16-07-2025
Visa Launches She's Next Initiative in Saudi Arabia
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Visa (NYSE: V), digital payments, has announced the launch of a new edition of its global advocacy initiative, She's Next in Entrepreneurship, in Saudi Arabia. This initiative is in partnership with Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB) and Monsha'at.
This latest launch builds on Visa's long-standing commitment to supporting women-led businesses in the region.
Applications are open until July 21, 2025, for women entrepreneurs across Saudi Arabia. Five finalists will be announced on August 1. They will participate in a pitch event and final judging on September 2.
Three winners will be selected to receive equity-free grants totaling USD 60,000: Main Prize: USD 30,000
Runner-Up: USD 20,000
People's Favorite: USD 10,000
The program is open to women from all sectors, from established businesses to emerging startups with high-growth potential.
Haya Sawan, a fitness expert and wellness entrepreneur in Saudi Arabia, joins the program as mentor. She leads several ventures, including SheFit and Playball Saudi, and serves on the board of the Saudi Surfing Federation.
Ali Bailoun, Visa's Regional General Manager in KSA, Bahrain, and Oman, said the program supports more than just funding. It offers mentorship, recognition, and growth opportunities aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.
He cited Visa's Women SMB Digitalization study, which found that 50% of women business owners want to expand their services, and 20% seek better financial skills.
Lama Ghazzaoui, Chief Financial Officer at SAB, said that empowering women is a core commitment at the bank. She highlighted the growing impact of women-led businesses in the country.
Monsha'at emphasized that empowering women entrepreneurs is key to national prosperity. The organization believes access to tools, mentorship, and funding enables women to drive innovation and job creation.
Visa reported that this initiative follows successful past editions focused on fashion, gaming, and sports. It now returns to spotlight broader entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia.
In 2023, Visa and the International Trade Centre (ITC) trained 340 women across six countries under the SheTrades and She's Next programs. These initiatives supported over 12,000 women employees.
Globally, Visa has invested approximately USD 3 million since 2020 in grants and coaching for over 250 women SMB owners, including in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait.
