Base 39 Creative Accelerator Launches In Sharjah To Nurture Design-led Ventures

Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park has introduced the Base 39 Creative Accelerator, a structured programme that helps emerging creative talents design, prototype, and scale product-focused ventures. The initiative targets design-driven industries and offers participants cash awards, prototyping support, and visibility within Sharjah’s wider innovation ecosystem.

The accelerator concludes with a Final Showcase Day, where all participants present their developed projects to a jury of industry experts and potential partners. This event highlights market-ready products and helps connect designers and studios with buyers, collectors, and commercial collaborators from across the region and beyond.

The first cohort of the Base 39 Creative Accelerator focuses on Furniture and Collectible Design, supporting products that combine commercial potential with strong creative identity and craftsmanship. The programme starts with an Open Call, after which 20 designers or studios are chosen for a guided journey that blends mentorship, workshops, and practical development.

Selected participants in the Base 39 Creative Accelerator follow a structured plan that covers concept refinement through to production readiness. The journey supports designers in building tangible products that can reach the market, while still maintaining distinctive design language and careful making standards that reflect the programme’s emphasis on quality outcomes.

Participants in the Base 39 Creative Accelerator gain access to curated mentorship from designers, industry specialists, and creative leaders. They also receive practical support with product development, prototyping, and preparing for production, as well as advice on pricing, branding, positioning, and storytelling to strengthen each project’s commercial and narrative appeal.

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Alongside expert guidance, the Base 39 Creative Accelerator provides access to prototyping and fabrication facilities, plus exposure to buyers, collectors, and commercial partners. The top three graduates receive cash prizes, while every participant is granted a fixed in-kind amount for prototyping, in addition to creative incentives, recognition, and ecosystem-wide visibility.

Base 39 Creative Accelerator hub and creative ecosystem

The Base 39 Creative Accelerator operates from Base 39, Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park’s newly established creative hub. This space functions as a collaborative platform where designers, architects, artists, and creative entrepreneurs work together, linking design, experimentation, fabrication, and business development in one interconnected environment.

Base 39 enables participants in the Base 39 Creative Accelerator to move efficiently from idea to market-ready product. By uniting technical tools, shared workspaces, and business support, the hub encourages interactions between different creative disciplines and supports the full journey from early concept sketches to final products prepared for commercial distribution.

Base 39 Creative Accelerator strategic vision for Sharjah

Khalid Hassan Albanna, Director of BASE39, said, "The launch of the Base 39 Accelerator represents a new strategic milestone in SPARK’s vision to expand Sharjah’s innovation ecosystem by integrating creativity and design with entrepreneurship and manufacturing. We firmly believe that creative industries are a vital pillar of the knowledge economy, and through this accelerator we aim to empower creatives to transform their ideas into scalable, investment-ready products, while connecting them to markets and investors within a fully integrated environment that supports innovation from concept to final product."

He added, "Base 39 is not merely a creative space; it is a comprehensive platform that brings together talent, technologies, expertise, and partnerships. This integrated model strengthens Sharjah’s position as a leading regional destination for creativity and innovation, and aligns with the Emirate’s broader vision to build a sustainable, knowledge-based economy."

The launch of the Base 39 Creative Accelerator adds to Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park’s track record with sector-focused accelerators. These include the Sharjah Advanced Industries Accelerator, which supports innovation in advanced manufacturing and deep technology, highlighting SPARK’s approach of linking research, technology, and entrepreneurship with creative sectors.

The Base 39 Creative Accelerator also aligns with Sharjah’s long-established role in culture, design, education, and innovation. By drawing creative talents, investors, and design-led enterprises to Base 39, SPARK seeks to reinforce Sharjah’s standing as a regional centre for creative innovation and product-based design ventures across furniture, collectibles, and future design-focused fields.

With inputs from WAM