Women To Watch At GITEX Global 2021: Reem AlMossabeh, CEO, Retech, And 2021 Dubai Youth Council Member "The best part of being an entrepreneur is getting to meet so many talented entrepreneurs, changemakers, and passionate people, but the experience of being a woman in the tech field is indeed challenging."

Besides showcasing how technology is redefining the way we live and work, GITEX Global 2021, which will be held in-person on October 17-21, 2021 at Dubai World Trade Centre, will shed light on the revolutionary role of female tech entrepreneurs in building the future. We take a closer look at some of the women in tech taking centerstage at the show- make sure to keep an eye out for them at GITEX Global!

GITEX 2021's GITEX YouthX has been envisioned as a platform to help cultivate young tech talents including a special focus on universities and student startups participating at the GITEX YouthX Unipreneur program. Among those supporting the youth at GITEX to realize their full potential will be 2021 Dubai Youth Council Member Reem AlMosabbeh, who is the CEO of Retech, a UAE-based software development, technology, and branding services provider.

AlMosabbeh says that starting her technology company was empowering; however, being one of the youngest Emirati women to have co-founded an IT software company did not come without challenges. "The best part of being an entrepreneur is getting to meet so many talented entrepreneurs, changemakers, and passionate people, but the experience of being a woman in the tech field is indeed challenging," AlMosabbeh says. "I struggled to be taken seriously as a female founder of an IT software company with a background in engineering. I had moments of doubt and felt like I couldn't deliver my ideas, and that they were not innovative enough."

Reem AlMosabbeh, CEO at Retech, and Dubai Youth Council Member-2021, at an event

However, AlMosabbeh explains that these struggles actually helped her shape her future, turning her into the person she has become today. "I invested in my skills, focusing on my strengths, and started confidently contributing my ideas in meetings," she says. "These are some of the little things that can make a big difference in transforming stereotypical ideas. Therefore, I cultivated a positive attitude to focus on the things that I can control. Finding a support system, a mentor, is also very important for women in tech, be it a relative or someone in the tech industry. Understanding that I wasn't alone was so powerful for me and having a community."

This is perhaps why AlMosabbeh is insistent that her peers make use of GITEX 2021 to meet other women in tech and build relationships that can serve them well in the long run. "My advice is to master your business pitch and have your marketing materials and business cards ready to engage with people out there who can give you great ideas," AlMosabbeh says. "You might even find your potential co-founder, like I did!"

Related: Driving Change (Through Tech): Empowering Women To Innovate Without Restrictions