• Najla Al Midfa: Today, more than 17,000 SMEs serve the city—a testament to seeds sown [by Sharjah] decades ago.
  • Sara Al Nuaimi: Entrepreneurship is rarely linear. It is shaped by pressure, unanswered questions, and moments when progress feels slower than expected.
  • Abdulla Al Marri: The UAE has positioned food as a priority strategic sector that serves as a driver of innovation, growth, and economic diversification.
  • Amna Al Dahak: Our goal is to ensure that at least 25% of fresh produce in the market comes from national production, supported by more sustainable practices and better awareness of quality and supply requirements.
  • Rachid Mohamed Rachid: Around 15% of global creative market is consumed in Middle East
  • Patrick Chalhoub: [Fashion entrepreneurs] should be drawing confidence from their own culture and convictions. Global fashion houses did not build their identity based on what the world expected of them.
  • Mounaz Abdel Raouf: In luxury, you don’t follow trends… you set them, drawing deeply from your own heritage, storytelling, and authenticity.
  • Badr Jafar: Entrepreneurship delivers sustained impact when supported by durable systems.
  • 300 global and regional speakers across 250 talks, workshops, and discussions
  • 14,000 attendees expected to attend the 2-day festival
  • 10 purpose-built zones spanning entrepreneurship, investment, creativity, impact, and community

Sharjah: In the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), the ninth edition of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF 2026) opened on Saturday, beginning a two-day program focused on long-term economic development, institutional leadership, and the role of entrepreneurship in supporting resilient economies. The Festival is expected to attract more than 14,000 attendees, including founders, investors, policymakers, and business leaders from the UAE and abroad.

Organized by Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) at the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK), under the theme “Where We Belong”, the opening ceremony was attended by Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations; H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy & Tourism; Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, UAE Minister of Climate Change and the Environment; H.E. Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, the UAE’s first female minister; H.H. Sayyida Dr. Basma Al Said, Founder of Whispers of Serenity Clinic; H.E Badr Jafar, Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy for the United Arab Emirates; H.E. Najla ِAhmed Al Midfa, Vice Chairperson of Sheraa; and H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, alongside government officials, business leaders, and media representatives.

SEF 2026 brings together more than 300 global and regional speakers across 250 talks, workshops, and experiential sessions, delivered through 10 purpose-built zones focused on entrepreneurship, investment, creativity, impact, and community.

In her keynote speech, H.E Najla Ahmed Al Midfa, Vice Chairperson of Sheraa, said: “Sharjah measures time not in months, but in generations; success not in returns, but in people and their well-being. Today, more than 17,000 SMEs serve the city, a testament to seeds sown decades ago, when the emirate nurtured institutions, welcomed enterprise, and allowed ventures to take root and thrive. Many of those early initiatives have since grown into some of the region’s and the world’s most prominent names. Take SIBF, now the largest book fair globally, or National Paints, a third-generation family business that has become one of the region’s leading paint companies.”

She added, “Sharjah has always placed people first, proving that progress need not come at the cost of burnout, and that a meaningful life is built patiently, with care and intention. This philosophy is reflected even in policy. In 2022, the emirate adopted a three-day weekend for government employees and schools, sending a clear message that productive economies begin with healthy communities. These are not soft choices, but strategic ones, grounded in the belief that a society which supports families and values well-being builds resilience that endures.”

H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, said: “Every entrepreneurial journey begins with a decision to take the first step, but what defines founders is the choice to continue, often without certainty and away from the spotlight. Entrepreneurship is rarely linear. It is shaped by pressure, unanswered questions, and moments when progress feels slower than expected. This festival exists because building something meaningful requires more than ambition. It requires courage, resilience, and spaces where honest conversations about the full journey can take place.”

She added: “At Sheraa, we believe ideas become meaningful only when they are met with sustained support and long-term commitment. When founders choose to build in Sharjah, our responsibility does not end at the starting point. We continue to guide and support them as they grow, adapt, and make decisions over time. Our goal is to build Sharjah as a startup city in experience, not just in name, by investing in people, developing human potential, and nurturing a generation of founders capable of creating real solutions for real-world challenges.”

Across its ninth edition, SEF 2026 combines entrepreneurship, investment, creativity, and policy in a two-day program designed to link ideas with implementation. The opening day set the direction for further discussions on economic resilience, sector development, and the systems needed to support founders and institutions over time.

The UAE’s vision for the future of food security

 The opening ceremony continued with a session titled “Building the Future Food Economy,” which focused on food security as an economic priority. In conversation with  Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations, the session included H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy & Tourism and H.E. Dr. Amna Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change & Environment.

The discussion examined how climate pressures, technological change, and global supply chain shifts are influencing food systems, investment approaches, and long-term economic stability.

During the session, H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri affirmed that the food sector has today become one of the strategic pillars of the new global economy, in light of rapid transformations driven by climate change, supply chain challenges, and technological advancement. He noted that the food economy is now a key engine of economic growth, with the value of global food markets and related activities exceeding USD 9 trillion, while international estimates indicate that global demand for food could increase by 50% to 60% by 2050.

He further explained that, guided by the vision of its wise leadership and its commitment to building a competitive, knowledge-based, and sustainable economy, the UAE has positioned food as a priority strategic sector that serves as a driver of innovation, growth, and economic diversification. Accordingly, it was selected as the first sector under the National Policy for Economic Clusters. The UAE has made significant progress in developing the food economic cluster as a key pathway of the new economy—supporting food security, generating employment opportunities, enhancing sustainability, empowering SMEs operating in this vital sector, and leveraging advanced technologies in smart agriculture, digital supply chains, and logistics services.

