WISE Summit 2025 will bring entrepreneurial women and underrepresented genders together for a day of learning, networking and building lasting success.
Northeastern senior Amyah Lockhart first discovered WISE — the Women’s Interdisciplinary Society of Entrepreneurship — on YouTube while researching the university before enrolling.
Lockhart, who studies brand management and interaction design, has been actively involved in WISE from her first year through her senior year on Northeastern’s Boston campus.
“WISE introduced me to entrepreneurship and all of the different paths in business,” Lockhart says. “It’s definitely been my most impactful experience at Northeastern. I’ve just been able to learn and grow a lot, both professionally and personally, throughout my time at WISE.”
Although she hasn’t launched a business of her own, Lockhart enjoys using her branding and design expertise to support other entrepreneurs. Understanding the entrepreneurial mindset, she says, has had a profound impact on her own working style.
This year, Lockhart is the head of the WISE Summit 2025, the society’s biggest event of the year. The one-day event takes place Saturday, March 29, at the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex building on Northeastern’s Boston campus.
The summit aims to connect Northeastern students and the Greater Boston community with female and underrepresented founders, entrepreneurs and industry professionals. It provides opportunities to learn, collaborate and explore various aspects of entrepreneurship.
This year’s theme, “Built to Last,” encourages participants to focus on sustainability in their personal and professional journeys, longevity in their careers, and defining success on their own terms.
“Northeastern is a very career-driven, fast-paced school,” Lockhart says. “We thought it was really important to emphasize the need to slow down a bit and reflect, and build up this foundation for ourselves so that in five, 10, 20 years, hopefully, our approach to life is more balanced overall.”
The summit will feature keynote speakers, lightning talks, an interdisciplinary panel discussion and two skill-building workshop sessions. Attendees can choose from eight workshops focused on topics such as movement and productivity, improving sleep quality, data visualization, purposeful content creation, venture capital in the wellness space and sustainable fashion design.
Early-bird registration for the WISE Summit is $25 through Wednesday, Feb. 26, with full-price tickets at $40 available until March 22.
During lunch, local and student businesses will showcase their products at a marketplace. Tickets also include a swag bag with goodies, as well as free breakfast, lunch, coffee and snacks.
“It’s a full day of learning, opportunity and growth,” Lockhart says. “If you can’t find anyone to go with, just go by yourself — it’ll be a great time.”
The organizers are expecting about 300 participants to attend the summit. Attendees do not have to major in business or have a business or entrepreneurial background to participate or become involved in WISE.
“The ‘I’ in WISE stands for interdisciplinary,” Lockhart says. “We welcome all, regardless of major. Honestly, the different mindsets and backgrounds really just make our community even more whole.”
WISE is a student-led organization dedicated to helping women and underrepresented genders develop an innovative mindset through interactive workshops, a thought-incubator, an early-stage venture accelerator, mentorship pairings, a venture capital bootcamp and its annual Summit.
Founded to address the lack of leadership positions and representation of women and underrepresented genders in entrepreneurship, it provides a supportive and safe community.
WISE currently has more than 3,000 members and fills 40 leadership positions every semester. The society helped start 75 ventures, hosted over 190 events and four annual summits, launched a two-week summer program for high-schoolers, and is now expanding to Northeastern’s campuses in London and Oakland.