15 Women Entrepreneurs From Saudi Arabia Visit U.S. To Develop Their Pitches

Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: It's not unusual to hear a story about young entrepreneurs developing apps for smartphones. This next story is unusual because the entrepreneurs are 15 women from Saudi Arabia. They've come to the U.S. for mentoring as they develop their pitches. The kingdom has made news lately for jailing women activists along with others who speak up. At the same time, women have been breaking new ground in business, like the group NPR's Deborah Amos spoke to. DEBORAH AMOS, BYLINE: They are young, highly educated and exceptionally ambitious at a time when the right kind of ambition can pay off in Saudi Arabia for a woman. BUSHRA ALGHAMDI: So my name is Bushra Alghamdi. AMOS: Alghamdi is a 24-year-old dentist. Her all-female team won a competitive slot for training and mentoring at Halcyon, a nonprofit that supports entrepreneurs who answer social problems. They stayed at Halcyon headquarters for a two-week course. These Saudi women are riding