Mastercard and Saudia Partner to Empower Women Entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia with ‘Her Voice’

 Mastercard has partnered with Saudia, the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to launch the third season of the award-winning podcast series, ‘Her Voice’. 

Demonstrating Mastercard and Saudia’s shared commitment to advancing female entrepreneurship and their vision for a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable world, the partnership marks another important step in connecting women to their passions and connecting their stories to different cities across the Kingdom. 

This season, Mastercard and Saudia will be putting inspiration into action by partnering with Blossom Accelerator, Saudi Arabia's first tech-inclusion and female-focused accelerator, to host three workshops — in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Khobar — providing budding female entrepreneurs, aspiring leaders, and small business owners access to all-important learning and networking opportunities. 

A competition will also be held, inviting startups to share their business concepts on priceless.com/hervoiceS3 and enter the running to win a mentorship program by Blossom Accelerator.

Essam Akhonbay, Vice President of Marketing at Saudia, said: “Saudia has always been at the forefront of empowering Saudi women, and, as the national flag carrier, we remain dedicated to this mission as we pave the way for the future with creativity and innovation. ‘Her Voice’ initiative has played a pivotal role in connecting women with their passions and inspiring countless women across the country since its inception. We are excited to continue this journey and amplify stories of Saudi female excellence with the launch of season three of the podcast."

“Amplifying the incredibly moving stories of Saudi women from all over the Kingdom, Her Voice has served as the clarion call for the recognition of excellence,” said Maria Medvedeva, Country Manager, Saudi Arabia, Mastercard “With women being at the heart of the Kingdom’s transformation into a global hub of innovation and nerve center of regional entrepreneurship, it is vital that we share their inspiring narratives with the rest of the world. We aim to continue doing exactly that with the third season of the podcast series, working closely with Saudia to action lasting and meaningful change.”

True to the spirit of the podcast, Her Voice season 3 will shine an informative light on the stories of seven guests — seven inspiring women — showcasing how their love for their respective passions drove them to overcome the various hurdles they faced and attain unprecedented success.

Premiering on August 27, this season will be focused on connecting people to their passions, with each episode exploring a different passion point, namely: “Gaming,” “Tech,” “Sustainability,” “Culinary,” and “Sport,” As with the previous seasons of the podcast series, guests will be invited to recount their personal and professional journeys in their own voices in conversation with the host, renowned Saudi actress and broadcaster, Danyah Shafei.

Mastercard has pledged to bring 25 million women entrepreneurs worldwide into the digital economy by 2025, connecting them to the digital tools, training, insights, and solutions that will empower their business. Mastercard has also partnered with Women Choice to launch the Social Innovation Incubator (SII) For Women’s Employment. The program will help create one million jobs for women across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), supporting inclusive economic growth in the region.