Outlining Sharjah’s approach to entrepreneurship

Outlining Sharjah’s approach to entrepreneurship

Najla Al-Midfa is the CEO of Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa)

Entrepreneurship is essential to building a strong economy, particularly as technology rapidly shifts the way we live and work. Our leaders recognise that in order to be at the forefront of progress and ensure a better world for future generations, we must be willing to innovate. Entrepreneurship is a key driver, and Sharjah's ambitious goal of becoming a world-class hub for entrepreneurs stems from a spirit rooted in decades of progressive thinking.

Sharjah's pursuit of an entrepreneurship agenda has also been an organic outcome of its continued focus on shifting away from a reliance on natural resources, and its commitment to maintaining a diverse economy. Currently, no single sector contributes more than 20 per cent to the emirate's GDP, and the rise of an entrepreneurial ecosystem will continue to build on that diversity.

The city's focus on identifying the gaps and opportunities in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, harnessing the potential of the Middle East and North Africa region's talent, and establishing an enabling environment for globally competitive, fast growing companies in high-potential sectors is what led to the launch of Sheraa in 2016. Sheraa works to provide a city-wide framework that not only support founders developing