Dignitaries during the opening ceremony of the 7th annual Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF 2024) at the iconic Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park.

Themed ‘Our Shared Canvas’, the two-day event is taking place at the iconic Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP), and hosting expert-led masterclasses, pitch competitions, workshops, talks, and other events designed to foster collaboration and empower entrepreneurs in the region.

The opening ceremony was attended by Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Al Saud, Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, DR. Sultan Al Neyadi, UAE minister of youth, Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa; Mohammed Al Abbar, founder of EMAAR Properties, in addition to public and private sector representatives, business leaders, venture capitalists, university students, artists, academia, and members of the community.

The SEF 2024 opening ceremony witnessed an exciting new development; the unveiling of the ‘Innovation Avenue’ street, which has been renamed under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. Located behind the Sheraa HQ in SRTIP, the Innovation Avenue street runs between the University City of Sharjah and the iconic House of Wisdom. This symbolic renaming showcases Sharjah’s commitment to the future and to creating pathways that will set successive generations on the road to success and creativity.

A short film was played to unveil the Innovation Avenue, and featured an inspiring message from His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, which said: “Our key goal has been and will always be to provide sound foundations for a society where everyone can participate in shaping the future.”

Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa, delivered an inspirational keynote speech, welcoming the edition’s guests and attendees. Her message spoke of the empowering vision of His Highness  Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and the commitment to forging a bridge between the world of theory and the world of practice, as well as the incredible support that the festival has received from Sheraa Chairperson Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi. The CEO’s speech also emphasised the value in asserting one’s self and not delaying in the pursuit of one’s dreams.

Inspiring the audience, Najla remarked: “Today I want to share one of the lessons that I have learnt from over 10,000 hours of conversations with entrepreneurs. The most successful entrepreneurs that I have met all have one trait in common. Their ability to start. Not just once, but time and time again, they consistently choose courage over comfort, and they consistently choose action over complacency. So if I could give you only one piece of advice, it would be this: just start.”

Following Najla’s speech, Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Al Saud, Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, shared insights in his talk titled ‘The Next Level: Inspiring a New Generation of Entrepreneurs’. He said: “It is clear that our youth is the driving force behind the region’s progress. In the context of the gaming and Esports sectors, the youth’s contribution is particularly profound. In the Middle East, it is heartening to see the vibrant adoption of gaming. The cultural richness of our region is seen in the cultural diversity of our region’s gamers.”

Dr. Sultan Al Neyadi, UAE Minister of Youth, took the stage with his talk titled ‘Stories from Space: Inspiring the Human Spirit’, exploring the intersection of space exploration, innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit.

He said: “I thank His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE SUpreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah; his wife Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Sultan Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF); and Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, for creating such incredible opportunities for our youth in entrepreneurship”.

“Supporting young entrepreneurs is not just a moral duty, but an investment in the future of our nation and the world. This is why the UAE’s leadership has designed a national methodology at the federal level that has over 300 initiatives and national youth empowerment programmes, which support and guide them to hone their skills in a realistic manner,” he further added.

Tourism sector visionaries discuss building a ‘destination of choice’ with the UAE’s young entrepreneurial community at SEF 2024

SCTDA Chairman Khaled Jassim Al Midfa inspires progress towards a global hub for entrepreneurship, tourism, and sustainability.

Khaled Jassim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), delivered an inspiring talk on the first day of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2024 (SEF), recounting the progress Sharjah has made through the vision and efforts of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in becoming a global destination for business, tourism, and entrepreneurship, as well as efforts made to be a sustainable and future-ready emirate.