U.S. Mission to the United Arab Emirates
#WEempower
WE Empower Summit
MENA REGIONAL Women’s Economic EmpowermenT Summit
SEptember 17-19, 2024 Abu Dhabi | Sharjah | Dubai
Join Our WE EMpower Summit
The MENA region could add $812 billion to its GDP in the next three years if the rest of the region achieves gender parity along the lines of the UAE. The WE Empower summit will bring together high-level policy makers, female founders, media, private sector, and creative industry leaders to discuss strategies to promote women’s economic empowerment and showcase programs making an impact.
- Keynote Addresses
- Panel Discussions
- Networking Sessions
- Department of Commerce SelectUSA Pitch Competition
- Workshops on Social Media, Power of Personal Branding, and AI tools for Business
- Department of Agriculture My Food Story Culinary Diplomacy Initiative
- WE Empower Champions Awards
Three Days,
Three Emirates
September 17
Keynote Speakers
Success Stories
Regulatory Challenges
Access to Finance
Sustainability
September 18
Women in Tech
Clean Tech Startups
Science and Research
Pitch Competition
Internship and Skills Development
Sharjah
September 19
Public Private Partnerships
Space and Aviation
Media and Creative Industries
Presenting Your Best Self
My Food Story Launch
Deliverables
Dubai
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
NYU Abu Dhabi
10:30 AM |
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11:30 AM | WE Empower Sucess Stories: U.S.-UAE Edition Organized and moderated by startAD |
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12:30 PM | Networking Lunch |
1:30 PM | Regulate & Empower: Bridging Access to Finance Supported by Amcham Abu Dhabi |
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2:15 PM | Partnerships for Progress: PPPs for Sustainable Development Supported by Women in Climate and Masdar WiSER |
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3:30 PM | Rising Stars: Success Stories from the MENA Region and Beyond Organized and moderated by startAD |
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Sign Up Basis | Masterclasses |
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Day 2: Agenda
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Sharjah Research, Technology, ad Innovation Park
9:30 AM | High Level Opening: Women in Science and Tech MC: Racha Abdraboo Haffer |
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10:00 AM | Funding and Promoting Clean Tech and Climate Smart Agriculture Startups |
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10:45 PM | Role of Women in Science & Research in MENA Region and Lunch Hosted by Cresent Group |
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12:45 | Breaking the Tech Glass Ceiling - AI and Gaming |
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1:45 PM | SelectUSA Pitch Competition |
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2:00 | Masterclass (Sign Up Basis) |
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3:00 | Preparing the Next Generation: STEM, Internships, and Workforce Development |
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Day 3: Agenda
Thursday, September 19, 2024
St. Regis Dubai Business Bay
9:30 AM | High Level Opening: Women Changemakers MC: |
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10:15 AM | Private Sector Sustainability Champions Supported by AmCham Dubai |
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11:15 PM | From Apollo to Artemis – Women Highfliers Organized by U.S.-UAE Business Council |
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12:30 PM | Lunch |
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2:OO PM | Advancing Health and Equity through Innovation |
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2:45 PM | Making Headlines in the Creative Industries |
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3:30 PM | Culinary Diplomacy: Bridging Cultures through Food and Storytelling |
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4:00 PM | Presenting Your Best Self: Breaking Sterotypes in the Fashion and Beauty Industries |
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Sign-Up Basis | Masterclass (10:30-12:30) |
