Playbook Acquires Women Spark, Paving the Way for Global Impact on Women in Investing

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Feb. 07, 2024 – In a strategic move signaling a new era for women in global investing, PLAYBOOK , the leading career growth platform for women professionals, proudly announces the acquisition of WomenSpark , a distinguished collective of women angel investors.

This strategic acquisition establishes PLAYBOOK as the largest network of female angel investors in the region, setting a new precedent in empowering women to become influential global investors.

Deemah AlYahya , Founder of Women Spark, on the Partnership with Playbook:

"There's definitely a significant added value in joining forces with an exceptional platform like PLAYBOOK. This collaboration will bring manifold benefits to Women Spark, enhancing the knowledge and know-how of our founders and investors. It provides them with access to valuable insights into financial acumen, board membership, expanding investments, and creating investment theses, among others. This partnership will also facilitate the expansion of our network, create opportunities for mentorship, and enhance the diversity of women globally—from China and Singapore to the US and Canada. Together, Playbook and Women Spark will serve as a gateway, enabling women worldwide to invest in the region and foster the growth of women-founded ventures."

Playbook's innovative approach, characterized by its cinematically-produced Masterclasses and extensive global networks, has played a crucial role in shaping women's career trajectories. This fully female-founded startup led by Wafa Al Obaidat , Shreya Rammohan , and Ismahan Al Saad , has seen remarkable growth, with 4000+ members and 150+ global experts from 250+ cities across 56 countries joining the platform since launch. Notably, more than 15% of these new members are C-suite professionals.

Women Spark has been pivotal in fostering startup-friendly ecosystems, providing angel investment training, and offering strategic investments and mentorship. The merger with Playbook aligns Women Spark's proven track record with Playbook's objectives, establishing a dynamic synergy between learning and practical entrepreneurial support. Women Spark has invested in over 17 startups and experienced an exit within its portfolio. An impressive 75% of their angel investors have actively made investments, showcasing the vibrancy and engagement of the Women Spark community.

The integration of Women Spark into Playbook signifies a pioneering initiative to launch two bespoke programs for female founders and angel investors. This aims to create an unparalleled fusion of talents and resources, fostering innovation and opening new pathways for women's career trajectories and entrepreneurial growth. With an immediate plan to expand the spectrum of educational resources, Playbook will enrich the existing Masterclass library by engaging Saudi industry experts as Masters, ensuring a localized wealth of knowledge. The merger also anticipates the introduction of innovative products dedicated to empowering angel investors and supporting female founders in scaling their businesses.

Wafa Al Obaidat , CEO of Playbook, shares her vision for the future:

“Playbook has fast grown into the most powerful education and leadership network for women in MENA with global goals. The acquisition of Women Spark will unlock the leadership and financial potential of women globally. The power of deploying strategic investment in female-led ventures will shape the dynamics of global economies and we’re proud to be paving the way for it. Considering the reality that less than 2% of VC funding flows to women, we're addressing real, systemic issues in the funding ecosystem and this is the challenge we're boldly facing at Playbook. We're building and actively shaping an ecosystem through our platform to shift this narrative. And with women investors currently representing only 10% of the investment landscape, the urgency for change is clear. We're here to drive that change, and to transform these numbers.”

Deemah will collaborate closely with Playbook to take the platform global, welcoming women from around the world to join this transformative journey. Her expertise and experience will further enhance Playbook's mission to enable women in investing on a global scale.

The acquisition sets a new precedent for what female-centric platforms can achieve when driven by a shared aspiration to accelerate women's careers and business ventures. Playbook continues to demonstrate its groundbreaking leadership that is fully female-founded and recognized regionally and internationally for its significant impact.

For more information about the acquisition or to schedule an interview, please contact marketing@get-playbook.com.

About PLAYBOOK

PLAYBOOK is an award winning global professional network and edtech platform for women in business. With a fully female founded team, the network has been making waves regionally and internationally with its high-quality production masterclasses, robust community, networking potential, workshops, events and mentorship programs. Playbook is backed by 500 Global, Sanabil Investments, and Faith Capital.

About Women Spark

Women Spark is an innovative early-stage women angel investor network dedicated to fostering a more equitable economy. They contribute to the digital economy's expansion by supporting emerging startups and establishing direct connections with capital sources for accelerated growth.