DIFC FinTech Hive has announced that the third edition of its popular FinTech Hive AccelerateHer programme will more than double in size this year.
The initiative to support female entrepreneurs will support up to 40 participants in total, compared to just 14 last year, a statement said.
For the first time, AccelerateHer will run in two cohorts through a hybrid programme structure combining both virtual and in-person elements, allowing the programme to be open to global participants who wish to access the expertise and experience within DIFC.
The first cohort of 20 female participants from financial institutions has already been selected.
DIFC said it has been committed to supporting diversity in the financial services sector since its inception in 2004.
The DIFC FinTech Hive first launched AccelerateHer in 2019 to develop female talent in financial technology and innovation sectors.
To date, the scheme has successfully supported nearly 30 participants with one-to-one mentorship, workshops and networking opportunities.
Previous participants came from a range of financial services firms and have used the programme to accelerate their personal development and contribution to their organisations.
Through the programme, some participants were able to launch their own female-founded fintechs, the statement said, adding that the current edition is targeting women across the financial services industry with six months to three years of experience.
Raja Al Mazrouei, executive vice president of DIFC FinTech Hive, said: “DIFC’s commitment to fostering a world-class pool of diverse talent is central to our strength, both as a global financial centre and a leading innovation hub.
“We are proud to bring together a wealth of expertise across our community, forging varied and valuable connections through initiatives such as AccelerateHer in order to fulfil our mission to drive the future of finance.”
DIFC is home to the region’s largest financial ecosystem of almost 27,000 professionals working across more than 2,900 active registered companies.
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