power—so women who lead on the field also lead in the boardroom.

Women Veterans: Skills Forged in Service, Ready for Business

 

Our support for women veterans is grounded in a simple belief: service is leadership.

Women who have led in uniform bring resilience, discipline, and mission-driven focus into the workplace. WBC is committed to helping them secure access to employment, mentorship, and entrepreneurial opportunity. Through our growing resource network and partnership development, we are building the infrastructure to help women veterans transition to industries where their expertise is valued, visible, and economically rewarded.

2025 was a year of groundwork. 2026 will be a year of expansion, collaboration, and career mobility for more women veterans nationwide.

Women-Owned Businesses: Driving Capital, Growth & Innovation

 

Women entrepreneurs continue to define the future of business. They innovate, reinvest in community, and build economies that work for everyone. Yet access to capital and scale remains a challenge—one WBC is working relentlessly to correct.

Through our Women Entrepreneurs & Capital Access programs, competitions, summits, and corporate partnerships, WBC is creating channels for investment, mentorship, and systemic change.

We know that when women receive capital, companies grow, communities strengthen, and economies accelerate. In 2026, we aim to widen these channels even further.

Meeting the Moment Ahead

 

As we close this year, WBC stands ready for what comes next.

We are expanding our work, deepening collaborations, and building measurable pathways for women to lead across industries. With a focus on women in sports, women veterans, and women-owned businesses, we are not just responding to the moment—we are shaping it.

The future demands leadership that is diverse, adaptive, and boldly innovative. Women are ready. WBC is ready.

Together, we enter 2026 with purpose. With action. With momentum.
And with the unwavering belief that women belong everywhere decisions are made.

Author

  • Gwen Young 1X1 1 e1632007754474

    Gwen K. Young is the CEO of the Women Business Collaborative. She is also a Visiting Scholar at the Elliot School of International Affairs, George Washington University and former Director of the Global Women’s Leadership Initiative at the Wilson Center. She is an Advisor to Concordia. Ms. Young has worked across the globe to promote economic development, good governance and peace. She has developed strategy, programming and advocacy in the areas of humanitarian policy, international affairs and international development. This includes developing public private partnerships focused on public health, agriculture, gender equality, and access to finance. Further, Ms. Young has advocated for and published on international criminal law and designed SGBV guidelines. As an attorney, Ms. Young has worked as a professional advocate for women and human rights in corporate law settings, with the ICTY and the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at the University of San Diego. Her career has encompassed a comprehensive array of international organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Medecins Sans Frontieres, International Rescue Committee, and the Harvard Institute for International Development. An alumna of Smith College, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and the University of California Davis, School of Law, Ms. Young has pursued a career of international public service focused on humanitarian relief, international development, and human rights starting with gender equality and equity.

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