Women tech entrepreneurs unite under the Pearl Initiative
In April 2025, The Pearl Initiative, in partnership with The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), hosted a significant event aimed at empowering women-led tech startups in the MENA region. The event, titled "Governance & Investor Readiness For Women-Led Tech Startups", brought together participants from the region's startup and investment communities.
The event underscored the importance of governance as a strategic tool, particularly for women founders. Ralph Choueiri, CEO of Pearl Initiative, emphasized that governance should be viewed as a silent infrastructure that enables growth. Abeer AlAmiri, Director of Ecosystem Development at Sheraa, stated that the center supports 51% women entrepreneurs, reflecting their commitment to gender inclusivity.
The session explored the intersection of gender, governance, and growth in the MENA region. Discussions highlighted the significance of founder agreements, role clarity, and internal controls in building investor confidence and operational resilience. Startups with at least one female founder deliver better returns per dollar invested globally, and female-led tech firms report up to 35% higher ROI compared to their male-led peers.
Stephanie Richards, Founding Partner of BrightView Global, moderated key sessions with investor-side insights. The event facilitated discussions on the role of governance in building credibility, clarity, and access to capital for women-led tech startups. The event reaffirmed that governance is not a post-growth luxury but a necessary tool for early-stage founders.
The event underscored that governance can act as a catalyst for women-led startups, providing them with a powerful source of stability. Governance was recognized as a prerequisite for sustainable success in the maturing startup ecosystem. The "Governance & Investor Readiness For Women-Led Tech Startups" session reflects Pearl Initiative's commitment to building inclusive business ecosystems.
The event provided a platform for women tech founders to share their experiences of fundraising, scaling, and governance decisions. In April 2025 alone, startups led exclusively by women in the MENA region raised less than $500,000, while male-led teams secured 97% of total capital. The event aimed to address this disparity and equip women founders with the tools they need to secure investment and build resilient, investment-ready ventures.
The Pearl Initiative's Governance in Tech Programme, through this event, aimed to bridge the gap in venture capital funding for women-led startups in the MENA region. The event marked a significant step towards fostering an inclusive and sustainable startup ecosystem in the region.
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