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Sharjah Business Women Council calls on women in tech to benefit from Expand North Star 2023

Startups sponsored by SBWC will also automatically enter the world's biggest startup pitch competition

Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC) called on UAE-based female founders to make the most of one of the biggest opportunities it presents annually to connect female tech entrepreneurs to the UAE's and the world's dynamic ecosystem opportunities.

Women-led startups, who send in their applications to SBWC before 31st August, stand to benefit from a fully-sponsored participation opportunity in the upcoming edition of Expand North Star 2023, which is a platform inspired by the World's largest and best rated tech event, GITEX Global.

SBWC, the leading Sharjah-based entity, has been making remarkable strides in women's full integration in the economy, particularly empowering women's ventures in non-traditional sectors like technology, AI, and others. Eight talented and impact-driving women founders will be selected to stage their talent, ideas and impact at the world's largest event for startups and investors to be hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy from 15-18 October at Dubai Harbour.

Startups sponsored by SBWC will also automatically enter the world's biggest startup pitch competition - the Supernova Challenge Pitch Competition, and compete with the world's leading tech startups to win cash prizes up to US$200,000. The Supernova Challenge, organised in cooperation with the world's third-largest fund for financing SMEs, is the biggest pitch competition in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia that celebrates groundbreaking innovations by ESG and sustainability startups.

The Council has also continued its support for women entrepreneurs by returning to the event as the official partner for the "Women in Tech" category for the sixth consecutive year, sponsoring the prize of up to US$10,000 for the best female-led start-up.

Mariam Rashid Bin Al Shaikh, Director of SBWC, said, "Expand North Star is a truly one-of-its-kind platform that brings the world together to connect the most ambitious and forward thinking startups with some of the most experienced and knowledgeable global investors. Through our previous participations at the event, SBWC has opened new doors of opportunity and success for several female-owned and led ventures across the UAE, and I call on all women who are driving change in the technology sectors through their ideas and innovations to seize this opportunity we are providing."

"Innovations, products and ideas showcased by the eight female-led startups stand to benefit from the calibre of attention of global companies, suppliers and investors that is attracted only by this particular event, once a year. Participants will explore meaningful and profitable partnership opportunities to drive forward their projects to new levels of success." she added.

Across four days Expand North Star will present some of the world's best startups from over 100 countries, welcome 1000 VCs to raise funds and scout for their portfolio, and deliver unprecedented content programme debating the big stories of 2023 including a flash storm of generative Ai startups, and over 50 unicorn founders on stage give their opinions.