• Year-round access to mentors, investors, contracts and ecosystem partners
  • Masterclasses, business clinics, sprint labs, and expert advisory support
  • Discounted licensing through partner network, and co-working benefits for founders
  • Local and global showcase opportunities, trade missions, procurement opportunities, and access to the Sharah Entrepreneurship Festival

Sharjah: Advancing its 2030 vision to support 1,000 ventures and facilitate AED 50 million in commercial deals for Sharjah-based businesses, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) has launched the ‘Sheraa Membership’, a unified founder support system designed to provide entrepreneurs with continuous access to mentorship, funding opportunities, relevant networks, and ecosystem resources throughout every stage of their growth journey.

By 2030, the membership aims to support the launch of more than 50 youth-led businesses, and create 1,000 jobs. Applications to the annual membership are now open on a rolling basis through Sheraa’s official website: https://sheraa.ae/membership Applicants of all nationalities interested in setting up or growing their ventures in Sharjah are eligible to apply.

Sheraa Membership brings together access to the center’s founder support ecosystem through a single, integrated platform. Designed to support entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey, the membership provides access to tailored programmes, expert guidance, community connections, growth opportunities, and resources that help founders move from idea validation to business growth and expansion. By creating a more connected experience, the membership enables entrepreneurs to access the support most relevant to their needs as their businesses evolve.

Additionally, the membership enables Sheraa to support entrepreneurs throughout their entire journey, creating ongoing access to its ecosystem beyond individual programme cycles. From aspiring founders and early-stage startups to alumni and growing SMEs, members can engage with the resources, networks, opportunities, and support most relevant to their evolving needs.

How the membership programme works

Sheraa Membership is built across sequential stages. Each stage is structured around defined entry and exit criteria, giving founders a clear framework for progression. Members follow a guided curriculum and task-based roadmap tailored to their stage, complemented by regular in-person sessions that provide hands-on support and direct access to Sheraa's network of advisors and partners.

The membership includes three interconnected layers of support. The first covers discounted licensing and co-working access to help founders establish and operate in Sharjah, in addition to rent concessions and accommodation, insurance, education discounts, and lifestyle benefits.

The second delivers hands-on knowledge-building through masterclasses, business clinics, sprint labs, one-to-one advisory sessions with Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, and regular office hours. The third connects members to the broader ecosystem through investor introductions, access to Sharjah's procurement platform, trade missions, and participation in the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival and other local and global showcase and networking opportunities.

Commenting on the evolution of the center’s founder support, H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, said: “Sheraa Membership is, at its core, a commitment to the founder. Every entrepreneur who walks through our doors can expect access to a program, and a sustained partnership that grows with them at every stage, from their first idea through to scale. As Sheraa enters its next decade, we are focused on broadening our impact through this membership. Looking ahead to 2030, our focus extends beyond supporting more ventures; it emphasises on enabling founders to build resilient businesses that contribute to Sharjah’s innovation-driven economy.”

The announcement of the membership came during a curated gathering of founders and ecosystem stakeholders at the Sheraa HQ at Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK). The event featured the Sheraa Founders Roundtable, which brought together entrepreneurs from Sheraa's community, including RAWA Wellness, a homegrown UAE wellness brand, Eshara AI, an AI-powered platform providing real-time sign language translation through digital avatars, and Little Sprouties, a business providing healthy, farm-to-spoon meals for children aged 6 months to 4 years. Together, they discussed the role of community in scaling businesses and shared their experiences of growing their ventures within Sheraa's ecosystem.

For 2026-27, Sheraa is looking to onboard up to 400 members across all stages. The  membership’s goals align directly with Sharjah's strategic priorities for building a competitive, knowledge-based economy and strengthening its startup and SME sectors.