Expanding platforms and partnerships for women entrepreneurs across UAE

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

The year 2025 marked a period of increased scale and impact for initiatives led by the Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), reinforcing its role as an integrated entrepreneurial ecosystem supporting women at every stage of their business journey. From early-stage ideation and capacity building to regional and global expansion and access to international supply chains, the Council’s work aligns with Sharjah and the UAE’s vision to advance sustainable development through entrepreneurship.

Commenting on the Council’s achievements in 2025, Maryam Bin Al Shaikh, Director of the SBWC, said: “This year marked a shift in the Council’s approach, strengthening its role as an integrated economic ecosystem that supports entrepreneurs in translating ambition into sustainable, scalable value. This progress aligns with international indicators highlighting the strength of women’s empowerment in the UAE. According to the World Bank Group, women’s workforce participation reached 54.1 per cent in 2024, while the UAE achieved a full score across five key indicators in the Women, Business and the Law 2024 report, including entrepreneurship and pay. These indicators underscore the importance of continued investment in qualification and expansion initiatives to support the growth and sustainability of women-led businesses.”

SBWC began 2025 with a discussion session titled ‘Your Voice, Our Vision’ in Aljada, Sharjah, focused on reviewing the Council’s 2024 programmes and identifying priorities for development. In Kalba, the Council organised ‘Industry Spotlight: Entrepreneurship’ as part of its ‘Inspiration and Dialogue’ series, bringing members together with entrepreneurship experts and trainers in a practical forum to address challenges and explore pathways for growth.

During its participation in the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2025, SBWC sponsored the Made in Sharjah zone and organised a panel discussion examining entrepreneurship, innovation and growth. The Council also launched the NMU Initiative as a dedicated platform to support women entrepreneurs by providing retail and showcase opportunities for women-led brands, strengthening their market presence. As part of the initiative, SBWC sponsored platforms for six startups, alongside two brands operating in the retail and food and beverage sectors.

The Council continued its capacity-building efforts with the launch of the Business Readiness Bootcamp in May. The five-day intensive programme focused on company legal frameworks, contract drafting and intellectual property rights, alongside marketing, brand building, budgeting, cash flow management and investor engagement.

In collaboration with the American University of Sharjah, SBWC organised the third edition of its dialogue forum series to strengthen women’s entrepreneurship. The Council also recognised a number of its members through the Pearl Quest competition, which featured pitches from eight women-led startups evaluated by a specialised judging panel.

SBWC expanded its efforts into sectors reflecting the region’s cultural identity through its participation in the Emirates Perfumes & Oud Exhibition 2025. The Council hosted a dedicated pavilion showcasing local women-led brands at one of the region’s leading specialised exhibitions. In the luxury sector, SBWC participated as the official Strategic Partner of the Watch & Jewellery Middle East Show 2025, providing members with the opportunity to exhibit alongside established global brands.

In technology and innovation, the Council opened applications for women-led startups to participate in Expand North Star 2025 in Dubai, sponsoring eight women-owned businesses with supported exhibition spaces. Participating companies were also allowed to compete in the Supernova Challenge, the world’s largest startup pitch competition, offering prizes of up to USD 214,000.

SBWC extended its support beyond exhibitions and platforms by enabling women entrepreneurs to access global supply chains through the Sharjah Trade Mission to China. Organised in collaboration with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) and the Sharjah Foundation to Support Pioneering Entrepreneurs (Ruwad), the six-day mission brought together a delegation of 16 startups and SMEs, selected from more than 300 applicants, to engage with one of the world’s most advanced manufacturing ecosystems.

At the level of thought leadership and policy engagement, SBWC contributed to the national conversation on the future of business and the economy. The Council organised a forum titled ‘SR and Social Entrepreneurship: Pathways to Vision and Opportunity’, which brought together policymakers, academics and entrepreneurs to examine challenges facing impact-driven ventures, financing mechanisms, and the need for clear licensing frameworks and a national database for social enterprises.