Reem Al-Shareef

Saudi female founder pioneering education access through digital platforms

Reem Al-Shareef is the CEO and founder of Sheyana, a Saudi-based online education platform that provides affordable STEM courses for women and youth across the Middle East. Growing up in a conservative society with limited educational opportunities, Al-Shareef recognized the need to bridge the gender gap in tech education. Her platform now offers over 500 courses in programming, data science, and AI, with 200,000+ learners from 22 countries. Courses are priced at just $9/month, making technical education accessible to underserved populations.

Al-Shareef's initiative aligns with Saudi Vision 2030's goals of economic diversification and women's workforce participation, but goes beyond government programs by focusing on practical job-ready skills. Sheyana's graduates have secured tech jobs at companies like Microsoft and Google, with 70% of course takers being women. The platform's unique peer-to-peer learning model connects learners with industry mentors from global tech hubs like Silicon Valley.

Beyond business, Al-Shareef co-founded Women in Tech Saudi, a nonprofit supporting female entrepreneurs through mentorship and funding. Her TEDx talk "How we can close the gender gap in tech" highlights systemic barriers faced by Middle Eastern women in STEM fields. Al-Shareef's work demonstrates how digital education platforms can drive both economic empowerment and social change in conservative regions.