Sheraa’s virtual forum maps out the future of startups in Sharjah, Mena

Sheraa’s virtual forum maps out the future of startups in Sharjah, Mena

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship centre (Sheraa) hosted a group of students from the IESE Business School in Spain on a virtual forum organised under the theme, ‘Framing the Future of Entrepreneurship in the Middle East’. The forum provided unique insights into Sharjah’s stature as a vibrant startup hub and Sheraa’s founder-focused approach in cultivating a world-class entrepreneurship ecosystem in the emirate. Two panel discussions were held at the forum on January 20th with students of the graduate business school at the University of Navarra from Spain. They discussed challenges and opportunities for early and growth-stage companies in key markets in the Mena region and drew attention to Sharjah’s success in attracting several high-impact ventures Najla Al Midfa, CEO, Sharjah Entrepreneurship centre (Sheraa); Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO, Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP); Mohamad Juma Al Musharrakh, CEO, Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah); and Housam Raydan, Director of Corporate Communications and Customer Experience, Air Arabia Group, participated in the first panel discussion that focused on Sharjah’s reputation as an ideal market to serve as a launchpad for startups. The session, moderated by Lina Hamdan, Director of Partnerships, Sheraa, also outlined the innovative sectors and services driving Sharjah’s transformation into an