10 women-led startups in MENA join our newest AI program Startups across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) raised a record $4 billion in 2023. But just 1.2% of that venture capital funding went to startups founded by women — and only a fraction of that went to women-led companies that are building with AI. Women founders are essential for creating economic opportunity and stronger, more inclusive AI solutions. And with the number of female entrepreneurs in the region expected to double by 2030, investing in women-led AI companies isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s the smart business decision. Today we’re announcing the first cohort of the Google for Startups Growth Academy: Women in AI program. Run in collaboration with the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence and the Ministry of AI in the UAE, this equity-free program is designed to accelerate the growth of women-led startups building with AI in the Middle East and North Africa. After kicking off the program last week in Dubai with business sessions on go-to-market strategies, growth hacking and sales, startup founders will continue to work closely with Google mentors on a comprehensive technical curriculum. Over the next six weeks, they’ll explore generative AI best practices, Google AI tools such as Google Cloud’s Vertex AI and a comprehensive People + AI Workshop series focused on building human-centered AI products and solutions. Learn more about the women founders selected for the program and the AI solutions they’re building below.
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