Mai El Habashi has launched her first book, “Dare to Dream: Stories of Female Entrepreneurs in the Arab World,” documenting the experiences of women founders and business leaders across the region.
The launch and signing event took place on September 30, 2026, at Bibliothek in New Cairo, bringing together entrepreneurs, family members, friends and other guests. A discussion moderated by Fatma El Zahraa Ahmed, founder and managing director of MEAComS, explored the book’s themes and the changing landscape of women’s entrepreneurship in the Arab world.
Published by Barakat Libraries, the book is based on more than 25 interviews with company founders, investors and entrepreneurship experts. It covers businesses built by women in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE over the past decade, while examining challenges including access to funding and social and cultural barriers.
The book also discusses self-funding, angel investment, flexibility, artificial intelligence and work-life balance. According to the book, women-founded startups in the Arab world received around 1.2% of total funding in 2024.
El Habashi said the stories aim to present entrepreneurship in a more human and realistic way, giving women practical examples while challenging the idealized image often portrayed in the media.
Source: Fintech Gate
