Abu Dhabi, UAE,November 2026: The Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council ADBWC and Publicis Groupe Middle East have awarded three women-led small enterprises paid media funding as part of Falcon Tank, the pitch platform of the Ra’idah programme. The investment gives the winning founders the means to take their campaign ideas to market. Muna Alhammadi of Mineral Energy, Noora Alawadi of From Noora’s Majlis and Shaima Al Zaabi of Vanilla Swirl came out on top among 10 Businesses who presented to a panel of senior leaders.
Ra’idah reflects the Council’s aim to move support for women entrepreneurs beyond training and towards measurable business results. Through Ra’idah, founders gain marketing and leadership skills, one-to-one mentoring and a direct route to market through paid media funding. The approach supports Abu Dhabi’s ambition to build a diverse, competitive private sector in which women-led businesses play a full role in the Emirate’s economic growth.
Muna Alhammadi, founder of Mineral Energy, took first place. Noora Alawadi, founder of From Noora’s Majlis, took second place, and Shaima Al Zaabi, founder of Vanilla Swirl, was awarded third place. Following their wins, each founder will work closely with a media expert from Spark Foundry ME to bring their campaigns to market in the foreseeable future. The judges were H.E. Asma Al Fahim, Chairwoman of the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council; Bassel Kakish, CEO of Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey; and Joyce Hallak, CEO of Spark Foundry Middle East, part of Publicis Groupe Middle East.
The 10 participating founders in Falcon Tank were Ayesha Alazri of Hawaana; Boshra Alseiari of BrontoBright; Noora Alawadi of From Noora’s Majlis; Haifa Al Nahdi of AlHeif; Alwazna Falah of VIP Protocol Events; Shaima Al Zaabi of Vanilla Swirl; Dr. Muna Balfaqeeh of MB Gallery; May Mubarak of MALBO PhotoBooth; Maryam Alkatheeri of Mind Abaya; and Muna Alhammadi of Mineral Energy. Each pitched a campaign concept built during the programme, which comprised of a competitive selection process, a two-day in-person academy and one-to-one mentoring. The curriculum covered marketing and leadership fundamentals, AI tools, content creation, personal brand building, paid media strategies and campaign idea development, delivered by Publicis Groupe’s industry experts.
H.E. Asma Al Fahim, Chairwoman of the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council, said: “Abu Dhabi’s economy grows stronger when women-led businesses have the skills, visibility and capital to scale. Falcon Tank shows what happens when a platform is built for results: 10 founders pitched real campaigns, and three now have the media investment to launch them. Our aim is for every Ra’idah founder to build a business that lasts and leads in its sector.”
She added, “Winning is where the work begins. The Council will stay alongside these founders as they take their campaigns to market, and we will keep building Ra’idah so that more women-led businesses can grow with confidence. That is how we deliver on Abu Dhabi’s vision of a diverse, competitive economy in which women help lead growth.”
Bassel Kakish, CEO, Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey, said, “Ra’idah works because both sides bring something real to it. The Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council brings the founders and a clear vision for the Emirate’s private sector, and our talents bring the marketing craft and the media investment that puts an idea in front of customers. Small businesses and female founders are central to Abu Dhabi’s economic future, and we are proud to stand with the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council on that. Publicis Groupe will keep investing in programmes like Ra’idah, and we look forward to what the next edition brings.”
Joyce Hallak, CEO, Spark Foundry Middle East, said, “Founders learn fastest when the stakes are real, and at Falcon Tank each of them had to defend a media campaign idea and be ready to take it to market. Our experts at Spark Foundry were excited to work closely with these small business owners and mentor them throughout the Ra’idah programme, to prepare them for that moment. Our commitment continues beyond the pitch, and we will keep working with the winning founders to launch their campaigns and deliver results for their businesses.”
This concludes the second edition of the Ra’idah programme. Details of the third edition will be announced in early 2027. Women entrepreneurs in Abu Dhabi who are ready to grow their businesses can share their details by email at info@adbusinesswomen.ae and join the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council’s network to access its programmes and business opportunities year-round.
Through Ra’idah and its wider initiatives, the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council continues to open pathways for women-led businesses to grow and reach new markets, strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for business and investment.
