startAD, the Abu Dhabi-based global accelerator powered by Tamkeen and anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), along with the United States Mission to the UAE, held a closing ceremony to mark the completion of the fourth edition of the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) UAE program.
Held at the NYUAD campus, the ceremony was attended by the United States Ambassador to the UAE Martina Strong. The event also served as a pitch day, providing a multisensory experience for ecosystem partners to directly engage with the products and services offered by the participating businesses. Over the last four years, AWE UAE businesses have become an integral part of the local economy, cumulatively generating USD 42 million in revenue, raising USD 9.2 million in funding, and creating 524 jobs.
With the UAE’s SME sector accounting for around 63.5 percent of the UAE’s non-oil economy, and nearly half of these businesses being owned by women, AWE recognizes the potential impact women entrepreneurs can create on the UAE economy. The program combines interactive workshops and training sessions, personalized mentorship, and networking opportunities. It equips female founders with the knowledge, tools, and network to scale.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with NYU Abu Dhabi, startAD, and Tamkeen to bring the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs to the UAE. AWE is the State Department’s flagship women’s economic empowerment program, which has helped over 25,000 women entrepreneurs in 120 countries. Seventy-four percent of AWE graduates globally reported higher incomes and 29 percent reported hiring additional staff after completing the program, reflecting AWE’s positive impact on local economies."
Marking a four-year partnership between the United States Mission to the UAE and startAD, this year’s cohort featured the following 12 UAE businesses:
- Bookends: An online platform in which customers can buy a variety of affordable second-hand books or sell their pre-loved ones.
- IZI Health: An integrative preventive care platform that offers high-end technological solutions to doctor’s consultations, healthy meal planning, fitness training, and holistic medicine.
- Baby Spa: Dubai’s first baby spa offering a selection of treatments for babies to promote physical and cognitive stimulation.
- Hooked: A seafood restaurant focusing on fresh and quality catch with a thriving community of international foodies and tasters.
- Zahra’s Kitchen: A home-grown food concept offering responsibly sourced, homemade food without additives or preservatives.
- Winifred Mills: A Dubai-based fashion house and website that offers ladies fashion and custom tailoring services.
- Vanilla Rose: A cafe offering specialty coffee, delicious desserts, and customized flowers.
- High Street Resources: An executive talent company offering professional executive search and HR consulting services.
- INSTAGLAM: An online mobile application for on-demand beauty services offering a directory of beauty professionals.
- DYStinct Learners: A center dedicated to helping children overcome learning differences through online tutoring, dyslexia therapy, and dyscalculia therapy.
- Creams Desserts: A dessert shop offering handcrafted desserts inspired by the Emirati landscape, scents, and flavors.
- YALA Kombucha: A cafe offering Kombucha, a natural draft soda based on tea, herbs and dried berries and fruit.
The US State Department established AWE as an exchange program in 2019 to empower women with the knowledge, networks, and access they need to launch or scale successful businesses. Implemented in nearly 100 countries since 2019, AWE has empowered an estimated 25,000 women entrepreneurs around the world with the skills they need to reach their full economic potential.
For more information about AWE UAE, please visit startad.ae/awe
