The Middle East is undergoing an exciting transformation as more women entrepreneurs enter the world of technology and innovation. Traditionally seen as a male-dominated industry, tech is now welcoming a new wave of female-led startups that are breaking stereotypes and reshaping the business landscape. With increasing support from government initiatives and private investors, these women are no longer just participants in the region’s economic growth – they are at the forefront of driving it.
One of the key sectors where this change is particularly visible is artificial intelligence (AI). Companies like Intella, an AI-powered voice technology startup, are pioneering groundbreaking innovations in Arabic speech recognition. Originally founded in Egypt and now headquartered in Saudi Arabia, Intella has quickly established itself as a leader in deep tech. The company secured $3.4 million in pre-Series A funding in 2023, backed by prominent investors such as HALA Ventures, Wa’ed Ventures, Sanabil 500, and INSEAD Angels. This investment is set to accelerate Intella’s expansion across the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where it aims to become the top player in Arabic AI voice solutions.
At the heart of Intella’s journey is Nour Taher, a visionary leader with a deep background in customer experience and business strategy. Taher began her career at Bank-al-Etihad in 2013, working her way up to the role of Customer Experience Manager. Taher’s expertise in business strategy led them to work as a Business Strategy Consultant, where they honed her skills in market analysis and growth strategies. Before co-founding Intella, Taher served as the Director of Business Development for Altibbi, one of the largest digital healthcare platforms in the MENA region.
Taher’s strong academic foundation further complements her business acumen.She holds an Honours Business Administration degree from Western University, with a double major in business and psychology. In addition,she has earned multiple professional certifications, including qualifications in Customer Experience Management and Train the Trainer. This unique blend of business expertise, customer experience insights, and leadership skills has played a crucial role in Intella’s rapid success in the AI industry.
A strategic move in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030
Intella’s decision to relocate its headquarters to Saudi Arabia is a well-calculated move that aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiative—a long-term national strategy focused on economic diversification, innovation, and gender empowerment. A key goal of Vision 2030 is to increase female participation in the workforce, a target that has already seen remarkable progress. In 2016, women made up only 16% of Saudi Arabia’s workforce. By 2021, that figure had jumped to 35.6%, marking a major shift in the country’s approach to gender inclusivity in the workplace.
Women across the Middle East are making remarkable progress in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), challenging outdated perceptions and driving innovation. According to the Global Gender Gap Report (2023), women accounted for 29.2% of the STEM workforce across 146 nations, despite representing 49.3% of total employment in non-STEM fields. In the Gulf States, the numbers are even more impressive—women make up around 60% of engineering students, surpassing many Western nations. These figures prove that female-led innovation in the region isn’t just emerging—it’s thriving.
Yet, despite these successes, female entrepreneurs continue to face significant barriers in securing investment. Pitchbook data from 2023 reveals that women-founded startups received only 2% or less of venture capital (VC) funding in both Europe and the United States. This stark funding gap underscores the persistent challenges women must navigate—despite proving time and again that they can lead successful, high-impact ventures.
Leading the AI voice revolution
Against this backdrop, Intella stands out as a company redefining Arabic AI voice technology. Co-founded by CEO Nour Taher, the startup has made remarkable advancements in voice recognition, achieving an industry-leading 95.73% accuracy rate in Arabic speech transcription. This impressive milestone, achieved after analysing over 30,000 hours of audio, surpasses the performance of several global competitors and sets a new benchmark in the field of Arabic speech processing.
But Intella’s innovation goes beyond just transcription. The company has expanded its technology to offer sophisticated audio analytics, including speech summarisation, sentiment analysis, topic extraction, and call scoring. These capabilities are set to revolutionise industries such as customer service, media, and telecommunications, where businesses rely on accurate speech processing to enhance efficiency and decision-making.
With the recent round of funding, Intella is now in a strong position to further refine its AI technology, expand its reach across the Middle East, and cement its leadership in the Arabic voice intelligence market. This growth is particularly significant at a time when the region is witnessing a rising culture of entrepreneurship, especially among women. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2022 Global Gender Gap report, an astonishing 40.9% of startups in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are now led by women. As of 2024, women own 45% of small and medium-sized businesses in Saudi Arabia. The rate of female participation in the labour force roughly doubled to 35% between 2017 and 2023. This highlights a growing momentum towards gender diversity in business leadership, with companies like Intella paving the way.
A bright future for women in Middle Eastern tech space
Intella’s success is part of a much larger movement—one where women are not just contributing to the tech industry but are actively leading it. With strong government backing for innovation, increasing investment in women-led businesses, and a rising culture of female entrepreneurship, the Middle East is setting a new precedent for gender diversity in technology.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, along with similar initiatives across the region, is fostering an environment where female founders no longer have to struggle for a seat at the table—they are building their own tables. And with trailblazers like Intella proving that female-led companies can compete on a global stage, the future of AI and tech in the Middle East looks more inclusive, innovative, and dynamic than ever before.
As more women step up to disrupt industries, challenge norms, and redefine leadership in tech, one thing is clear: the voices of change are getting louder—and they’re here to stay.
