Over the past decade of building entrepreneurial ecosystems, I’ve seen one truth repeatedly confirmed: when we deliberately invest in women, the impact is transformative—not just for the entrepreneurs themselves but for entire economies.
At Sheraa, we didn’t wait for parity to happen organically. We built it in. From equal representation in startup cohorts and investment forums to ensuring women had access to networks typically closed off to them, our approach was intentional. Mentorship, access, capital—all were shaped with equity at the core.
It wasn’t just about opening doors—it was about making sure women knew they belonged on the other side.
The result? Over 50% of our startups are female-led, collectively raising $290 million, generating $292 million in revenue, and creating 2,500+ jobs since 2016.
But the broader ecosystem is still catching up. In the UAE, only 3% of women start businesses compared to 9.6% of men. And in 2024, female-founded startups in MENA received just 1.2% of the region’s $2.3 billion in funding. This is not due to a lack of ambition or ability—it’s a reflection of who holds the purse strings. The persistent underrepresentation of female investors and decision-makers is a structural barrier that quietly but powerfully shapes outcomes.
Increasing the number of women investors isn’t about optics or quotas. It’s about normalizing women’s leadership—ensuring funding decisions are driven by merit, not pattern-matching biases. And it’s about dismantling the idea that “women entrepreneurs” are a special category. That label may have once served to spotlight inequity, but today, it risks reinforcing it.
We don’t call men “male entrepreneurs.” We celebrate their innovation, traction, vision. Women deserve the same lens.
The real victory will be when women no longer need to be celebrated for doing what they’ve always had the potential to do—when their presence in boardrooms, cap tables, and founder rosters feels unremarkable because it’s finally normal.
This isn’t about fixing women. It’s about fixing systems. And that means moving beyond short-term initiatives or one-off campaigns. It means placing long-term bets on women—not just as founders, but as funders, mentors, and decision-makers.
The measure of our success will be clear: when the term women entrepreneur becomes obsolete.
