Page 318 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - MARCH 2025

thriving ecosystem, with manufacturing now the second-largest contributor to our GDP. Our
emirate has 20 industrial areas, 7 free zones, and over 2,900 factories, attracting significant
investments within the manufacturing sector, notably AED 826.4 million in 2024 alone. Recent
investments, including three new pharmaceutical factories worth AED 308.7 million; a AED 50
million investment from global glass manufacturer PureGlass; and AED 40 million by IPT Energy; as
examples, shows Sharjah’s appeal as well as our commitment to innovation and growth.”

Commenting on the support of entrepreneurs and fostering innovation, Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi,
CEO of Sheraa, highlighted Sheraa’s role in enhancing the startup ecosystem in Sharjah. “The
Ramadan Majlis is a yearly reminder of Sharjah's commitment to shaping the future through
innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration. As we gather again, we celebrate our ecosystem's
progress and the entrepreneurs' boundless potential to drive meaningful change. At Sheraa, we
remain committed to empowering these changemakers and providing them with the support,
resources, and community they need to scale their impact. Together, we continue to build a future
where Sharjah is a global hub for talent, opportunity, and sustainable growth.”
Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SRTI Park, explained how the park facilitates collaboration between
research institutions and the private sector to drive industrial innovation and build a knowledge-
based economy. He stated: “SRTI Park is a platform where collaboration is the foundation of
progress. Partnership sits at the core of our mission where we bridge institutions and companies in
the private sector by aligning R&D, skills, resources, and vision to empower industrial innovation. By
fostering synergies between cutting-edge research and market-driven enterprises, we facilitate
scalable solutions that transform ideas into economic value.”

As part of the Majlis, an MoU was signed between Invest in Sharjah and SRTI Park by Mohamed
Juma Al Musharrkh and Hussain Al Mahmoudi respectively, and included the launch of the
‘Innovate in Sharjah’ platform, a centralised digital gateway offering facilities and incentives in
artificial intelligence and technology. The platform will enable key stakeholders in research,
development, and high-tech manufacturing to access resources, explore infrastructure, and utilise
laboratories and research facilities, reinforcing Sharjah’s position as a global hub for research,
development, and industrial innovation.

Additionally, the Majlis witnessed the signing of an MoU between Sheraa and Emarat, represented
by Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa; and Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO of “Emarat”, in a
strategic partnership aimed at facilitating startups’ access to funding and investment opportunities.
The agreement seeks to strengthen entrepreneurship and innovation programmes, focusing on key
sectors such as ed-tech, sustainability, creative industries, and advanced manufacturing.

A third MoU was also penned between Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh of Invest in Sharjah and Issa
Ataya, CEO Alef Group, in support of the emirate’s vision for sustainable growth and innovation,
further solidifying its role in shaping the emirate’s real estate sector. This partnership also aims to
highlight opportunities in the emirate’s expanding freehold property market.

The choice of Mleiha for this year’s Majlis symbolises the integration of Sharjah’s rich heritage with
its forward-looking development initiatives. This historic region, boasting archaeological treasures
spanning millennia, has evolved into a pillar of economic and investment transformation, now

https://www.wam.ae/en/article/bikupnw-sharjah-ramadan-majlis-discusses-ways-develop