Nadia_Al_Sweilem

Pioneered Saudi Arabia’s first women-led tech startup incubator fostering female entrepreneurship.

Nadia Al-Sweilem is a Saudi Arabian entrepreneur and social innovator who launched Sowar, the first women-only tech incubator in Saudi Arabia in 2020. Operating under the Vision 2030 reform agenda, Sowar provides funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities to female founders, helping over 300 startups scale nationally. Al-Sweilem’s 2022 documentary, “Breaking Barriers: Saudi Women in Tech,” profiles 20 trailblazing entrepreneurs. In 2023, she co-authored 《Women in Tech: Saudi Arabia’s Innovation Revolution》, analyzing gender dynamics in the kingdom’s startup ecosystem. Al-Sweilem also advises the Saudi Ministry of Communications on digital inclusion policies, advocating for girls’ coding education. Her podcast “Innovate Arabia” features interviews with underrepresented tech leaders. In 2024, Sowar’s portfolio company FemTech Solutions became the first Saudi healthtech startup to secure $5M in Series A funding. Al-Sweilem’s work challenges traditional gender norms while positioning Saudi Arabia as a tech hub in the Middle East.