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MEET OUR Speakers
Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young
USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics
HE Mariam Almheiri
Head of International Affairs
UAE PResidential Court
HE Razan al mubarak
UN High Level Climate Champion
HE MArtina Strong
U.S. Ambassador
to UAE
HE Yousef al Otaiba
UAE Ambassador to the United States
Madison Marsh
Miss America 2024, AIR FORCE Officer, Cancer Researcher, and WOMEN in STEM Advocate
Lyndsey merrill
white house
special Advisor to
the president
Badreya Al Maidoor
Ministry of Economy
Assistant Secretary
SIMA VED
FOUNDER APPAREL GROUP
Caroline Brooks
TV Personality
Namrata Budhraja
Shift echo co-founder AWE alumnA
Dr. Jeannice Fairrer Samani
Founder Fairrer Samani Group
Sam weRberg
State Department Director of the Dubai Regional Media Hub
LARA HUSSEIN
Waste Lab co-Founder WIN Fellow
HE NOOR Altamimi
founder & ceo
Shelex investment fund, Abu Dhabi Business Women Council board member
Sonia Weymuller
VentureSouq Cofounder
Sara Aqel
MY Food story Chef
Vida hamd
MENA public Policy Lead
META
REEM AL MUSSABAH
WiSER Pioneer/EWA
Joanne Kubba
VISA Middle East
Nazira Beishenalieva
American Chamber of Commerce Kyrgyzstan
Jumana Al Darwish
The happy box founder
WIN Fellow
basima Abdulrahman
KESK3 Founder/CEO
Iraq’s first Green Tech company
fatima al kaabi
Emirati Women Achiever
Youngest Emirati inventor
Ahlam Balooki
CEO
Emirates Literature Foundation
Haifa Addas
AWE and WIN Alumna INSTAGLAM Beauty Founder
Vimi Joshi
Global Celebrity and Fashion Makeup Artist
TEDX Speaker
Ameni Esseibi
First MENA Curvy Model
Lauren Bernstein
Women Innovators (WIN) Fellow
Peyman Parham Filmmaker and Storyteller
Chef Sara Aqel My Food Story Chef de Cuisine Fi’lia
Joana Jamil
META Regional Strategic Partner Manager/ Established Creators
Miranda Davidson Casting Director, Film and TV Producer
Shekhar Kapur
Director
Siran Riak
Actress and Fashion Model
Amal Osman
Colin Aerospace MEA Managing Director
Hafsa Qadeer
CEO of ImInclusive
Sophie Smith
Founder and CEO Nabta Health TiE Dubai
Dr. Kadria Sayed American Hospital Dubai
Haifa Ismail Mohammad Sharif
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority
Amira Sajwani
Managing Director at DAMAC Properties, Founder and CEO of PRYPCO
Hande Akdede Erbay
IBM MEA
Sustainability SW Market Leader
Miki Hirasawa Ashton
Global Leader
Sustainability Engagement
3M Public Affairs
Lucy Chow
Women in Games Ambassador and Author
Amira Saeed Al Alami
Cresent Petroleum Senior Engineer
PK Gulati
TIE Dubai Founder
Dr. Natasha Ridge
Al Qasimi Foundation Executive Director
Nadia Boumeziout
Zurich Insurance Head of Sustainability
and Information Governance
WiSER Mentor
Zainab Abdulhameed
Injaz UAE Company Program
2024 Company of the Year
Limitless
Shaima Aljneibi
HSBC IT Business Analyst and WiSER Pioneer
Yousuf Faroukh
Satellite Systems Engineer and Mentor
Miron Alexandrov
STEM Ambassador
Racha Abdrabbo Haffar
MC
American University of Dubai
Rona Halabi
Media and Communication
PepsiCo
Saleha Osmani
Managing Director
Falconbridge Advisors
Hala Al-Zargani
Lockheed Martin Center for Innovation and Security Solutions Lead Engineer
Leila Naguib
Gulf Corporate Affairs Manager
Mars
Alesia Lewis
Washington Post VP of Finance and Global Growth
Hind Al Hosini
MC Abu Dhabi Day
NYU Abu Dhabi
Alesia Lewis
Washington Post VP of Finance and Global Growth
Hala Al-Zargani
Lockheed Martin Center for Innovation and Security Solutions Lead Engineer
Nadia Boumeziout
Zurich Insurance Head of Sustainability
and Information Governance
WiSER Mentor
Pillars of the WE Empower Summit
Access to Finance
The World Bank estimates that the finance gap for women-owned medium and small enterprises is worth $1.7 trillion globally. Empowering women through improved financial literacy, advocating for improved access to capital would foster economic independence and growth among women worldwide.
Sustainability
Companies with female founders are increasingly creating disruptive technologies to ensure a greener future for the planet. Women also need a seat at the table at venture capital (VCs). MENA-based VentureSouq is VC focused on supporting ClimateTech startups and encourage conscious investing.
