Dubai Business Women Council launches programme to assist women entrepreneurs

Dubai: Business setup advisory firm Creative Zone and the Dubai Business Women Council have launched ‘She Leads’ to accelerate and incubate 100 women-led startups from UAE.

The ten-week program will train, support and nurture the country’s brightest women entrepreneurs. Women above the age of 21, residing in the country with an existing business or a concrete business plan are eligible to apply for coaching, networking and learning opportunities.

Two of the most promising applicants will receive a set of free business solutions such as trade license, tax and legal services, co-working spaces amongst many others.

“Business incubators and accelerators play an important role in the entrepreneurial ecosystem by not only offering training and services but also connecting business owners to opportunities and resources,” said Lorenzo Jooris, CEO of Creative Zone in a statement.

All training modules and workshops will be taught online by renowned industry experts, coaches and business leaders based in the UAE and abroad, focusing on business launch strategy, funding and scaling, impactful leadership, marketing, finance and distribution.

The programme, which is the first of its kind to be launched in Dubai, helps women build successful businesses by assisting them in developing “critical capacities” such as getting access to capital, networking and technical assistance.

“Despite the rapid increase in the number of women-owned firms in recent years, women still face significant barriers to growth,” said Nadine Halabi, Business Development Manager of the Dubai Business Women Council.

Once the programme is completed, some of the most capable participants will get an opportunity to participate in ‘X Scale’ - the accelerator’s second phase - where they will get a chance to pitch their business plan to investors, business moguls, and successful entrepreneurs.