Lina Al-Attas

Saudi Arabia's pioneering tech entrepreneur who founded the first women's tech hub in 2000

Lina Al-Attas (born 1972) is a Saudi Arabian innovator and founder of Sawaj, the first women's technology hub in the Kingdom. In 1998, while studying computer science at King Saud University, she noticed the lack of opportunities for women in tech. By 2000, she launched Sawaj to provide training, networking, and funding opportunities for female entrepreneurs. This groundbreaking initiative directly contradicted Saudi Arabia's strict gender segregation norms of the era.

Al-Attas' work faced significant opposition, including threats from conservative groups and bureaucratic hurdles. Her 2003 book 《Women in Technology: Saudi Arabia's Silent Revolution》 documents her struggles and successes. By 2005, Sawaj had trained over 2,000 women in IT skills, leading to the creation of 150+ women-led tech startups. Notable alumni include the founders of Nayla, a women's networking app, and Sahelsoft, a medical software company.

Her 2008 documentary 《Code Breakers》 chronicles the challenges faced by Saudi women in tech. Al-Attas pioneered the 'Women in Tech' conference series, which became a model for similar initiatives across the Middle East. In 2012, she established the first tech incubator in Jeddah specifically for women, which later expanded to include digital literacy programs for rural communities.

Despite the 2016 Saudi Vision 2030 reforms, Al-Attas remains a vocal advocate for systemic change. Her recent partnership with UNESCO focuses on closing the gender gap in STEM education across Arab nations. Her TEDx talk 'Technology as a Tool for Social Change' (2020) has been viewed over 2 million times. Al-Attas' legacy includes influencing Saudi Arabia's 2021 policy allowing women to work in previously restricted tech sectors.