Page 182 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2024 (Part 2)

The inaugural meeting was also attended by Najla Al Midfa, Vice Chairperson of Sheraa, and
Sara Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, who outlined the strategic agenda for the upcoming term.

Sheikha Bodour said, "As we embark on this next phase of growth with our new board, I'm filled
with optimism for Sheraa's future. We're privileged to be supported by such a highly
accomplished group, whose expertise, dedication, and vision will further elevate Sheraa as the
most dynamic regional hub for new business founders.

"Together, we'll continue to foster innovation, resilience, and sustainability within Sharjah's
entrepreneurial ecosystem, ensuring that our startups thrive and compete with the best in local
and global markets."

Minister Al Marri stated that Sharjah is set to contribute significantly to placing the UAE as a
global hub for entrepreneurship by 2031 thanks to its startup ecosystem's strengths in future
sectors. The emirate's status as a thriving entrepreneurial hub was once again underlined by the
2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) that ranked Sharjah 4th in the GCC, and 7th in
the MENA region's startup ecosystem rankings.

He added that the support offered by Sheraa to enterprises, including talent and capability
building, mentoring, startup incubation and wide-ranging market access, has contributed
tremendously to this success.

Dr. Al Dahak said, "It's an honour to join Sheraa's Board of Advisors and have the opportunity to
contribute to the UAE's thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem. I would like to thank Sheikha
Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi for having me on onboard and commend her efforts in leading
Sheraa to new heights.

"Innovation and entrepreneurship can help forge effective climate solutions, and as an
entrepreneurship platform, Sheraa can support and nurture startups that focus on environmental
sustainability and climate resilience and raise climate awareness. I look forward to more
projects offering climate-friendly solutions and addressing critical challenges such as clean
energy, biodiversity loss, securing food systems, and waste management, among others,
leading the UAE towards a sustainable future."

The session provided a platform for discussing Sheraa's current strategic positioning and
offerings, with initial feedback sought on how to advance its mission of growing Sharjah's
entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The meeting included a comprehensive presentation led by Sara Al Nuaimi, followed by
strategic discussions.

As the major engine fueling these achievements, Sheraa has trained and upskilled a talented
community of over 18,000 entrepreneurial youth, supported a comprehensive ecosystem of over
420 startups, including over 180 incubated ventures that have raised over $171 million in
funding, generated over $248 million in revenue, and created well over 1,900 jobs, contributing
to the UAE's national economy.

Moreover, Sheraa's flagship event, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival has solidified the
emirate's reputation as a premier hub for talent, drawing over 30,000 changemakers from
around the globe across its seven editions.

The meeting was attended by board members.

https://www.wam.ae/en/article/b54ta87-sheraa-discusses-strengthening-sharjahs-position