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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
an hour ago
- Al Etihad
World Bank slashes global growth forecast as trade tensions bite
10 June 2025 17:49 WASHINGTON (REUTERS)The World Bank on Tuesday slashed its global growth forecast for 2025 by 0.4 percentage point to 2.3%, saying that higher tariffs and heightened uncertainty posed a "significant headwind" for nearly all its twice-yearly Global Economic Prospects report, the bank lowered its forecasts for nearly 70% of all economies - including the United States, China and Europe, as well as six emerging market regions - from the levels it projected just six months ago before US President Donald Trump took has upended global trade with a series of on-again, off-again tariff hikes that have increased the effective US tariff rate from below 3% to the mid-teens - its highest level in almost a century - and triggered retaliation by China and other World Bank is the latest body to cut its growth forecast as a result of Trump's erratic trade policies, although US officials insist the negative consequences will be offset by a surge in investment and still-to-be approved tax bank stopped short of forecasting a recession, but said global economic growth this year would be its weakest outside of a recession since 2008. By 2027, global gross domestic product growth was expected to average just 2.5%, the slowest pace of any decade since the report forecast that global trade would grow by 1.8% in 2025, down from 3.4% in 2024 and roughly a third of its 5.9% level in the 2000s. The forecast is based on tariffs in effect as of late May, including a 10% US tariff on imports from most countries. It excludes increases announced by Trump in April and then postponed until July 9 to allow for bank said global inflation was expected to reach 2.9% in 2025, remaining above pre-COVID levels, given tariff increases and tight labor it said the risk of a global recession was less than 10%.The World Bank said the global outlook had "deteriorated substantially" since January, mainly due to advanced economies, now seen growing by just 1.2%, down half a point, after expanding 1.7% in US forecast was slashed by 0.9 percentage point from its January forecast to 1.4%, and the 2026 outlook was lowered by 0.4 percentage point to 1.6%. Rising trade barriers, "record-high uncertainty" and a spike in financial market volatility were expected to weigh on private consumption, trade and investment, it estimates in the euro area were cut by 0.3 percentage point to 0.7% and in Japan by 0.5 percentage point to 0.7%.It said emerging markets and developing economies were expected to grow by 3.8% in 2025 versus 4.1% in January's countries would suffer the most, the report said. By 2027 developing economies' per capita GDP would be 6% below pre-pandemic levels, and it could take these countries - minus China - two decades to recoup the economic losses of the heavily dependent on trade with the US, saw its growth forecast cut by 1.3 percentage points to 0.2% in 2025. The World Bank left its forecast for China unchanged at 4.5% from January, saying Beijing still had monetary and fiscal space to support its economy and stimulate growth.
Tourism Breaking News
2 hours ago
- Tourism Breaking News
China extends visa-free entry to four GCC countries
Post Views: 35 China has launched a trial policy granting unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, expanding its visa-free access list to 47 countries, as per the recent report. Effective until June 8, 2026, the policy allows ordinary passport holders from these four Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchange, and transit. The policy has been warmly received across the Gulf region and is expected to enhance bilateral exchanges, strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties, and drive broader cooperation between China and the GCC. Currently, around 20 direct flights operate weekly between key Chinese cities—including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen—and Saudi cities like Riyadh and Jeddah. The UAE is connected to 13 cities across mainland China through direct flights. This expansion marks a significant step in building economic and cultural relations between China and the Gulf states.
Al Etihad
4 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Visa-free access extended to 4 more Gulf countries by China
10 June 2025 15:26 BEIJING (Xinhua)China this week launched a trial policy that grants unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, expanding its unilateral visa-free access list to 47 the policy, which will remain in effect through June 8, 2026, holders of ordinary passports from these four countries can enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for purposes such as business, tourism, family visits, cultural exchange, and the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have established reciprocal visa-free arrangements with China since 2018, which means all six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) now enjoy visa-free access to expansion has been warmly welcomed across the Gulf region and is expected to boost bilateral exchanges, strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties, and inject new momentum into broader China-GCC a statement posted on platform X following China's announcement in late May, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the move would "contribute to encouraging mutual visits and deepening the bonds of friendship between the two friendly peoples."Naif Awlia, director of tourism and engagement at Saudi tourism developer Diriyah Company, also hailed the policy as a positive step forward. "Friendly ties are the foundation of long-term cooperation, and we look forward to deepening our partnership with China," he Travel, one of the largest travel companies in the Gulf region and an early mover in promoting outbound tourism to China, has launched new travel packages since the announcement, targeting residents of the UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi and Gulf countries already enjoy strong air travel connectivity, and the new visa-free policy is anticipated to further boost travel about 20 direct flights operate weekly between major Chinese cities -- including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen -- and Saudi destinations such as Riyadh and Jeddah. The UAE is connected to 13 cities across the Chinese mainland with direct ahead, Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines plans to launch a direct Haikou-Jeddah route on June 28, while UAE carrier Emirates will begin daily nonstop service between Dubai and Shenzhen on July say the new policy reflects the growing political, economic, and cultural ties between China and the Gulf region. In 2024, trade between China and GCC countries reached $288.09 billion, making the GCC China's sixth-largest trading latest step underscores China's continued push to open its doors wider to global visitors, in line with its commitment to high-level late 2023, China has introduced a series of traveler-friendly policies. Starting June 1, holders of ordinary passports from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay are eligible for unilateral visa-free entry -- the first time such access has been extended to Latin American and Caribbean the visa-free transit period has been extended to 240 hours for travelers from 54 initiatives have already had a noticeable impact. In 2024, China recorded 3.39 million entries under its unilateral visa-free policy, a year-on-year surge of 1,200 percent. During the recent three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, 231,000 foreigners entered China without a visa, up 59.4 percent from a year earlier. Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, said foreign travelers come not only to visit China's landscapes and cities but also to experience everyday life. "These visits offer opportunities to discover the real China," he said.
