UNCTAD honors women entrepreneurs at Doha forum as scaling businesses gains policy focus

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UNCTAD Women Entrepreneurs Awards

Highlights

Sandra Letio of Uganda, Paula Gianserra of Argentina, Aisha Albinali of Qatar, Adriana Fernandes of Brazil, and Biobele Oyibo of Nigeria win 2026 Empretec Women in Business Awards at UNCTAD's Doha forum.
UNCTAD and the Qatari Businesswomen Association sign an MoU during the forum to expand support for women entrepreneurs and economic empowerment.
Forum session 'Women who invest: Mobilizing female capital for the future' gathers ministers, investors and business leaders to discuss boosting women’s roles in investment and scaling businesses.

Awards spotlight scale-up needs

As reported by UNCTAD, citing UN Trade and Development, the Empretec Women in Business Awards 2026 are held during the 9th World Investment Forum in Doha, Qatar, under the theme "Women-led businesses and the art of scale".

The program recognizes women entrepreneurs in four categories, leadership, sustainability, innovation and technology. It draws 52 nominees put forward by Empretec centres, which provide training and business development services, and brings together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and business leaders.

Among the winners, Sandra Letio of Uganda is honored in leadership for building agribusiness Pelere Group Limited and working with more than 5,000 smallholder farmers across the shea and oilseed value chain. Paula Gianserra of Argentina receives the sustainability award for Reforest Latam's use of artificial intelligence, biotechnology and drone seeding in forest restoration.

In innovation, Aisha Albinali of Qatar is recognized for Wafir's adaptation of traditional savings practices into a fintech solution, while Adriana Fernandes of Brazil is also honored for Mátrika Special Foods' allergy-safe and diet-focused food products. Biobele Oyibo of Nigeria receives the technology award for Earlybean's work promoting financial literacy and inclusion among young people.

Forum broadens push for women's economic role

UNCTAD says the awards are part of a wider agenda aimed at strengthening women's entrepreneurship and economic empowerment. The organization argues that while women entrepreneurs are creating jobs, introducing technology and addressing social and environmental challenges, growth remains harder than start-up because scaling requires finance, investment, skilled workers, mentors and business networks.

During the forum, UNCTAD and the Qatari Businesswomen Association sign a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation in support of women entrepreneurs and women's economic empowerment. The event also hosts the session "Women who invest: Mobilizing female capital for the future," bringing together ministers, investors, family offices and business leaders to discuss how greater female participation in investment can support entrepreneurship, innovation and growth.

Together, the initiatives point to a broader shift in how women in business are viewed, from beneficiaries of support programs to founders, innovators, investors and builders of the future economy.

Our earlier article on AI-driven competitiveness explained how the rapid spread of artificial intelligence is raising the baseline for business performance, leaving less room for companies that rely on “average” execution. We noted that to stay relevant, firms increasingly need to rethink investment priorities, workforce skills, and decision-making, since AI adoption often requires deeper changes to processes and operating models.

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