Continuing with its efforts to empower both aspiring and established entrepreneurs in Sharjah and the UAE with on-ground expertise in running an enterprise, Badiri Education and Development Academy, the education and capacity building arm of Nama Women Advancement (Nama), took participants of its Badiri Entrepreneurship Programme (BEP) on a field visit to Sharjah Media City (Shams) recently.

The visit to Shams reflects BEP’s holistic and action-oriented ethos to assist budding female entrepreneurs in turning their business ideas into successful start-ups, and follows a recent field trip the cohort made to Sharjah Research and Technology Park (SRTIP).  

Upon arrival, the BEP participants and the Badiri team was received by Sharjah Media City (Shams)’ officials led by their Chairman, Khalid Al Midfa; and Shihab Al Hammadi, Director, Sharjah Media City (Shams).

The officials briefed the attendees on the various start-up friendly services offered by the free zone including cost-effective trade licenses, access to shared desk facilities, and more.

The female entrepreneurs took the opportunity to address their inquiries to the Shams leadership, gaining further insight into ways they could avail the various competitive advantages offered by the free zone. They also toured the freezone, learning more about the world-class facilities, including the newly opened Shams Business Centre.

The BEP participants also met with two business owners operating out of Shams, who shared their inspiring success stories, describing how the free zone as well as Sharjah’s thriving entrepreneurial environment helped them start their unique entrepreneurial journeys, unlocked new opportunities and have enabled their ventures to grow and thrive.

Dr Mona Al Ali, Manager of Badiri Academy said: “BEP is an action-oriented programme designed to impart a 360-degree understanding of successful entrepreneurship. Opportunities to learn about how to practically apply their academic learning and showing them the various avenues to establish themselves as successful entrepreneurs here in Sharjah and the UAE, are a key component of the programme’s offerings. This visit further emboldens NAMA’s longstanding partnership with Shams – a like-minded partner invested equally in raising capable generations of female entrepreneurs for our nation and the world.”

Earlier last week the Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), a Nama Women Advancement affiliate, and Sharjah Entrepreneurship centre (Sheraa), have reinforced their commitment to the shared vision of transforming Sharjah into a global hub of female talent and entrepreneurship with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that further consolidates the goals of fostering and empowering women business owners in the UAE.

The MoU builds on the joint vision of the two entities in attracting top tier businesses to Sharjah and strengthening the status of the emirate as a fertile ground for businesses to thrive and scale.

As strategic partners, SBWC and Sheraa aim to boost the ecosystem by jointly executing high-impact programmes and initiatives to support women-led startups through greater access to business-building resources.