The ninth edition of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF), organized by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), has concluded with a record-breaking attendance of over 15,000 participants. The event, held at the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park, brought together 5,000 startup founders and more than 300 global speakers, cementing its status as one of the region’s largest gatherings for entrepreneurs and innovators.
A Catalyst for Investment and Growth
A key highlight of the festival was the significant economic activity generated, with AED 100 million in funding facilitated through 17 strategic Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs). These agreements, signed in the exclusive ‘Volt Zone’, covered vital sectors including manufacturing, edtech, creative industries, and sustainability, providing crucial capital to support the growth and scalability of emerging startups.
Over the two-day event, more than 250 activities took place, including panel discussions and workshops. The “Investor Lounge” alone hosted 400 exclusive meetings, directly connecting founders with investors to explore funding and mentorship opportunities.
Fostering a Founder-Friendly Environment
The festival also launched the “Business Setup” package, a major initiative that attracted 294 new ventures. This program, a collaboration between Sheraa, Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP), Emirates NBD, and du, offered new businesses streamlined licensing options starting from AED 1,000. Participants also received comprehensive banking support, connectivity solutions, and one year of free access to Sheraa’s co-working spaces, significantly lowering the barrier to entry for early-stage founders.
Celebrating Regional Innovators
SEF 2026 celebrated top innovators through its highly competitive Startup Pitch Competition. Winners across four main tracks—EdTech, Industry 4.0, Sustainability, and Creative Industries—each received a grant of AED 50,000, with potential follow-on investment opportunities of up to AED 500,000.
Key winners included EvolveCareers (EdTech), The AM Lab (Industry 4.0), Tathmeer (Sustainability), and Arusto (Creative Industries and Audience Choice). Thinkerbell Labs was recognized with the Best Women-led Project award, receiving an AED 50,000 prize.
The SEFFY Awards also honored key ecosystem contributors, with Noor Al-Asadi, CEO of Lisan AI, winning the Technology award and the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation being recognized as the Ecosystem Enabler of the year.
A Vision for Sharjah’s Ecosystem
Sarah Balhoul Al-Nuaimi, Executive Director of Sheraa, commented on the event’s success, attributing it to the vision of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Sheraa.
“The success of this year’s edition reflects our continuous commitment to establishing Sharjah as a global destination for innovation and creative ventures,” said Al-Nuaimi.
She added, “SEF continues to be a dynamic engine that brings together ideas, talent, and opportunities in one space, accelerating the growth of startups and strengthening Sharjah’s presence in the region’s future entrepreneurial landscape.”
About Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa)
Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) is a government-supported entity launched in 2016 to cultivate a world-class entrepreneurship ecosystem in Sharjah. It provides aspiring and established founders with a launchpad for their startups, offering mentorship, seed funding, and access to a network of investors and partners to foster innovation and economic growth in the emirate.
Source: Fintechgate
