Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, chair of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), led a meeting of the center’s advisory council to discuss recent developments regarding the “Sheraa Vision 2030” and to review strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the emirate through a collaborative approach between public and private sectors.
The meeting opened with a presentation on the key elements of the Sheraa 2030 strategy, outlining the practical framework for the next five years. This strategy aims to improve program efficiency, expand support for founders, and enhance the emirate’s innovation readiness. The session included an overview of the 2024 results, covering the performance of key initiatives, growth indicators, and the impact achieved by various programs and partnerships.
Growth Strategies
The council also reviewed growth plans and strategic partnerships while identifying priority sectors for support in the upcoming phase, aligning with the long-term economic objectives of Sharjah. Additionally, the meeting focused on ways to enhance the emirate’s appeal to startups and strengthen Sheraa’s role in supporting the UAE’s efforts to build an innovation-driven knowledge economy.
Economic Competitiveness of Sharjah
In her remarks, Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi stated, “Sheraa continues to execute its vision within a clear strategic framework aimed at positioning Sharjah as a competitive economy based on innovation. As we move toward our 2030 goals, we are prioritizing the development of supportive infrastructure for entrepreneurship, providing clear sectoral opportunities, and ensuring coordination across the ecosystem to empower entrepreneurs to contribute effectively to the emirate’s economic growth and preparedness for future changes.”
She emphasized the need for strengthened collaboration between government entities, the private sector, and academia, indicating that this integration is vital for supporting and enabling startups to innovate and grow, thereby solidifying Sharjah’s position as a sustainable hub for talent and entrepreneurial ventures.
Institutional Harmony
Nujaila Al Midfa expressed that Sharjah’s strength in innovation depends on this institutional harmony that links policies to capital and creative talents. When these elements are aligned, entrepreneurs can focus on their strengths: creating real solutions and building valuable companies. As we progress toward the Sharjah 2030 vision, our priority remains to enhance this integration and ensure that every entrepreneur in the emirate has a clear pathway from idea to impactful result, reflecting Sharjah’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
Practical Outcomes
Sarah Al Hifni Al Naimy, executive director of Sheraa, highlighted the center’s role in translating the vision into practical outcomes. She said, “Our responsibility is to turn the strategic direction into concrete results for entrepreneurs, providing programs that meet actual market needs and ensuring the implementation of all initiatives while maintaining an entrepreneur-focused approach in everything we do. The insights from the board play a crucial role in shaping our future and guiding our efforts as we continue to enhance our impact. As Sheraa advances towards its objectives for 2030, our priority remains to provide reliable and high-quality support for entrepreneurs, enabling them to grow confidently.”
Attendees of the meeting included members of Sheraa’s advisory council: Abdullah bin Touq Al Mari, Minister of Economy; Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority; Ahmed Al Nakbi, CEO of Emirates Development Bank; Mohammed Khudair, CEO of Bank of Sharjah; Engineer Omar Al Mahmoud, CEO of the Telecommunications and ICT Development Fund; Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO of du; Salem Al Owais, Director General of the Department of Finance in Ras Al Khaimah; Mona Al Qirq, Vice Chair of the Issa Salah Al Qirq Group; Farida Al Ajmi, General Manager of Tharwat and co-founder of Kima; Sonia Wiemoller, co-founder of Venture Souk; Lina Khalil, co-founder of Mumzworld; Imran Syed, Senior Lecturer at MIT; and Abdullah Sanober, CEO of DMZ and DMZ Ventures.