From restaurants and wellness brands to lifestyle concepts and community markets, female entrepreneurs are playing an increasingly important role in shaping Dubai’s business landscape.
Across the city, women founders are turning ideas into thriving businesses while building supportive communities and redefining industries. Here are some of the female entrepreneurs helping drive Dubai’s growing ecosystem of homegrown brands.
Lucy Gibson – Founder of Sand Dollar and Heart Cottage Lane
Lucy Gibson built two successful lifestyle brands, Sand Dollar and Heart Cottage Lane, after identifying a gap in the market in Dubai’s year-round sunshine-driven environment.
She credits Dubai’s safety, stability and family-friendly lifestyle as factors that support women in business.
Gibson advises aspiring founders to take a steady approach when starting out. Building a business organically and staying resilient during challenges, she says, are key to long-term success.
Eliza Hutchinson – Founder of Jetlagged Chef
For Eliza Hutchinson, the inspiration behind Jetlagged Chef came from a love of cooking and the joy of creating meals people genuinely enjoy.
Her brand focuses on creative, calorie-tracked meal preparation designed to surprise customers with flavours and presentation.
Hutchinson highlights Dubai’s supportive community of female entrepreneurs as one of the most rewarding aspects of building a business in the city.
Sophie Malpass – Founder of Super SUP Fit
Fitness entrepreneur Sophie Malpass founded Super SUP Fit after being inspired by paddleboard workouts she saw during a holiday in Greece.
Combining water sports, movement and outdoor exercise, her concept brings a unique fitness experience to some of Dubai’s most scenic waterfront locations.
Malpass believes Dubai offers endless opportunities for entrepreneurs willing to take risks and pursue creative ideas.
Gabriela Chamorro – Founder of Girl & the Goose
Chef and entrepreneur Gabriela Chamorro launched Girl & the Goose as a way to introduce Central American flavours to Dubai.
What started as an intimate supper club evolved into a restaurant concept built through community connections and shared values.
Chamorro says Dubai’s business environment rewards ambition and innovation, allowing entrepreneurs to test ideas and grow quickly.
Becky Balderstone – Founder of The Ripe Market
Becky Balderstone created The Ripe Market after recognising a need for better access to locally grown organic produce and stronger community connections.
The initiative quickly evolved into a platform that supports local farmers, artisans and small businesses while promoting homegrown entrepreneurship across the city.
Balderstone says Dubai’s fast-moving environment allows ideas to turn into reality quickly.
Sophie Jones – Founder of SOTA Salon
Beauty entrepreneur Sophie Jones founded SOTA Salon, a brand focused on building a strong team culture and delivering premium salon experiences.
She believes Dubai offers unmatched opportunities for founders willing to work hard and pursue ambitious ideas.
Jones advises new entrepreneurs to focus on consistency, strong values and building the right team from the beginning.
A growing community of female founders
Together, these entrepreneurs represent the growing presence of female-led businesses in Dubai, spanning industries from hospitality and wellness to retail and beauty.
Their stories highlight how the city continues to provide a platform for innovation, collaboration and new ideas, helping shape Dubai’s future as a global hub for entrepreneurship.
