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Empowering Innovation: A Bold Bet On Female-Led Ventures In The Middle East

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

February 24, 2025

Lubna Olayan’s family office, Dara Holdings, is reshaping its investment strategy to champion female-led ventures, targeting a long-overlooked gap in the region’s financing landscape. With a focus on sectors like AI and biotech, Dara Holdings is deploying capital to fuel startups that could redefine innovation in the Middle East.

Since mid-2024, Dara Holdings has made a series of strategic investments in UAE-based startups founded by women. Most notably, the firm joined a $10 million seed funding round for qeen.ai—a Dubai-based AI startup co-founded by former Google executive Dina Alsamhan—following an earlier pre-seed round that raised $2.2 million. “Grateful and proud,” Alsamhan celebrated in a LinkedIn post, marking one of the MENA region’s largest-ever seed rounds.

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In December, Dara also participated in a $5.5 million capital raise for BioSapien, an Abu Dhabi drug delivery platform founded by physician Khatija Ali, recently spotlighted on Tim Draper’s startup competition series, Meet the Drapers. Additionally, Dara Holdings has backed the second fund of Systemiq Capital, a climate-tech venture led by ex-Goldman Sachs banker Irena Spazzapan, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable and innovative investments.

Supporting female entrepreneurship isn’t just about deploying capital—it’s a strategic priority. “If an investment ticks the boxes and supports women in the region, that for us is a big additional plus. It’s a big focus,” said Walid Haram, Chief Investment Officer at Dara Holdings.

These moves bolster Olayan’s stature as one of the most influential business figures in the Middle East, especially in a market where female-founded ventures account for less than 7% of funded startups and capture just 1.2% of total funding, according to Wamda. With a legacy rooted in the multibillion-dollar Olayan Group, founded in 1947, Lubna Olayan has transitioned from her role as CEO of Olayan Financing Co. to now steering strategic investments as chair of the executive committee and board member of Saudi Awwal Bank.

Sector shifts are also on the horizon. Dara Holdings has recently established branches in the UK and Cyprus, complementing its diverse portfolio, which includes stakes in Italian confectionery brand Venchi and US power-transmission startup Veir. These strategic moves come as Saudi Arabia’s regulatory reforms empower women to launch businesses independently and travel freely—a change that has already boosted the nation’s GDP by about 12%, according to Capital Economics.

“We are very keen on creating an investment climate that focuses on R&D and entrepreneurship,” Haram added, emphasizing the firm’s drive to cultivate opportunities that not only generate returns but also foster social impact. Across the globe, women are increasingly taking on senior roles in family offices, a trend reflected by prominent names like Michael Dell and James Dyson, with new family offices emerging from leaders such as Alannah Weston and Demet Mutlu.

Olayan’s aggressive push into the realm of female-led ventures signals a transformative shift in the region’s investment paradigm—one that could unlock untapped potential and redefine the future of innovation in the Middle East.

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Cyprus’ Strong Youth Employment Rate Still Does Not Guarantee Early Independence

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 16, 2026

Young people in Cyprus have a relatively high employment rate, but they leave the parental home later than the EU average, according to Eurostat data.

Cypriots left home at an average age of 27 in 2025, compared with 26.3 years across the EU. At the same time, 72.3% of people aged 20 to 29 in Cyprus were employed, well above the EU average of 65.5%.

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Strong Employment Does Not Mean Early Independence

Only nine countries recorded higher youth employment rates than Cyprus. Iceland led at 85.3%, followed by the Netherlands at 84%, Malta at 82.1%, Switzerland at 78.3% and Germany at 77%.

Norway recorded 76.5%, Ireland 76.1%, Denmark 74.8% and Austria 74.6%. Eurostat said countries where young people leave home earlier generally tend to have higher youth employment rates.

Southern Europe Sees Later Moves

Finland had the lowest average age for leaving the parental home at 21.4 years, followed by Denmark at 21.8 and Estonia and Lithuania at 22.7. Croatia recorded the highest average at 31.5 years, followed by Greece and Slovakia at 30.9. Spain and Italy both stood at 30.2 years.

Across the EU, the average has remained close to 26 since 2002, rising only slightly from 26.2 years in 2024 to 26.3 years in 2025.

Cyprus Labour Market Is Cooling

The figures come as Cyprus’ labor market shows some signs of easing, although demand for workers remains relatively strong by European standards.

Separate Eurostat data showed Cyprus had the EU’s largest annual decline in its job vacancy rate in the second quarter of 2026. The rate fell to 2.6% from 3.3% a year earlier, but remained above the EU average of 2.0% and the euro area average of 2.1%.

Cost Of Living Remains A Factor

Housing and other living costs can also affect how quickly young workers establish independent households. Eurostat reported that Cyprus’ household consumption price level was 89.2% of the EU average in 2025.

A relatively lower overall price level does not eliminate affordability pressures for people on modest incomes. For younger workers, the issue can be whether wages are sufficient to cover rent, utilities, food and other basic expenses.

Cyprus therefore combines relatively high youth employment with a later transition to independent living, suggesting that access to work and the ability to afford a separate household do not always move together.