Women in Cyber Security Middle East

What Women in Cyber Security Middle East does

Women in Cyber Security Middle East (WiCSME / WCSME) is a voluntary, UAE-based nonprofit community organization whose stated purpose is to promote, increase, and support women's participation in cybersecurity across the Middle East and African regions. The organization is built around a 9-person leadership team drawn from senior cybersecurity roles at anchor institutions including National Bank of Egypt, Kuwait Oil Company, Dubai Airports, Etisalat, Medgulf, Polytronic International, Sinevis, and the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), lending it institutional credibility across the region.

Its service portfolio is community-driven rather than technology-driven and includes six core offerings: an annual flagship event (WiCSME 2022), a Mentorship Program connecting experienced practitioners with aspirants, Education and Training initiatives, an Awards and Recognition program, Virtual Talks for knowledge sharing, and a Membership program. These programs are organized under nine formal streams of responsibility: Partnerships/Sponsor, Events/virtual talks, LI Posts/Marketing, Memberships, Website/Blog, Mentorship, Awards & Recognition, Education/Training, and Technical Contribution. The community's stated geographic footprint spans 13 countries — UAE, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, plus broader Africa, the UK, India, New Zealand, and Ukraine — making it the first dedicated regional body for women in cybersecurity in this geography.

WiCSME operates as a voluntary group with no disclosed revenue model, no disclosed sponsors or donors, no funding rounds, and no commercial pricing. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: LinkedIn presence, website and blog content, virtual talks, annual events, and word-of-mouth across the professional network. The website (womenincybersecurity.me) was developed by implementation partner Geekworkx. There are no patents, certifications, or AI/technology products; the organization is a people-and-programs community, not a software or services vendor.

Name

Women in Cyber Security Middle East

Legal name

Women in Cyber Security Middle East

Website

https://womenincybersecurity.me

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Women in Cyber Security Middle East (WiCSME) is a UAE-based voluntary nonprofit community that promotes and supports female cybersecurity professionals across 13 countries in the Middle East, Africa, and beyond through mentorship, education, events, awards, and virtual talks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Community Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Policy, Data Governance & Cybersecurity Standards Cooperation (BPADANAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Policy Management, Training & Ethics/Whistleblowing (BPAEAPAI)

Keywords

• Women in cybersecurity
• Cybersecurity community
• Professional mentorship programs
• Cyber security education
• Diversity in tech

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Voluntary Community Organization: WiCSME operates as a voluntary group with no disclosed revenue model. The organization appears to be funded through partnerships and sponsorships (one of its 9 streams of responsibilities includes 'Partnerships / Sponsor'), suggesting potential sponsorship-based funding but no explicit revenue streams are detailed.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

WiCSME is a voluntary non-profit community organization that delivers mentorship programs, education and training initiatives, virtual talks, awards and recognition programs, and an annual conference (WiCSME 2022) for women in cybersecurity across the Middle East and Africa. Its services are structured around nine operational streams: Partnerships/Sponsor, Events/virtual talks, LI Posts/Marketing, Memberships, Website/Blog, Mentorship, Awards & Recognition, Education/Training, and Technical Contribution, collectively spanning 13 countries.

Product overview

Women in Cyber Security Middle East (WiCSME) is a voluntary community organization focused on promoting and increasing women participation in the field of cyber security. The organization offers a portfolio of community-driven services including mentorship programs, education and training initiatives, virtual talks and events (such as the WiCSME 2022 event), awards and recognition programs, and membership services. The organization connects women across multiple countries including UAE, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and African countries through its 9 streams of responsibilities: Partnerships/Sponsor, Events/virtual talks, LI Posts/Marketing, Memberships, Website/Blog, Mentorship, Awards & Recognition, Education/Training, and Technical Contribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WiCSME 2022 Event Annual cybersecurity conference organized by Women in Cyber Security Middle East, serving as the primary in-person gathering for the regional community of women in cybersecurity for networking, knowledge sharing, and recognition.
• Mentorship Program Structured mentorship initiative that pairs experienced female cybersecurity professionals with aspiring women in the field, for career guidance and professional development across the Middle East and Africa.
• Education and Training Programs Educational initiatives aimed at teaching and training women interested in cyber security opportunities, designed to expand knowledge and skills for career entry and advancement.
• Virtual Talks Online events and virtual talks providing knowledge sharing and networking opportunities for cyber security professionals across the region.
• Membership Program Community membership program connecting women in cyber security across the Middle East and African countries, providing access to the organization's programs, events, and network.
• Awards & Recognition Program Recognition programs celebrating women's achievements in the cyber security field across the Middle East region, designed to encourage more female leadership in cybersecurity.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GeekworkxminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeekworkx developed the WiCSME website (https://geekworkx.com). This is a one-time vendor relationship for website development services.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• SANS Institute: Major cybersecurity training and certification provider running women's initiatives, scholarships, and events such as the SANS CyberTalent Immersion Academy for women. Comparable in advancing women-in-cyber skills but operates as a commercial training business.
• ISC2: Global cybersecurity professional association with diversity and inclusion programs targeting women in cyber. Comparable in mission to broaden women's participation in the field, but much larger and offers credentialing rather than community-only programming.

Emerging players

• Women in Tech (Global): International nonprofit with chapters worldwide advocating for women in technology. Comparable community/networking model to WiCSME, though broader tech scope and more established global footprint.
• GirlSecurity: Nonprofit advancing girls and young women in national security and cybersecurity through training and mentorship. Comparable demographic-focused cybersecurity talent pipeline mission, though oriented toward younger entrants.
• Black Girls in Cyber: Community-driven organization supporting Black women in cybersecurity through mentorship, training, and networking. Comparable niche-community model to WiCSME's demographic-focused approach, but with a different target audience.
• OWASP Women in AppSec: OWASP initiative supporting women in application security through events, mentorship, and visibility. Comparable as a women-in-security community chapter model, but scoped to application security rather than broad cybersecurity.

Direct peers

• Women Who Code: Global nonprofit community supporting women in technology careers through events, mentorship, and networking. Comparable to WiCSME as a women-in-tech community organization, though broader in scope beyond cybersecurity.
• Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS): Global nonprofit community dedicated to recruiting, retaining, and advancing women in cybersecurity. Directly comparable to WiCSME as a women-in-cyber membership organization, but operates at global scale with a paid conference and large sponsor base.
• Cybersecurity Women of the World (CSW2): Community organization focused on connecting and empowering women in cybersecurity globally. Comparable as a women-in-cyber community with events and networking, though operates primarily in Western markets rather than MEA.
• AnitaB.org: Nonprofit focused on advancing women in computing and technology through programs like Top Companies for Women Technologists. Comparable as a community/advocacy organization for women in tech, with overlap on career advancement programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WiCSME
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women-in-cyber-security-middle-east

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Women in Cyber Security Middle East