About WIn Fellowship
The WIn (Women Innovators) Fellowship was launched by the empowerME initiative of the Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Programs in March 2022 to support women entrepreneurs in building leadership and executive capacity and scaling their startups to new heights. The goals of the fellowship are to:
- Accelerate the leadership and executive skills of women entrepreneurs and provide them with an unparalleled network of mentors, business executives, and policymakers
- Expose US policymakers, scholars, and the business community to a unique and direct perspective on women’s opportunities and challenges in select countries
- Develop a top-tier network of WIn fellows across the Middle East region who can support one another and be ambassadors for women’s economic participation
After the success of the inaugural program in 2022, the WIn Fellowship is returning with a second cohort for 2023.
The fellowship aims to support women entrepreneurs in building their leadership and executive capacity to scale their startups to new heights. The program is a unique collaboration between the Atlantic Council and Georgetown University, offering a structured fully sponsored yearlong executive training program, mentoring by regional and international executives, and networking opportunities with leading U.S. and MENA business executives, government officials, and policy experts. The top participants will be selected to attend a fully sponsored trip to the United States for leadership training at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and meetings with US business and government leaders.
Win Fellows Testimonies
Renad Al-Jefri- CEO, Ad Astra
Saudi women are well-educated and have accomplished a lot, but they are not given the spotlight. One of the values of this program is that we are showing that Saudi women are actually doing so much. I am just one out of million.
Sumayah Alzamil – Co-Founder and CEO, Nugttah
We met different people from different sectors, and they can help in different ways, whether it’s directly or indirectly.
Rawan Al-Kharboosh – Founder and CEO, AtPoint
This one-year fellowship program it put me in touch with a lot of wonderful women and mentors who sort of expedited the learning process. I think that’s one of the most remarkable things that this program is where you learn so much faster had you gone on your own.
Who Can Apply
You want to grow your business
You’re a woman founder or co-founder of a business in KSA and want to take it to the next level.
But facing real challenges
You want to grow your business, enhance your leadership and executive skills, and expand your local, regional, and global networks.
Your business deserves to scale
Last year we reached more than thirty women entrepreneurs, and we’ve been working with women entrepreneurs on academic, research, and business development for ages. So we understand your struggle.
Eligibility criteria
- You are a woman citizen of KSA
- You are a founder or co-founder of a business and looking to take your business to the next level
- You have five years of experience
- You can speak Arabic and English fluently
- You can commit to four 90-minute hybrid workshops done after 6:00 pm (of course, excluding local holidays)
- No travel requirement! One week’s travel plan is only required for selected participants by the end of the program
- Local networking sessions will be conducted for those that can attend
Through the fellowship you will
- Have expanded knowledge and skills. You will acquire new knowledge and skills. This can give you a competitive edge and enable you to stay ahead of the curve in your industry.
- Expand your network. You will expand your professional network and build new partnerships. This can help you access new markets and resources and gain insights into industry trends.
- Find mentors and supporters. You will connect with mentors who will offer guidance and support as you navigate the challenges of growing your business. They can provide valuable feedback, help you identify opportunities and pitfalls, and offer practical advice based on their experiences.
- Increase your visibility and credibility within your industry, region, and beyond. This can help you attract new customers, investors, and partners and position your business as a leader in your field.
2023-2024 COHORT
Meet 2022 Fellows and Mentors
The WIn (Women Innovators) Fellowship was launched in 2022 in Saudi Arabia by the Atlantic Council empowerME Initiative in partnership with Georgetown University. The WIn Fellowship supports over thirty women entrepreneurs, enabling them to build leadership and executive capacity to scale their startups to new heights.
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empowerME
empowerME at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East is shaping solutions to empower entrepreneurs, women, and youth and building coalitions of public and private partnerships to drive regional economic integration, prosperity, and job creation.
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