Sheraa’s Startup Dojo 2025 Expands Nationwide, Attracting Record Applications From Young Entrepreneurs

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center, known as Sheraa, has expanded its flagship accelerator programme, Startup Dojo, to include students and recent graduates from universities across the UAE. This marks a significant milestone as it extends beyond Sharjah-based institutions, aiming to foster youth entrepreneurship nationwide. The 2025 edition of Startup Dojo saw a record 257 applications from early-stage startups, involving 365 founders from 38 different nationalities.

Startup Dojo is designed to unlock entrepreneurial potential among youth and drive innovation in key sectors. It supports young founders from initial problem validation through to market launch. The programme is structured into three intensive phases. In the first month, participants validate their problem-solution fit through extensive market research. The second month focuses on building and testing minimum viable products (MVPs) with help from technical mentors. In the final phase, startups refine their go-to-market strategies and gather feedback from early adopters.

This year’s cohort includes founders from 21 UAE universities and 19 nationalities. Notably, 45 percent of startups are led by women, and 29 percent by UAE nationals. This reflects Sheraa’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and local engagement. Following a competitive selection process, 62 startups were chosen for the 12-week accelerator programme, with three standout teams admitted for their exceptional potential.

Strategic Alignment with National Priorities

The selected ventures align with Sheraa’s strategic Centers of Excellence (COE), focusing on Sustainability (11 startups), EdTech (9), Creative Industries (4), and Manufacturing (3). These areas are in line with the UAE’s broader economic and environmental priorities. Participants benefit from Sheraa’s integrated support ecosystem, which includes bi-weekly expert-led workshops, customised one-on-one mentorship, access to co-working spaces at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), legal support, and curated networking opportunities with industry leaders and investors.

Financial Incentives and Perks

This year’s cohort will receive perks worth over AED3 million. These include discounts on cloud services, software, and legal consultations. The top three startups will receive financial grants upon programme completion. Top-performing startups will advance to DOJO+, Sheraa’s summer pre-incubation programme. This furthers Sheraa’s commitment to sustainable economic and social development aligned with the UAE’s national vision.

Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, stated that their vision is "to position Sharjah as a global hub for entrepreneurship and innovation by nurturing ventures that address real-world challenges." She emphasised that Startup Dojo is a core pillar of this mission and contributes to the UAE maintaining its #1 global ranking in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) for the fourth consecutive year. By empowering youth through initiatives like Startup Dojo, Sheraa is translating innovation into tangible economic value and societal impact.

With inputs from WAM