New Study Shows 1 in 3 UAE Mothers Start A Business After Motherhood

A new study is challenging long-held assumptions about motherhood and ambition in the UAE, revealing that women are not leaving the workforce or losing their drive after having children, they are simply pursuing success on their own terms.

The State of Motherhood & Ambition in the UAE 2025 survey, led by Constanze Munz and Anushka Kalyanpur De Luca, captures a striking transformation: ambition is no longer defined by corporate hierarchies or conventional career metrics. Instead, mothers are aligning their goals with values of sustainability, autonomy, and purpose.

“This isn’t a story about women opting out,” said the researchers in a joint statement. “It’s about women innovating within constraints and it’s time for systems to innovate with them.”

The research paints a nuanced picture of modern motherhood in the UAE, where ambition remains alive but is being expressed differently. Many mothers are moving away from rigid corporate structures and instead choosing to build businesses, freelance, or take up project-based roles that offer control over their time and energy. Flexibility and purpose are emerging as the new pillars of ambition.

The findings show that a significant number of mothers are taking active steps to reshape their professional pathsafter having children. Nearly three in ten (28%) have launched their own businesses, while almost one in five have switched industries entirely to find more meaningful work. Another 20% returned to their roles with greater ambition and clarity of purpose, suggesting that motherhood has, for many, become a catalyst for reinvention rather than retreat. What unites them is a shared desire to design lives that make space for both personal and professionalfulfilment.

The study also reveals a strong connection between support systems and sustained ambition. Among mothers whoreported satisfaction with their childcare arrangements, over 84% said their ambition had either strengthened or stayed steady a stark contrast to the 55% among those without adequate support. The message is clear: ambition does not disappear in motherhood; it thrives when the environment allows it to.

Beyond the career shifts, the research highlights a collective call for structural support. Flexible work arrangements, financial security, and accessible childcare emerged as the three priorities shaping women’s ability to thrive. For 65% of respondents, flexibility was viewed not as a workplace perk but as essential infrastructure for modern working life. Nearly half cited financial stability as a top concern, reflecting the ongoing tension between professional aspirations and the cost of caregiving. Reliable childcare whether through better facilities, employer partnerships, or community networks was repeatedly identified as the foundation that allows ambition to take root and grow.

“When traditional workplaces don’t evolve, mothers build their own paths,” said Anushka Kalyanpur De Luca, founder of Nannies & More. “They are creating solutions that work for them, but these individual fixes shouldn’t replace collective support. The systems around them must evolve, too.”

Munz, founder of Both And, adds that redefining ambition is not a sign of diminished drive, but of adaptation. “Mothers are not opting out; they are opting for balance, meaning, and agency. They are proving that ambition can evolve and that’s what progress looks like.”

Both researchers agree that the conversation must now shift from “working mothers’ challenges” to “societalopportunities.” They argue that investing in support for mothers is not just a social good but a smart economic strategy. “When mothers thrive, everyone thrives,” said Munz. “Families are stronger, businesses retain talent, and the economy benefits from women’s entrepreneurial energy.”

The State of Motherhood & Ambition in the UAE 2025 survey was conducted between June and November 2025, capturing insights from over 180 professional mothers across diverse industries and stages of motherhood. It explores how motherhood reshapes ambition, what support systems enable thriving, and why the future of work must adapt to reflect these evolving realities.