Female Fusion’s 2025 Entrepreneurship Awards Spotlight UAE’s Leading Women Founders

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 27-03-2026

4 min

Female Fusion launched its 2025 awards in Dubai, spotlighting real business performance.

Independently judged awards rejected “pay-to-play” models and honoured measurable impact.

Winners spanned health, food, ecommerce and social impact across the UAE.

Practical prizes included legal support, PR backing and mentorship, not just trophies.

Organisers call it “just the beginning”, with expansion planned for 2026.

Female founders in the UAE had a moment in the spotlight this February, as Female Fusion revealed the winners of its inaugural 2025 Entrepreneurship Awards at a lunch held on 12 February in Dubai. The initiative, launched by what is described as the country’s largest licensed business community for women, set out to recognise tangible business performance rather than polished pitches or popularity contests.

The awards were independently judged and open to women entrepreneurs across the UAE, with sponsors excluded from entering to keep things transparent. In a region where recognition can sometimes feel like a bit of a faff, or worse, pay-to-play, that detail matters.

Jen Blandos, Founder and CEO of Female Fusion, explained the thinking behind the launch, noting that genuine recognition for small and scaling businesses is limited. Too often, she said, awards are geared towards large corporates or require payment. The goal instead was to create something founders could truly earn. If, in five years’ time, a winner looks back and sees the award as a turning point that helped her grow or think bigger, then the mission is accomplished, Blandos added, describing 2025 as just the beginning.

The winners span a cross-section of the UAE’s startup economy. Dr Anna Zickerman, founder of UPANDRUNNING, took home the Heriot-Watt University Entrepreneur of the Year award, and also secured Health & Wellness Business of the Year. Vanessa Gia Bayma of CBC Consultancy and Events was named Small Business of the Year and also won in the Food & Beverage category. Qadreya Al Awadhi, founder of Bumblebee (Food), earned Solopreneur of the Year.

Tia Simone Watson of LittleXWolf was recognised as Young Female Founder of the Year (Under 30), while Theresa Tsui of Skills3 Creative Enterprise for Social Impact received the Impact & Sustainability Award. Latika Chawla, founder of Giftbag.ae, won Ecommerce Business of the Year. Jenna Jenkins of Luxe Incorporations Corporate Services Providers LLC claimed Professional Services Business of the Year, and Layla Alhajjaj of Boho Salon was named Fashion & Beauty Business of the Year.

Judging focused on measurable performance, innovation, resilience and impact. Dr Nermeen Mustafa, Associate Professor at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, described the process as a close look at the ambition and capability of women building companies across the country. She highlighted the importance of recognising genuine entrepreneurial achievement and linking it to practice-led learning and industry engagement, strengthening the wider ecosystem in the process.

And that word, ecosystem, is one we hear often at Arageek. I still remember attending a small founders’ meetup in Dubai a few years ago, where half the conversation circled around how hard it was for women-led startups to get visibility beyond their immediate networks. Well… I mean, things have moved on. Initiatives like this feel like a step that is definately in the right direction.

Winners did not just walk away with trophies. The package included practical support such as legal services for contract drafting, three months of PR backing, mentorship, memberships and co-working access. Dr Zickerman described the recognition as a huge honour and pointed to the PR support as a tremendous opportunity to expand UPANDRUNNING’s reach and strengthen its brand.

Female Fusion today connects more than 60,000 founders, leaders and professionals across 35 countries, with over 1,000 active members. Founded by entrepreneur and global adviser Jen Blandos, the community runs structured growth programmes, curated events, masterclasses and strategic partnerships aimed at helping women build scalable businesses and create measurable economic impact.

On the flip side, awards alone won’t fix structural challenges. Access to capital, procurement opportunities and board representation still need work across the region, and I’m not a fan of glossy ceremonies that stop at applause. That said, when recognition is tied to performance and real support, it can be spot on.

Plans are already under way to expand the awards in 2026 to include women leading within corporate organisations. For a first edition, it’s a solid start, and, as Blandos put it, they’re just getting started. For many founders watching from the sidelines, that’s something to be chuffed to bits about.

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