The UAE topped Forbes list: “20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands”

Forbes Middle East has unveiled its annual list of “20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands” for 2023.
Noting that business leaders have not only established strong technology companies, but also pushed the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

This year, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) dominated the list as it is the headquarters of 11 companies in the ranking.

Followed by Egypt with three companies, and Saudi Arabia with two.
Also four Jordanian women founders were on the list.
Followed by founders from Egypt, and Turkey, with 2 female entrepreneurs from each country.

Forbes Middle East noted that 15 of the brands on the list were co-founded with other entrepreneurs.
While four of the top five women entrepreneurs manage their own companies in the UAE.

For the second year in a row, the CEO of iMile, Rita Huang Zhen, topped the list as the most influential female entrepreneur.

Rita’s company expanded to 14 countries in the period between 2018 to 2023.
By 2023 IMile opened new branches in Poland and Australia.

Mona Ataya and Leena Khalil of Mumzworld were in second place.
Followed by Derya Baran, co-founder of RedSea, in third place.
And the latest established technology company among the listed companies is PRYPCO.
PRYPCO  is a “Rent Now, Pay Later” services platform founded by Amira Sajwani.

According to Forbes Middle East, the 20 entrepreneurs on the list were chosen from a wide range of business leaders.

They have been chosen due to their exceptional accomplishments that have attracted investors and consumers.
As well as their success in securing funding rounds and generating revenue.
These women were evaluated based on their leadership skills.
Besides their ability to create impact in diverse sectors. such as fintech, e-commerce, logistics, agriculture, healthcare, and real estate.
Also, they were classified according to several criteria, including the amount of total funding, innovation, creativity, impact, and revenue.

The top five entrepreneurs are as follows:

1. Rita Huang Zhen
Brand: iMile
Nationality: Chinese
Headquarters: UAE

2. Mona Ataya and Leena Khalil
    Brand: Mumzworld
    Nationality: Palestinian, British
    Headquarters: UAE

3. Derya Baran
     Brand: RedSea
     Nationality: Turkish
     Headquarters: Saudi Arabia

4. Nur Suleiman
   Brand: Cartlow
   Nationality: Spanish
   Headquarters: UAE

 5. Ioanna Angelidaki
     Brand: InstaShop
     Nationality: Greek
     Headquarters: UAE

You can Also Read: Top UAE’s investment companies on Forbes list.