Women Innovators (WIn) Fellowship – KSA

About the WIn Fellowship

The Women Innovators (WIn) Fellowship, initiated by the empowerME initiative at the Atlantic Council, and in partnership with Georgetown University since March 2022, aims to help women entrepreneurs expand their startups.

The fellowship provides a comprehensive, fully sponsored year-long executive training program, including mentoring from regional and international executives, as well as networking opportunities with prominent US and MENA business executives, government officials, and policy experts. Select top participants will be chosen for a fully sponsored trip to the United States, where they will undergo leadership training at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and meet with US business and government leaders.

The fellowship’s objectives are to:

• Accelerate the leadership and executive skills of women entrepreneurs and provide them with an unparalleled network of mentors, business executives, and policymakers
• Offer US policymakers, academics, and the business community direct insights into the opportunities and challenges faced by women in selected 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 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and its second year—during which it also expanded to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain—the WIn fellowship is returning with a third cohort for 2024-2025.

Grow your business

Are you a woman founder or co-founder of a business in Saudi Arabia looking to take your business to the next level? If you aim to attract more investors, enter new markets, or gain a profound understanding of your industry, this opportunity is tailored for you.

Scale with confidence

In the last two years, over eighty women entrepreneurs have boosted their startups forward with our WIn Fellowship, leveraging our extensive support in academic research and business development. Our vibrant community not only tackles the challenges women entrepreneurs encounter, but also seizes the opportunities that emerge when their business vision is in harmony with their ambitions, values, and professional and academic capabilities.

Benefits

Through the fellowship, you will:

• Enhance your Knowledge and skills: Gain new insights and competencies, providing you with a competitive edge and helping you stay ahead in your industry.
• Expand your network: Broaden your professional circle and forge new partnerships, facilitating access to new markets, resources, and industry insights.
• Connect with mentors and supporters: Engage with mentors who provide guidance and support, offering valuable feedback, identifying opportunities and challenges, and sharing practical advice from their experiences.
• Boost your visibility and credibility: Enhance your standing and trustworthiness in your industry and beyond, attracting new customers, investors, and partners, and establishing your business as an industry leader.

Eligibility criteria

• You must be a woman who is a citizen or resident of Saudi Arabia
• You must be the founder or co-founder of a business that is headquartered in Saudi Arabia and have aspirations for growth.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience is required.
• Your business should have been operational for at least two years.
• Proficiency in both English and Arabic is required.
• You must be available to participate in four 90-minute workshops scheduled after 6:00 PM (excluding local holidays).
• Attendance at four events hosted within Saudi Arabia is mandatory.
• There is no requirement to travel during the program; however, only top participants will be selected to travel for a one-week session at the program’s conclusion.

Please note, there will be no travel requirement(s). Only selected participants will need to travel for one week upon the program’s conclusion. Local networking sessions will also be available.

Application Deadline: July 1st, 2024 (11:00 pm Eastern Time Zone) 

For any questions, please contact Nibras at NBasitkey@ATLANTICCOUNCIL.org 

WIN FELLOW TESTIMONIES

2023-2024 COHORT

WIn Fellowship 2023-2024 KSA

Meet our 2023-2024 WIn fellows from Saudi Arabia: a group of dynamic women entrepreneurs poised to expand their leadership and executive skills. They are on a mission to scale their startups to new heights, setting new benchmarks for success.

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.

2024 WIn Fellowship Roadshow

WIn Fellows participate in a fully sponsored trip to the United States for leadership training at Georgetown and meetings with US business and government leaders.

2023 WIn Fellowship Roadshow

The WIn Fellowship roadshow is led by the Atlantic Council’s empowerME Initiative in cooperation with Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business with support from US Embassy Riyadh, UPS, and PepsiCo. The WIn Fellowship Roadshow participants, chosen from a highly competitive cohort of more than thirty applicants, receive a fully sponsored trip to the United States for leadership training at Georgetown and meetings with US business and government leaders.

About the WIn Fellowship inaugural cohort

The WIn Fellowship is led by the Atlantic Council’s empowerME Initiative in cooperation with Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business with support from US Embassy Riyadh, UPS, and PepsiCo. The American Chamber of Commerce Saudi Arabia’s Women in Business Committee is the program’s in-person event partner.

Past Events

Event recaps

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