Sharjah is positioning itself as more than a lower-cost base for startups, building links between founders and an established economy spanning industry, education, services, agriculture and family businesses.
Sarah Al Naemi, CEO of Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center, Sheraa, told CNN Business Arabic that the emirate’s advantage lies in connecting free zones, academic and research institutions, government entities and incubators with potential customers and partners. Sheraa has supported more than 600 startups, which have raised around $310 million, according to Al Naemi.
The center is placing advanced manufacturing, sustainability, education and creative industries among its priority sectors. Its model includes connecting startups with industrial companies that could become customers, partners or testing environments. Al Naemi cited Kima, an environmentally friendly cleaning materials company that was supported by Sheraa and later hosted inside National Paints’ industrial facilities.
Artificial intelligence is another focus, particularly applications that improve production, automate processes and raise service efficiency. The goal, according to Al Naemi, is to apply technology to real economic challenges rather than build AI companies in isolation.
Women lead around 49% of companies in Sheraa’s ecosystem. In 2026, the center also launched an Entrepreneur Resilience Fund worth up to AED5 million. Its latest round selected more than 60 startups and small and medium-sized enterprises from over 330 applications.
Source: CNN Business Arabic
