The United States Mission to the UAE and startAD, the Abu Dhabi-based accelerator powered by Tamkeen and anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi, are accepting applications for the second edition of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program, following the success of the inaugural UAE edition. The two-phase online program is aimed at women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs from any industry who wish to stabilize, pivot, upskill, and scale their businesses in a post-pandemic economy.

Aspiring candidates should be UAE Nationals or residents between 20 to 55 years old, and own a small business that has an active VAT Tax Registration Number or has been operational for at least the past 18 months; applications close on September 1, 2021. Over six months, AWE , which will start on September 26, 2021, will advance 20 women-owned UAE businesses. The online program will conclude on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2022, where finalists will showcase their achievements and business potential to the program partners and other key stakeholders from the UAE’s innovation industry.

The first phase of the program, titled SKILL – Reimagine Possibilities, will begin at the end of September and will continue until mid-November, over nine online sessions. Participants will benefit from the guidance of business and innovation experts as well as the regional entrepreneurship community as they explore value creation and identify next steps focused on business resilience.

The best performing entrepreneurs will be selected to take part in the second phase, titled SCALE – Reinvent your Business. They will have the opportunity to engage with mentors in their industry, along with business strategists, innovation experts, the regional entrepreneurship community, and a number of NYUAD student interns, during 12 online sessions that will bring their business resilience plan to life.