Women and Youth Entrepreneurship Programs
Advancing gender equality through WE Empower programs that support education, skills development, training on startup lifecylces and expanding market access, and leadership development.
Mentorship & Networking
Providing networking and mentorship opportunities through masterclasses, workshops, and social media tools. Post summit women-led majlis and virtual regional programs with expert speakers.
AWE Impact
100+ Countries
AWE in UAE
40+ Women Led Businesses
Generated $45+ Million in Revenue
Created 500+ Jobs
25,000+ Women Led Businesses
74% of Graduates increase Revenue Earnings
29% Hire More Staff
Women Innovators (WIN) Fellowship
Hiba Al Masoud
Co-Founder, Sauce Capital
United Arab Emirates Cohort
Hiba Al Masoud’s career has taken her across industries, functions, and coutnries. Most recently, Al Masoud co-founded Sauce Capital, an innovative food delivery company that incubates, cooks, and delivers food from various brands.
Women Innovators (WIN) Fellowship
Jumana Al Darwish
Founder, The Happy Box,
The Happy Studio, Happy Hearts Global
United Arab Emirates Cohort
Jumana Al Darwish is an award-winning entrepreneur and philanthropist with over 19 years of experience shaping the public and private sectors in the MENA region. Her portfolio of investments extend to the arts, education, tech/web3 domains.
Emirati Women Achievers
INJAZ UAE Company Program
Agriculture innovation Mission for CliMate (AIM4C)
“The climate crisis threatens to disrupt food systems around the globe, exacerbate food insecurity and negatively impact farmers’ livelihoods. We must invest in innovative, science-based solutions to help agriculture mitigate and adapt to climate change - and that’s what AIM for Climate is all about”
- Thomas J. Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
“By catalyzing innovation in climate-smart agriculture, we can reduce harmful emissions and sequester carbin in the sector, sustainably increase productivity to feed a growing global population, and support farmers on teh frontlines in building resilience and adapting to the impacts of climate change”
H.E. Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment
My Food Story
“My Food Story with a Fork and the Road” celebrates the diversity of U.S. food, agriculture, farmers, producers, and cuisine. It speaks to the strong cultural ties between the United States and the rest of the world.
This project will culminate in an international coffee table cookbook featuring celebrity chefs, executive chefs from U.S. Embassies around the world, home cooks, influencers, and young student chefs from around the world.
The UAE edition of My Food Story will highlight our Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM4C) partnership to promote sustainable agriculture and food systems necessary to address climate change and global hunger and draw on diverse knowledge, experiences, and cultures to do so. The official launch of the UAE Edition will take place at the WE Empower Summit.
SELECTUSA GLobal Women in TECH (SGWIT)
The Select Global Women in Tech (SGWIT) Program supports women’s economic empowerment globally. The program is geared toward international women founders, entrepreneurs, and executives in the tech sector.
The SGWIT Mentorship Network is a year-long program introduces international women tech entrepreneurs to the U.S. market with the support of SelectUSA’s traditional data and counseling services as well as community, learning, and networking opportunities.
SGWIT Mentorship Network participants have access to:
- An experienced mentor from the U.S. startup ecosystem as an informational resource on challenges in scaling, promoting, fundraising, and establishing a business in the United States,
- An exclusive networking platform to connect with the SGWIT Community,
- SelectUSA data and counseling services, Educational content, webinars, workshops, and virtual events, and networking opportunities, including but not limited to the annual SelectUSA Investment Summit.
U.s. Patent and TradeMARK Office
The interconnection between music and diplomacy
with Arqam Al Abri and Mahogany Jones
Inspiring Women with Hadil Al Khatib
The Intersection of tech, Education and women Empowerment with Lucy Chow
Next Generation of Emirati Entrepreneurs with AlDhabi AlMheiri
HOST Partners
IMPLEMENTING Partners
knowledge Partners
Partner With US
The U.S. Mission to the UAE welcomes partnership opportunities. If you are interested in collaborating, please contact our team at UAEWEsummit@state.gov
