Business Bureau, Gulf Today

The Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTI Park) received a delegation of Polish businesswomen representing various sectors including technology and smart industries. The visit aimed at exploring business opportunities and services offered by the Park to investors and ways to enhance economic cooperation between SRTI Park and the Polish business community.

Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SRTI Park, expressed his delight at the visit, stressing the Park’s commitment to support the women in setting up their business and to provide all possible facilities. He said that one of the key strategic drive of the Park is to empower women in research and technology, which translates into the UAE’s leading role in the economic empowerment of women. Emirati women have emerged significantly in the economic aspect, where UAE businesswomen account for about 21 per cent of the total businesswomen in the GCC. He pointed out that the business environment in the emirate of Sharjah is distinctive and stimulating for businesswomen and their investments because the international potential and great competitive advantages.

Al Mahmoudi said that the Park’s approach towards further developing investment incentives, applying international best practices and the latest innovative technologies and providing an integrated infrastructure will attract more European research and innovative projects, encouraging investors and organizations to expand in the region through SRTI Park.

The delegation was briefed about the anchor projects and the park’s aim to create an environment conducive to creativity and innovation to enhance the status of the emirate of Sharjah as the global destination in the fields of research and technology, and to support its move towards the knowledge economy.

During the meeting, current and future projects were showcased and illustrated how the park’s ecosystem fosters disruptive technologies especially companies focusing on research, development and technology transfer.

The Polish delegation toured a number of existing research projects at the Park. The group was asked to take advantage of the park’s easy access to vital and logistical facilities in the emirate and in the UAE, and the infrastructure which meets the requirements of international standards, resulting to an ideal and safe investment environment, in addition to ownership and full tax exemption, providing great opportunities for industries and technological facilities.

SRTI Park attracts a number of leading international companies and centers operating in various research sectors.

Bilateral relations between the UAE and Poland have witnessed a remarkable development in recent years, which has greatly enhanced the deepening of cooperation between the two countries. There are joint agreements to encourage and protect investments between the two countries. This visit reflects the growing relationship between UAE and Poland.

The Polish delegation expressed their gratitude to the Park for hosting them while praising the Emirate of Sharjah for the achievements it has made in the fields education, research and technology.

Earlier in Hong Kong, the SRTI Park participated in the 4th Summit of Belt and Road Initiative. Aisha Al Qubaisi, advisor at the Embassy of the UAE in China, attended the first session of The Sharjah China Innovation Roadshow 2019 in Shenzhen coordinated by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).

The Roadshow started by presenting the Park’s investment opportunities to leading investors in Shenzhen concentrating on Science Park’s six focus areas: Renewable Energy, Environmental Technologies, Digitization, Design and Production, Transport and Logistics and Water Technology.

Hussain Al Mahmoudi expressed his confidence that the UAE-China visits at the highest levels of leadership will consolidate the strategic partnership between the two countries, especially on the economic level, which will increase the flow of investments in both directions to serve the development requirements and support the interests of the UAE business community and its Chinese counterparts.

The Roadshow was a remarkable success, the sessions witnessed great interaction by investors and entrepreneurs. A number of direct bilateral meetings were held which were attended by the delegation from SRTI Park and investors in the fields of 3D printing, energy, renewable technologies, digital transformation and industrial modernization. The meetings focused on attracting Chinese innovations specialising in high-tech products, using SRTI Park as a test bed for research and development in the Middle East.

There are massive growth opportunities and prospects for investors and companies in Sharjah, due its strategic location linking East and West, and its advanced infrastructure. The emirate’s extensive land, sea and air transport network contribute to the promotion of trade and investment activity in the region, in addition to the business support facilities provided, attracting scientific and research investments from around the globe.