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Women account for 18% of all UAE-based entrepreneurs
New data ahead of Emirati Women's Day underscore the growing impact of female-led businesses on the country’s economy
- PUBLISHED: Mon 25 Aug 2025, 4:07 PM
Women now account for 18 per cent of all UAE-based entrepreneurs, driving innovation across FinTech, health, wellness, and industrial services, a report showed on Monday.
New data from Sovereign, a leading corporate services provider in the UAE, underscores the growing impact of female-led businesses on the country’s economy. This trend reflects the UAE’s commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment, as highlighted by the upcoming Emirati Women’s Day on August 28.
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While Sovereign primarily works with large regional and international conglomerates — where female ownership still represents only a small proportion — the entrepreneur and SME space is rapidly flourishing, supported by a rising number of incubators, accelerators, and women-focused business networks across the Emirates. This ecosystem is creating new opportunities for female entrepreneurs to launch and scale their ventures.
“Female entrepreneurs are at the forefront of innovation in the UAE,” said Zana Jablan Musa, Operations Director at Sovereign. “From AI-driven FinTech applications to wellness and fitness ventures, women are leveraging the UAE’s business-friendly environment to launch innovative, future-proof enterprises. At Sovereign, we are proud to support them every step of the way – from company formation and licensing guidance to residency solutions and ownership structuring.”
Sector highlights:
FinTech: Several female-led businesses have applied for the AI Innovation License in DIFC to develop trading applications.
Health and wellness: Clinics, laser and beauty salons, and fitness ventures are seeing strong growth among female entrepreneurs.
Industrial services: Unique licensing solutions, such as a female client securing 75 per cent ownership for a power station contracting and repair business, illustrate the UAE’s regulatory flexibility.
Visa and residency enquiries for skilled professionals and remote workers relocating to the UAE from the UK, Ireland, and beyond are also on the rise, reflecting a broader trend of international female talent contributing to the UAE economy.
The UAE government continues to champion female entrepreneurship through initiatives such as the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, which offers low-interest loans, mentoring, and business-plan guidance for women, and the National Policy for Empowerment of Emirati Women 2023–2031, which seeks to enhance women’s participation across all sectors.
The release of this data ahead of Emirati Women’s Day highlights the significant role women are playing in shaping the UAE’s business landscape – from Emirati nationals to international entrepreneurs leveraging the country’s supportive policies and business-friendly environment. Through its work facilitating company formation, licensing, regulatory guidance, and residency solutions across the UAE and GCC, Sovereign continues to empower female entrepreneurs to turn opportunities into thriving businesses.
Somshankar Bandyopadhyay is a News Editor with more than three decades of experience. Currently, he manages the news production of the business section, ensuring that the top economic and business news of the day reaches its readers.
