How 22-Year-Old Emirati Entrepreneur Maryam Al Abbar Conquered Silicon Valley

Most young adults are unsure of their career paths at age 22, but Maryam Al Abbar is a notable exception. The Emirati entrepreneur has already launched her own Silicon Valley start-up with ambitions that extend far beyond her initial success. Ms Al Abbar leads Carbon2Capital, an AI-powered carbon footprint calculation firm, alongside ReachLLM, an AI platform designed to help businesses improve their visibility across large language models. She attributes much of her drive to her background as an Emirati woman.

Speaking to The National in honor of Emirati Women's Day, Ms Al Abbar shared lessons passed down from her mother. "One thing which I learnt from my mother is don’t be afraid to try," she said. Her mother initially set a two-year timeline to build a viable path before suggesting she pursue traditional employment.

Her entrepreneurial journey began during her time at Zayed University in Dubai, where she met the co-founders for her first venture during the Bloomberg Challenge, an investment competition using virtual money. That partnership eventually led to the creation of Carbon2Capital, supported by Dubai SME. The founding team includes members from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Brazil. Selected for an international start-up programme in the UK, the team eventually shifted focus toward AI and launched ReachLLM.

Ambitions eventually brought Ms Al Abbar to Silicon Valley after acceptance into Founders Inc., where the company experienced significant annual recurring revenue growth. Operating in Silicon Valley also meant navigating spaces where she was often the only representative of her background. Despite occasionally feeling out of place or being underestimated by investors who labeled their ambitions as overly romantic, her determination only grew stronger.

Looking ahead, Ms Al Abbar hopes to see an Emirati entrepreneur, particularly a woman, build a billion-dollar international technology company. Her core philosophy remains rooted in courage and action: "Have the audacity to dare."

Meanwhile, Shamma Al Blooshi of Hub71 has noted a promising rise in young Emirati women entering the technology sector. Through government partnerships and start-up support, Ms Al Blooshi helps founders navigate policy and licensing, expressing enthusiasm for the growing female presence in specialized tech fields.