TiE Dubai has announced the launch of the seventh edition of the TiE Women MENA 2026 program, one of the region’s largest initiatives dedicated to supporting, mentoring, and empowering women-led startups across the Middle East and North Africa.
Applications will remain open until June 25, 2026, for women entrepreneurs and co-founders who own at least 33 percent of their companies. Eligible businesses must have been legally established on or after January 1, 2019.
Expanding Opportunities for Women-Led Startups
The program aims to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by providing women founders with access to mentorship, investor networks, pitch training, media exposure, and strategic networking opportunities.
Selected participants will also gain access to non-dilutive funding opportunities, allowing founders to grow their businesses without giving up equity, while becoming part of a long-term entrepreneurial community that extends beyond the competition itself.
The announcement comes as startup investment activity in the Middle East and North Africa continues to show positive momentum. According to figures cited by the program, startups across the region secured $150 million through 27 funding deals in April 2026.
Comprehensive Support for Female Founders
TiE Women MENA 2026 is supported by a broad network of entrepreneurship ecosystem partners, including incubators, accelerators, venture capital funds, angel investors, corporations, and startup platforms.
This year’s edition is supported by Nokia as the official partner, alongside long-term partners TECOM Group, Dubai Internet City, and in5 Innovation Centers.
Participants selected for the program will receive structured mentorship, investor introductions, pitch preparation training, and opportunities to increase their visibility within regional and international startup communities.
Networking and Learning Opportunities
Ahead of the program launch, several events are scheduled throughout June to help prospective applicants learn more about the initiative.
These include an “Ask Me Anything” session with program alumnae on June 14, an informational webinar for applicants, and the TiE Women MENA Open Pitch Night on June 21 at Cafe Rider in Dubai’s Al Quoz district.
The event will give women entrepreneurs the opportunity to present their startups, receive direct feedback, and connect with investors, mentors, and fellow founders.
Building Resilient Women-Led Businesses
Carlina Marani and Shamima Parvin, Co-Chairs of TiE Women MENA, highlighted the resilience and determination demonstrated by women entrepreneurs throughout the program’s history.
They noted that since the launch of TiE Women in 2020, female founders have continued to build and grow their businesses despite global disruptions and ongoing economic and geopolitical challenges.
According to the program leaders, women entrepreneurs have consistently demonstrated adaptability, strong decision-making skills, and the ability to maintain long-term strategic vision in uncertain environments.
Competition Across Five Regional Tracks
The program will select between 45 and 50 startups from across the region to compete in five tracks representing the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE-based Emirati founders, and the wider Middle East region.
One winner and two runners-up will be selected from each track before the five winners advance to the regional MENA finals.
Participants who reach the final stages will receive mentorship and preparation support designed to help them scale their businesses and prepare for future investment opportunities.
Funding and Global Exposure
Winners will receive non-dilutive cash prizes as well as access to additional support programs.
Based on previous editions, regional winners have received support valued at AED 100,000 in non-dilutive funding, while the total prize pool distributed over the past four years has reached AED 380,000.
In addition, all track winners will gain visibility at Expand North Star during GITEX Global in Dubai, providing direct access to investors, global companies, and leading figures within the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Regional virtual finals are scheduled to take place in September, followed by the MENA finals in December during GITEX 2026.
Supporting Economic Growth Through Women’s Entrepreneurship
Daniel Maesoof, Senior Vice President and Regional Head of Mobile Networks Infrastructure at Nokia, emphasized the economic importance of expanding women’s participation in entrepreneurship and the workforce.
He noted that economic research indicates that achieving greater gender parity in economic participation across the Middle East and North Africa could increase GDP per capita by more than 30 percent over the coming decades.
A Growing Platform for Women Entrepreneurs
Globally, TiE Women has become one of the largest pitch platforms dedicated to women entrepreneurs, attracting more than 11,000 applications from 62 countries and supporting the growth of over 500 women-led startups.
Across the Middle East and North Africa, the program has supported more than 1,000 women-led startups, facilitated more than 350 investor pitches, delivered one-on-one mentoring sessions to dozens of founders, and provided non-dilutive funding opportunities that have helped early-stage companies grow and prepare for investment.
Through its seventh edition, TiE Women MENA continues to reinforce its commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs as a key driver of innovation, business growth, and economic diversification across the region.
