The Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC) is making a powerful impression at the ongoing Expand North Star 2024 event. Participating for their seventh consecutive year and as the official sponsor of the “Women in Tech” track. The SBWC booth showcases eight exceptional female-led startups.
The SBWC booth is proving to be a hub for networking, allowing attendees — including investors, industry leaders, and fellow entrepreneurs — to engage directly with the eight selected startups. This initiative, while enhancing visibility for these women-led ventures is also facilitating meaningful connections that can lead to partnerships and funding opportunities.
Among the eight startups featured are Al Rawi for Creative Content, which focuses on using emerging technologies for event management and AI research; Heuristic World, an EdTech company transforming the teaching of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence through a game-based learning platform; Itifaq, a legal tech startup automating legal research with AI; and Jawdaman, a mobile app that analyses food and cosmetic product compositions.
In the health tech sector, KosAI leverages AI to support chronic disease patients in managing their health appointments effectively; Luga AI stands out with its multimodal multilingual Arabic AI agent that enhances accessibility across various industries; The Soulhouette merges AI and traditional medicine to create wearable technology aimed at improving health outcomes for at-risk patients; and finally, Tapy addresses pressing global challenges with its Aman Watch — a device designed for individuals of determination that enables remote caregiving.
Mariam Bin Al Shaikh, Director of SBWC, expressed her pride in the organisation’s participation at Expand North Star 2024, stating, “We stand at the forefront of an exciting chapter where women are representing themselves as leaders in technology and innovation. Through our dedicated booth and as the proud official sponsor of the ‘Women in Tech’ track, we were able to showcase the incredible talent and creativity of our members, and I am immensely proud of the eight startups representing us this year.”
Helping women in tech overcome funding challenges
A key highlight of SBWC’s participation this year is organising the Women in Tech Forum which featured an information-packed panel discussion titled “Access to Capital: Overcoming Funding Challenges for Women in Tech.” This panel hosted an impressive lineup of experts, including SBWC Advisory Council member Dr. Muna Al Dhabbah, founder of the “Hala Jari” app; Alena Yudina, founder of the EmTech metaverse; Alina Polyakova, founder of the Femtech startup Mamahood app; Ceylan Uren, co-founder of The Waste Lab; and Maria Ivanova, co-founder and CMO of Gingo Partners.
The discussion provided the audience with experienced and insightful perspectives on topics such as initial journeys and access to funding, building and leveraging networks, effective fundraising strategies, and alternative sources of funding and innovation, proving to be an invaluable resource during the global event.
Supporting innovative ideas and female-led startups
SBWC’s partnership with the event’s ‘Supernova Challenge 2.0’ further amplifies its commitment to supporting innovative ideas and startups. Notably, two startups from SBWC have qualified for the competition, with winners set to be announced on the final day of Expand North Star. Recognised as the largest startup pitch competition in the MENA region, the Supernova Challenge celebrates groundbreaking innovations that prioritise sustainability and social impact, serving as a launchpad for numerous aspiring businesses in past editions.
The challenge features an impressive total prize pool of $200,000, including a dedicated prize of $10,000 for the ‘Women in Tech’ category, proudly sponsored by SBWC. This track aims to elevate female entrepreneurs while also reinforcing SBWC’s ongoing commitment to empowering women in non-traditional sectors like technology and AI.
SBWC continues to pave the way for women entrepreneurs in technology and innovation, and by providing invaluable resources and opportunities for exposure at such significant events, it is able to empower individual startups while contributing to a more inclusive future within the global business community.
