Bodour Al Qasimi Leads Sheraa's Strategic Meeting To Shape Future Growth And Innovation

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa), under the guidance of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, recently held a strategic meeting to outline its future growth. This gathering included Najla Al Midfa, Vice Chairperson, and Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa. The meeting brought together government officials, industry leaders, academics, and entrepreneurs to discuss milestones and strategic priorities for positioning Sharjah as a global hub for startups and innovation.

During the meeting, discussions focused on enhancing Sharjah's startup ecosystem to become a leading entrepreneurship hub in the region. The board explored ways to build on the success of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2025 (SEF) and leverage cross-sector collaboration to attract top talent. Emphasis was placed on aligning Sheraa’s programmes with the UAE’s vision for entrepreneurship while promoting inclusivity and sustainability.

Sheikha Bodour highlighted Sheraa’s dedication to fostering a knowledge-based economy rooted in creativity and resilience. "Sheraa’s momentum reflects a long-term commitment to building a knowledge-based economy that’s rooted in creativity, resilience, and inclusion. By supporting entrepreneurs in sectors that really matter for Sharjah’s future – sustainability, education, and advanced technology – we’re laying foundations for an economy that empowers people and ideas to thrive. The work we do with startups is about shaping communities and futures."

Najla Al Midfa expressed pride in Sheraa's impact through building ecosystems that support innovation. "Sheraa is proud to have created great impact through building ecosystems that support ideas and accelerate innovation, where every startup’s success is a building block towards a better future for all. Sharjah’s entrepreneurs are emerging as global leaders, and we will be here to support them on every step of their journey, and our focus will continue to create an environment where startups can thrive, driving economic diversification and sustainable growth."

Sara Al Nuaimi emphasised operational excellence as key to Sheraa's success. "As stewards of Sharjah’s entrepreneurial future, our mandate is clear; to translate vision into action with precision and purpose. Operational excellence is the cornerstone of our success; ensuring that every programme we design, every partnership we forge, and every resource we deploy directly empowers startups to scale, innovate, and compete globally."

A notable highlight was ‘Eshara’, an Arabic sign language platform that won the 2024 UAE James Dyson Award. Eshara uses AI-driven avatars for real-time translation into Arabic sign language. Their journey from Sheraa's Dojo+ program graduate to securing a contract with SEF exemplifies Sheraa's commitment to inclusive innovation.

Empowering Future Innovators

The meeting also featured ‘Heuristic World’, an EdTech startup from Sheraa Startup Studio (S3). Co-founder Dr Aamena Alshamsi presented how they make AI education accessible by transforming complex concepts into game-based experiences for students aged 13+. This approach bridges advanced STEM fields with K-12 education.

Sheraa's focus on sectoral innovation was evident through presentations by winners of the ‘Access Sharjah Challenge 2024’. Solutions included tech-driven tools like solar-powered water systems for agriculture. The Department of Agriculture and Livestock in Sharjah also shared efforts to support these sectors through collaboration with entrepreneurs.

The meeting underscored Sheraa's role in transforming challenges into opportunities for entrepreneurs worldwide. By fostering an environment conducive to innovation and collaboration, Sheraa aims to ensure Sharjah remains a prime destination for impactful progress.

With inputs from WAM