The Origin of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WEDO)
The inspiration for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WEDO) was born in an unlikely place—the murder capital of the world at the time, Honduras. There, Wendy Diamond witnessed both the immense challenges women face and their extraordinary resilience. She uncovered a startling reality: 388 million women live in poverty worldwide.
In Honduras, she met women who had received microloans—just a few hundred dollars—that gave them the opportunity to launch businesses, support their families, and transform their communities. Against all odds, these women repaid their loans at an astounding 98% rate, proving that when women are given a chance, they don’t just survive—they thrive.
At the same time, Wendy discovered another shocking reality: only 1% of venture capital dollars went to women. And while there were days dedicated to honoring everything from turtles to bubble baths, there was no day anywhere in the world dedicated to celebrating, supporting, or recognizing women entrepreneurs. Governments, corporations, and media gave women in business little to no acknowledgment.
Wendy saw the injustice—and the opportunity. As she explains, “There’s World Turtle Day, there’s Bubble Bath Day, but there was no day to empower, support, and celebrate women. So I created Women’s Entrepreneurship Day.”
The creation of Women’s Entrepreneurship day was more than symbolic—it was a catalytic moment in history. Launched at the United Nations, WEDO put women entrepreneurs on the global stage for the first time, advocating for their recognition.
A Global Network Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Worldwide
Today, WEDO is celebrated in 144 countries and every U.S. state, in official partnership with the U.S. State Department, and led by a powerful grassroots network of over 300 WEDO Ambassadors worldwide. These Ambassadors—spanning government, business, and civil society—work tirelessly in their regions to empower women entrepreneurs with mentorship, resources, and opportunities.
Through WEDO, women are recognized as innovators, job creators, and agents of change—driving progress, uplifting communities, and rewriting the rules for generations to come.
WEDO – Women Entrepreneurs Do Make A Difference – is more than a day. It is a global movement proving that when women rise, we all rise.
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