Winners of TiE Women MENA 2025 Competition Revealed at GITEX Global
DUBAI: The TiE Women MENA 2025 competition concluded with the announcement of winners during the MENA pitch finals held on October 13 at Expand North Star, part of GITEX Global at Dubai Harbour. Ayesha Mansha, founder of Sahl from Saudi Arabia, received the MENA title, while Rahaf Aldruby and Seem Alkabbani, co-founders of TarKeys, were named runners-up. They were awarded equity-free grants of AED 70,000 and AED 30,000, respectively.
Strong Representation from Women Entrepreneurs
This year’s competition featured nearly 200 licensed, women-founded businesses, presenting significant innovations in sectors such as compliance, artificial intelligence, educational technology, clean beauty, femtech, and HR tech. From regional rounds across five diverse tracks, five exceptional founders advanced to the finals:
- Anisha Oberoi, SECRET SKIN (UAE)
- Ayesha Mansha, Sahl (Saudi Arabia)
- Mahra AlQubaisi, Elevation (Emirati track)
- Nesma Amin, Aziza (Egypt)
- Rahaf Aldruby and Seem Alkabbani, TarKeys (rest of ME track)
The finalists benefited from close collaboration with dedicated mentors, preparing them thoroughly for the final pitch presentations. A judging panel featuring Zahra Zayat, Acting CEO of evision; Mouna Abbassy, Founder and CEO of izil Beauty; and Danial Mausoof, Vice President and Head of Technology MEA at Nokia evaluated their pitches.
Path to Global Competition
All five regional winners will compete at the TiE Global Summit in Jaipur, India, in January 2026 for a prize pool of USD 50,000. In addition, each entrepreneur will have the opportunity to showcase their business at Expand North Star.
Insights on the Winning Ventures
Sahl, the winning platform, specializes in automating compliance processes in Saudi Arabia, allowing businesses to navigate regulatory requirements seamlessly. The runners-up, TarKeys, are making strides in Syrian education by offering high-quality interactive content to baccalaureate students and empowering teachers.
Supportive Ecosystem for Women Entrepreneurs
TiE Dubai, in collaboration with GITEX Global and Expand North Star, aims to empower women entrepreneurs by providing them access to one of the largest tech platforms globally. It is backed by e& life and supported by various ecosystem partners, including Dubai Internet City and in5, which play critical roles in fortifying the entrepreneurial network in the region.
Voices on Empowerment
Carlina Marani and Raed Hafez, co-chairs for TiE Women MENA 2025, stated, “At TiE, we are deeply committed to supporting entrepreneurs at the early stages of their journey, particularly across the MENA region… The rise of female-led businesses in MENA reflects a broader shift toward innovation and inclusion…”
Harrison Lung, Group Chief Strategy Officer at e&, highlighted the importance of nurturing women-led startups through hands-on mentoring and strategic support, stating, “Through our long-standing partnership with TiE Women MENA, we’re proud to champion the next generation of female founders…”
Continuing Support and Future Initiatives
Post-competition, the ten mentors, predominantly TiE Charter Members, will continue to assist the winners in refining their market strategies. The mentors include leaders from various sectors, ensuring that the finalists receive guidance tailored to their business needs.
Alongside this, recent studies indicate that closing the gender gap could potentially add up to USD 2 trillion to MENA’s GDP. Yet, women-led ventures still struggle to secure equal funding compared to their male counterparts. TiE Dubai is on a mission to bridge this gap through mentorship, funding access, and community engagement initiatives aimed at fostering women’s entrepreneurial spirit.
A Message from the Winner
Ayesha Mansha, the founder of Sahl, remarked on her victory, “This win isn’t just for Sahl, it’s for every founder in the region, proving that world-class products can be built right here…”
About TiE Dubai
Established in 2003 and inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, TiE Dubai promotes entrepreneurship across the Middle East. The organization offers various programs aimed at supporting over 3,000 entrepreneurs through networking, mentorship, and funding opportunities.
Next Steps for Finalists
The winners will continue to engage with their mentors to enhance their go-to-market strategies as they prepare for the upcoming TiE Global Summit. For further details, visit the official TiE Women website.
