Raha Merati

Saudi Arabia's leading advocate for female entrepreneurship, building ecosystems supporting 10,000+ women-led startups

Raha Merati is a trailblazing Saudi entrepreneur who pioneered women's economic participation in her country. Founding Womena in 2013, she created the first venture capital fund and startup accelerator exclusively for women in the Middle East. This platform has supported over 10,000 women entrepreneurs and invested in 50+ startups across sectors like healthtech, edutech, and renewable energy.

Merati's work aligns with Saudi Vision 2030's goals to increase women's workforce participation from 22% to 30%. Her initiatives like Womena Accelerator provide mentorship, funding, and networking opportunities. By 2022, Womena had deployed $25M in capital, with portfolio companies valued at over $1B.

As a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, Merati advocates globally for gender equality in tech. Her TEDx talk 'The Power of Female Entrepreneurship in the Arab World' has over 500K views. She was named one of Forbes' 30 Under 30 in 2015, highlighting her impact on reshaping regional business landscapes.