Lateefa Alwaalan

Lateefa Alwaalan is a prominent Saudi entrepreneur, inventor, and business leader. She is currently the Managing Director of Endeavor Saudi Arabia and serves as a Board Member at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce & Industry.1

Professional Background

Entrepreneurship and Innovation:

Lateefa is a serial entrepreneur who started her first company at the age of 16. Her most notable venture is Yatooq, where she invented and manufactured the first automated Arabic coffee machine. Yatooq successfully sold thousands of coffee machines across the GCC countries and globally.1

Education and Early Career:

She holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from King Saud University and an MBA in Technology Management from the University of Washington, which she earned in 2011. Lateefa began her career in the IT sector, working as a Junior Programmer at iLink and later as an MIS Analyst at Atheeb Telecom Consortium.1

Achievements and Recognition

Lateefa has received numerous accolades for her entrepreneurial endeavors:

• Arabs Women Awards Entrepreneur of the Year 2014
• EY Entrepreneur of the Year for Saudi Arabia in 2015
• Listed in Forbes magazine's Kingdom's most innovative leaders for 2013, 2014, and 2015
• Subject of a Harvard Business School case study about Yatooq in November 20181

Current Roles and Initiatives

Endeavor Saudi Arabia:

As the Managing Director of Endeavor Saudi, Lateefa leads efforts to support high-potential companies and positively impact the local economy. She has been an Endeavor entrepreneur herself since 2014.1

Women's Empowerment:

Lateefa is passionate about women's empowerment. She co-founded CellA+ in 2012, a Saudi professional women's network with approximately 3,000 members. She served as the network's president in 2015.1

Board Memberships:

In addition to her role at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Lateefa is involved with Leaders2030, further demonstrating her commitment to leadership and development in Saudi Arabia.1

Lateefa Alwaalan's diverse experience as an entrepreneur, inventor, and business leader has positioned her as a influential figure in Saudi Arabia's business and technology sectors.