Forbes 30 Under 30’s Maimuna Rashid is on a mission of zero youth unemployment

“For at least 30 minutes, it didn’t really hit me,” said Maimuna Rashid, reflecting on the moment she and her business partner, Aqsa Khalifa, were named to Forbes Middle East’s 30 Under 30 list.

The co-founder and CEO of Pupilar, 26-year-old Maimuna only discovered the news when a friend sent her a congratulatory message with a link to the list.

“It was the first time we got recognition where people were reaching out to us rather than us making the announcement first,” she said.

A photo of Maimuna and Aqsa accompanied an impressive description of Pupilar, the UAE’s largest youth career platform.

Pupilar cofounders Maimuna Rashid and Aqsa Khalifa at the Forbes Middle East's 30 Under 30 Summit in 2024.Supplied

“Pupilar is in the mission of zero youth unemployment,” said Maimuna.

Launched in 2019, Pupilar has created over 200 job opportunities and built a community of 70,000+ members across 50+ universities. The platform’s growth is supported by incubators like AREA 2071 (Dubai Future Foundation), in5 Dubai (TECOM Group), and the EWA Accelerator (Ministry of Economy).

In partnership with COP28, Pupilar also hosted the Green Skills Career Fair for Youth at Expo City.

A business born of rage

Graduating university with several laurels to her name, Maimuna thought finding a job would be a cakewalk.

“For six months, I didn't get any offers,” she said, finding it difficult to find opportunities without connections within the market. “And that's when I think the rage started building up.”

Pupilar cofounders Maimuna Rashid and Aqsa Khalifa at their university graduation ceremony.Supplied

Her turning point came when an old professor encouraged her to explore entrepreneurship because job hunting didn’t suit her. She and Aqsa, who was also struggling to find work after graduating, decided to launch Pupilar.

“Zero funding, zero network, zero infrastructure, zero experience,” said Maimuna, “Every reason to give up, every reason to say this is not for us.”

But they persisted, driven by what Maimuna described as an “inner calling.” Their platform was designed to address the exact issues they had faced: a lack of connections and opportunities for young job seekers.

“This is something only we are chosen to solve,” she said. “Simply because we're young people and we understand young people like no other.”

According to Maimuna, today Pupilar is a vibrant community impacting at least 5,000 lives each month. The platform is multifaceted, offering hiring opportunities, workshops, networking, and digital tools to help young job hunters.

“Pupilar is becoming a communal platform where we enable people to create opportunities and meet the right people,” said Maimuna.

Entrepreneurship and identity

Maimuna is the only niqabi on the 30 Under 30 list, and according to her, the choice greatly impacted her entrepreneurial journey.

“It's something that goes with my identity today,” she said. “I feel like nothing should ever stand as a barrier for an ambitious person.”

Pupilar cofounder Maimuna Rashid speaks at an EWA Accelerator event in the UAE.Supplied

Maimuna has had to stand up for herself on occasion, emphasizing that the niqab is a choice that is up to the woman who wears it. She wears hers with “absolute honor.”

“Whatever you choose, be true to yourself and the journey,” she said. “The right people and the right opportunities will always fall in place.”

Maimuna credits the UAE’s leadership with providing an environment where individuals can succeed regardless of appearance or background.

“I can practice what I love to practice, what I believe, and at the same time be a service to the community and inspire sisters who would love to also serve the community in their comfort zone,” she said.

When asked if she had any advice for her past self, Maimuna takes a moment.

“Please, please, please never stop being ambitious,” she said. “Because that was one of the biggest things that pushed Maimuna so far.”