Saudi Arabia – October 15, 2023
In an achievement added to the record of Saudi women’s contributions, Maryam bint Abdullah successfully founded a tech startup specializing in developing artificial intelligence solutions, becoming one of the leading female entrepreneurs in the Kingdom.
Maryam’s journey began five years ago when she decided to leave her job as a software engineer at a global company to venture into entrepreneurship. Maryam says: “It was a turning point in my life when I decided to transform my passion for technology into a business project that serves society.”
During the first years, Maryam faced several challenges, most notably the difficulty of obtaining necessary funding. She adds: “We had to prove the viability of our idea to investors, which required a lot of patience and persistence.”
Maryam successfully overcame this phase and secured funding worth 5 million Saudi riyals from the Public Investment Fund. Within just two years, her company grew to employ 50 people, 70% of whom were Saudi women.
Statistics indicate that Maryam’s company successfully developed 15 different technological solutions, 10 of which were adopted by major companies in the Kingdom. The company also won the Best Startup Award in the field of artificial intelligence during the Riyadh Technology Exhibition 2023.
Maryam emphasizes the importance of women’s role in the technology sector, saying: “We need more women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Saudi women have the abilities and skills necessary to lead the technological transformation in the Kingdom.”
Today, Maryam’s company is preparing to launch a new product based on augmented reality technologies, aimed at facilitating distance learning. Maryam says: “We aspire to be part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in building an advanced digital economy.”
Maryam’s success story serves as an example for ambitious Saudi youth, especially women, who seek to make their mark in the rapidly evolving world of technology.