CELEBRATING FEMALE FOUNDERS IN TECH

The MENA region has emerged as a vibrant startup hub. Of the funded startups in the MENA region with founder gender data, those with at least one female founder comprise 24% of the total funded startup universe, highlighting the region's emergence as a vibrant startup hub for female entrepreneurs. At Expand North Star 2023, 35% exhibiting startups were female-led.

Funding allocated to MENA startups with at least one female founder has demonstrated a noteworthy 5-year Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 21%, amassing a total of $637 million across 309 deals since 2018. Concurrently, MENA founders have collectively secured nearly $10 billion in funding over the same period. Notably, Asian Expat Rita Huang, associated with the logistics player iMile, stands out as one of MENA's top-funded startups with at least one female founder, having secured $50 million in funding. Similarly, Gizem Bodur, a co-founder of the FinTech company Qlub, raised $42 million, while Egypt's Fatma El Shanawy, associated with the fintech player Khazna, has secured $38 million in funding.??Read full report here.

Meet some of the women that took the spotlight at Expand North Star 2023

FEMALE FOUNDERS AND LEADERS AT EXPAND NORTH STAR

SUCCESS STORIES OF WOMEN IN TECH

A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR WOMEN IN TECH PARTNER

SHARJAH BUSINESS WOMEN COUNCIL

If you want to know more about what the female founders had to say about their experience at Expand North Star, hear it from them here.

And if you are geared up for Expand North Star 2024, make sure to register and witness an even more talented league of female founders!