Meanwhile, H.E Dr. Amna Al Dhahak said, “We must focus on system transformation through five key pillars. First, we need to shift from climate exposure to climate intelligence, embedding technology, scientific research, and agritech into how we grow and process food, from hydroponics to resource-efficient farming systems. Second, we must reverse the traditional supply chain logic. Instead of producing and then searching for markets, we start by understanding demand in detail, on what retailers, food industries, and consumers truly require, and then align farmers and suppliers accordingly. One of the biggest challenges farmers face is market access, so we are building clearer demand signals and partnerships across the value chain. Our goal is to ensure that at least 25% of fresh produce in the market comes from national production, supported by more sustainable practices and better awareness of quality and supply requirements.”

Steering the conversation beautifully between policy initiatives and ground realities, Sheikh Fahim concluded: “I think the one lesson we can learn more than anything from the nation’s leadership, specifically here in the Emirate of Sharjah, is that with vision, conviction and a commitment to the long term, we will see the sector grow.

Luxury, identity, and the rise of the middle east’s creative sector

SEF 2026 then moved to a session titled “Luxury, Identity, and the Rise of the Middle East’s Creative Sector,” which addressed the region’s expanding role in global cultural and creative industries. Speakers included Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Founder and Chairman of Alsara Investment Group and Founder of Bidayat; Patrick Chalhoub, Chairman of the Chalhoub Group; and Mounaz Abdel Raouf, Co-Founder of Okhtein.

Speakers discussed how identity, artisanship and institutional scale are supporting the development of regional brands and enabling competition in international markets.

Rachid Mohamed Rachid highlighted the positives in the region, and said, “The Middle East is one of the fastest-growing regions in terms of the consumption of creativity, and we can already see the seeds being planted for it to become a global player from a creative standpoint. Around 15% of the global creative market is consumed here in the Middle East. At the same time, we are seeing more and more creative companies around the world, across fashion, furniture, jewellery, and architecture looking to this region for inspiration.”

Meanwhile, Patrick Chalhoub highlighted the power of culture and authenticity. “A fundamental change we are seeing is that there are now entrepreneurs all over GCC, including across the emirates, who are really willing to create their own… fashion brands, luxury brands, who want to start up and who are very enthusiastic about it”.

“Nevertheless, this is not enough,” he said, adding, “A key challenge is cultural. Many entrepreneurs still seek validation for their creations from the international community, when in fact they should be drawing confidence from their own culture and convictions. Global fashion houses did not build their identity based on what the world expected of them; recognition came as a result of staying true to their vision. That same self-belief is essential here. Creativity requires patience and persistence, it cannot be rushed by market pressure or investor expectations. Some of the world’s most respected brands are nearly two centuries old; a reminder that building a creative legacy takes time, conviction, and the courage to grow at its own pace.”

Mounaz Abdel Raouf agreed on taking pride in one’s culture and building a brand, noting: “Balancing the identity of the modern Arab woman with our traditions and values was challenging at first. We were often advised to become more commercial and follow prevailing trends, and when we briefly did so, we lost what made us distinctive, our clients could no longer recognise us. That experience became a turning point. We realised that the more we stayed true to our cultural roots and creative identity, the more original and identifiable our brand became. In luxury, you don’t follow trends, you set them, drawing deeply from your own heritage, storytelling, and authenticity.”

Scaling what matters

The opening ceremony concluded with a keynote by HE Badr Jafar, Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy for the United Arab Emirates, titled “Scaling What Matters: Entrepreneurship at the Intersection of AI, Capital, and Social Impact.” He said long-term growth depends on governance, execution capacity, and institutional strength, and that entrepreneurship delivers sustained impact when supported by durable systems.

He said: “As AI reshapes economies at scale, the real question is no longer what can be built, but what can be delivered and sustained. The UAE’s experience demonstrates that when technology, capital, and philanthropic risk-taking are aligned, entrepreneurship becomes the mechanism through which solutions scale with measurable economic and social impact. This is how innovation moves beyond promise and begins to scale what truly matters.”

Strategic partnerships announced to strategically advance UAE’s vision for the future
The Chairperson of Sheraa witnessed the signing of three MOUs at the ‘SEF Vault’, powered by  Emirates Petroleum Company - Emarat, VIP lounge, a dedicated space created for global leaders, VIP guests, and speakers to connect and network.

The first, signed between Beeah Group and Sheraa announced the launch of a new intrapreneurship programme designed to enable employee-led innovation and venture building within Beeah. Key signatories included Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO and Vice Chairman of Beeah, and H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa.

The second MoU signing was led by Arada and Sheraa, formalizing a three-year SEF legacy partnership, solidifying Arada’s long-term commitment to shaping and sustaining the future of entrepreneurship in Sharjah. Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, Group CEO of Arada signed the agreement on behalf of Arada while Sheraa was represented by its CEO H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi.

A third MoU was signed by Emirates Growth Fund (EGF) and Sheraa, formalizing their collaboration to strengthen SME and startup growth. The agreement was signed by Khalifa Al Hajeri, CEO of Emirates Growth Fund, and Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, and focuses on collaborative programs, ecosystem referrals, and the exchange of market and investment insights to support business expansion.

Partner recognition

During the ceremony, SEF 2026 recognized its partners for supporting the Festival and Sharjah’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, including Arada; du Business; Emaar; Emirates Petroleum Company - Emarat; Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK); Publicis Groupe; Emirates NBD; Sharjah Investment & Development Authority – Shurooq; Beeah Group; Sharjah Business Women Council; Bank of Sharjah; Alef Group; Sharjah City Municipality and Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority.