(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Green tech is the biggest untapped market for women entrepreneurs in the UAE , according to a leading women's rights advocate. Environmental technology, or green tech, refers to using technologies to help mitigate the negative impacts on the environment.

Mariam Al Hammadi, the director general of Nama Women Advancement, told Khaleej Times that the intersection between technology and sustainability, though overlooked, provides huge potential, especially in fields like“AI-driven energy management, smart manufacturing, and circular economy solutions."

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“The UAE's strategic agenda is driving digital transformation and green investments, and women are ideally placed to champion innovative ventures that merge technical skill and environmental stewardship,” she added.

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Nama Women Advancement is a Sharjah-based entity that works to support women in terms of their health, education, livelihood, and their status in society. Till date, they have helped more than 35,000 women both locally and abroad across 35 countries by broadening access to knowledge, skills, independence, and entrepreneurship and leadership roles.

Al Hammadi explained that Nama observed a demand for businesses that consider solutions that are environmentally friendly, rather than create something only for the sake of profit.“The unique perspectives women bring to design, implementation, and stakeholder engagement are the missing piece of many transformative projects,” she said.

According to research by Mastercard, 84 per cent of women in the UAE consider starting their own business .“With carefully designed programmes, we are helping to turn these entrepreneurial aspirations into success stories; enabling women to start and scale businesses, enter new markets, and become employers within their communities; and this generates a true ripple effect that extends opportunity to future generations,” Al Hammadi noted.

Persistent challenges

Apart from funding their businesses, women entrepreneurs usually find it hard to access influential networks and leadership mentorship, Al Hammadi said.“Many women tell us that breaking into established circles; whether it's industry forums, procurement channels, or executive boards; remains a major hurdle,” she noted. Nama has made efforts to bridge this gap, in a joint effort with the Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), an affiliate of Nama. They have delivered targeted mentorship opportunities, business guidance, and access to essential resources.

Al Hammadi added that regulatory complexities and digital resource gaps are also major challenges that women entrepreneurs face.“What stands out most in my conversations is the desire for not just financial capital, but social capital and curated platforms for sustained knowledge exchange, and that's precisely what we try to deliver at Nama,” she said.

Beyond empowerment

NAMA also supports women's overall wellbeing, ensuring they get the proper access and tools to health, education, economic agency, and social dignity.“It is our belief that empowerment is inseparable from comprehensive wellbeing, and isolated interventions can only go so far,” she said,“We are proud to see the impact of our programmes is directly connected to our strategy to address women's needs as whole, embedded in families and communities, rather than as separate statistics.”

For the foreseeable future, Al Hammadi said that Nama will continue to invest in women in Sharjah and throughout the UAE by providing them with all the necessary support needed for their endeavours.

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