Saudi Women Entrepreneurs Networking and Mentorship Initiative
The University of Texas at Austin’s Global Innovation Lab (GIL) is pleased to present the Saudi Women Entrepreneurs Networking and Membership Initiative in collaboration with the United States Consulate General Jeddah and Blossom Accelerator.
The program builds upon the successful implementation of GIL’s previous project funded by the U.S. Department of State, Empowering Saudi Women through Entrepreneurship. In doing so, the program creates a networking initiative throughout Saudi Arabia designed to provide access to best practices and immersive learning opportunities while connecting Saudi women entrepreneurs.
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Program Details
A critical barrier to the sustainable success of Saudi women entrepreneurs is a lack of connectivity to relevant business leaders and mentors. With targeted capacity building and interdisciplinary focal points, the program will create new opportunities throughout Saudi Arabia while tethering new Saudi Arabian hubs to global entrepreneurship networks. The results will raise visibility, support, and access for women entrepreneurs.
The program is designed to:
- Create a private networking group hosted online for Saudi Arabian women entrepreneurs. The virtual platform will enable networking events, transfer of resources, and mentorship programming.
- Build critical skills for the future by bolstering the current women-led businesses in Saudi Arabia and creating unique opportunities across various areas of expertise.
- Provide visibility, immersion, and practice by conducting monthly virtual professional development networking activities, bridging access to relevant industry networks, including top U.S. business leaders.
- Connect the Saudi women entrepreneur network to the UT Austin Global Innovation Lab entrepreneur networks.
The network launches in spring 2023 and will feature both virtual and in-person educational and networking sessions across Saudi Arabia.
About UT Austin and the Global Innovation Lab
The University of Texas at Austin, founded in 1883, ranks among the 40 top universities in the world. It supports more than 52,000 diverse students with close to 50 nationally ranked programs across 18 colleges and schools. The university contributes to the advancement of society through research, creative activity, scholarly inquiry, and the development and dissemination of new knowledge, including the commercialization of university discoveries.
The UT Austin Global Innovation Lab (GIL) partners with governments, universities, and industries to support and train entrepreneurs in their communities to overcome local challenges, create jobs, and drive sustainable economic development. Since 2000, GIL has carried out high-quality training programs in more than 45 countries, resulting in the creation of more than 15,000 new jobs and the generation of more than $3 billion in global economic impact.
About the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah and its Efforts to Promote Women Entrepreneurship in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia
The Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah works with American and Saudi partners to build long-term, mutually beneficial connections. Among the consulate’s current priorities are grant-funded programs that help advance many of the goals outlined in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. These projects, including several focused on women’s entrepreneurship, contribute to economic diversification, job creation, and GDP growth in western Saudi Arabia to support U.S. interests in Saudi Arabia’s long-term economic and social stability.
About Blossom Accelerator
GIL is pleased to collaborate with Blossom Accelerator as our in-country partner in the delivery of this program. As Saudi Arabia's first tech-inclusive and female-focused accelerator, Blossom offers a multitude of business services that enable various startups to bloom. Blossom’s mission is to create a more innovative and inclusive ecosystem that can provide all types of entrepreneurs equal access to opportunity. The following are their company goals:
- Inspire and educate future female founders
- Accelerate the development of current female-led companies
- Create more deal flow for women-led tech companies in the Middle East North Africa Region (MENA)
- Increase funding opportunities for female founders in MENA
- Make best practices for startup methodologies inclusive and accessible to all entrepreneurs
Blossom Accelerator will assist GIL in the recruitment of new entrepreneurs across Saudi Arabia, as well as the administration of networking sessions.