Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2025 Celebrates Startup Pitch Competition Winners And Innovation In UAE

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) 2025 highlighted the region's startup growth by announcing winners of the SEF x 1Tank Startup Pitch Competition. This event, part of SEF Networking Night Presented by du, awarded AED 200,000 in cash and potential investments up to AED 500,000. The festival brought together key figures in entrepreneurship to celebrate innovation.

Solumar won the Sustainability Track sponsored by Emaar, while Gam3s.GG excelled in the Creative Industries Track powered by Emarat. Hulexo topped the Tech & Industry 4.0 category powered by du, and Squirrel Education led the EdTech Track sponsored by Crescent Enterprises. These startups were acknowledged for their innovative solutions.

The SEFFY Awards also took place during the evening, honouring significant contributions to entrepreneurship. The Waste Lab received the Social Impact award, Pulse IoT Technologies was recognised in Tech, BEEAH Group earned Ecosystem Enabler, Remal won Rising Star, and Dr. Mohamed Al Hemairy was named Outstanding Mentor for his guidance.

Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) has been instrumental in advancing the UAE’s startup ecosystem. This year saw over 400 nominations, reflecting a growing enthusiasm for innovation. Abeer Al Amiri from Sheraa stated that since its inception in 2016, Sheraa has supported over 450 startups and created more than 1,900 jobs.

Gregg Pearce from du emphasised entrepreneurship's importance: "There has never been a better time to be an entrepreneur, and no better place than the UAE to start your journey. I would like to thank Sheraa and everyone working behind the scenes to make SEF the biggest and best it has ever been."

This year's SEF featured over 300 speakers from 45 countries and included 250 activations across five stages. It stands as the largest event of its kind in the region, continuing to influence the entrepreneurial landscape significantly.

Sheraa's efforts have generated over $248 million in revenue and secured more than $271 million in investments. Their mission is to empower entrepreneurs further and position the Emirates as a hub for skilled talent and innovative ventures.

The festival's impact remains substantial as it continues to be a major force within the entrepreneurial community.

With inputs from WAM