Emirati talent comprise 81% of participants at the 2023 Startup Dojo youth incubation programme

Emirati talent comprise 81% of participants at the 2023 Startup Dojo youth incubation programme

Sheraa Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) has launched the 2023 edition of the Startup Dojo, a youth incubation program that has been designed keeping young entrepreneurs in mind. The eight-week intensive training and mentorship program takes place every summer to enable young talent to develop their entrepreneurial solutions and gain real-world experience of starting and running their own businesses.

In 2023, Sharjah was ranked within the Top 5 Emerging MENA Ecosystems in Startup Genome’s Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER). Last year, startups at saw a 26% increase in funds raised, totaling $161 million and have generated revenue of $247 million.

This year, Startup Dojo has seen strong participation from Emirati youth who make up 81% of attendees at this prestigious program. The participation demographic for this edition is reflective of Sharjah’s vibrant ecosystem and its myriad entrepreneurial opportunities in a variety of sectors.

Startup Dojo 2023 will benefit a 50-student cohort from various UAE universities who represent 16 diverse teams, each with a unique idea that has immense entrepreneurial potential. Sheraa has included groups that exhibited excellence in their previously held Sheraa Sustainability Hackathon 2023 and at the Sheraa Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) 2022 in order to ensure the continuance of their entrepreneurial journeys, which is