28% of Saudi female small business owners are household's primary income earner, GoDaddy study reveals
JEDDAH – Saudi women entrepreneurs are leading households financially and spearheading artificial intelligence (AI) adoption to power their small businesses. GoDaddy's 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Survey reveals these women are redefining success with confidence and resilience, using technology to streamline operations and inspire a new era of business opportunity and innovation in a post-COVID world.
In Saudi Arabia, a notable 57% of small businesses surveyed are women-owned, with 85% of these reporting as having launched their business in the last five years. These statistics highlight the significant presence of women in entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia and underscore their resilience, especially considering the challenging economic climate brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago.
AI is championing women entrepreneurship
Women entrepreneurs are not just running their own businesses, they are excelling with unwavering confidence. A staggering 83% of those surveyed expressed their belief in their capabilities, a testament to their well-founded strength in the business arena. Additionally, 84% agree AI will help their small business compete with larger, better-resourced companies in the next year.
For example, Saudi women are reporting saving 11 hours per week by using AI tools –such as GoDaddy Airo®, an AI-powered experience which simplifies website creation, logo design and digital marketing strategies for entrepreneurs. This time saved equates to two working days per week, time which they spend on learning new skills or improving current ones (48%), planning the future of the business (53%) and coming up with creative ideas (53%).
28% of women entrepreneurs in Saudi are the primary income earners for their households. These women are contributing to local economies, creating new jobs and supporting families. 59% of Saudi women entrepreneurs are feeling very optimistic. 70% believe their business will grow in the next 3-5 years.
Female business leaders are embracing digital tools to grow
In addition to finding fulfilment in creating their own source of income (54%) and supporting their families (41%), women entrepreneurs take joy in learning new skills to run their business (39%).
"With AI-powered tools like GoDaddy Airo, women entrepreneurs are able to free up time to spend it on what really matters to them,' said Selina Bieber, Vice President of International Markets at GoDaddy. 'Whether that is growing their business, focusing on family or enhancing their skills, women in Saudi are inspiring the next generation of successful women business leaders.'
Entrepreneurship is playing an increasingly pivotal role in women's lives with 88% of respondents saying it has enhanced their quality of life, offering a sense of fulfilment and empowerment with the opportunity to pursue their passion.
"GoDaddy's findings confirm that technology is a powerful equalizer, enabling women to redefine their roles in business," continued Bieber. 'GoDaddy is here to support dreaming of becoming their own boss but haven't found the time to start their own business. Starting a business is never easy, but GoDaddy Airo makes it a whole lot easier."
Key capabilities of GoDaddy Airo include brand creation, digital marketing and search engine optimization (SEO), navigated in an intuitive user-friendly interface with no technical expertise required. GoDaddy Airo generates custom logos, websites and email addresses within minutes, develops targeted social media campaigns aligned with local events and enhances online visibility with built-in AI SEO.
About GoDaddy
GoDaddy helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a website and logo, sell their products and services, and accept payments. GoDaddy Airo®, the company's AI-powered experience, makes growing a small business faster and easier by helping them to get their idea online in minutes, drive traffic and boost sales. GoDaddy's expert guides are available 24/7 to provide assistance. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.
About GoDaddy's 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Survey
The GoDaddy 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Survey was carried out by Advanis in January 2025 in Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Germany, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. The sampling criteria were small business owners, and companies were defined based on the number of employees, ranging from one to 49. A total of 3504 people were surveyed, 500 of them in the MENA region.
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