13th edition of ‘Business Stars’ launched to boost entrepreneurship

Sharjah SME (Ruwad), affiliated with the Sharjah Economic Development Department, launched on Friday the 13th edition of its annual “Business Stars” initiative.

The three-week programme aims to promote the culture of self-employment and entrepreneurship, and to develop the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Sixty entrepreneurial projects by school and university students from across the UAE are participating, in cooperation with Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah.

The initiative is being organised as part of the 14th Suburbs Festival.

The opening ceremony, held at Al Qarayen Park 5 in Sharjah, was attended by Hamad Al Mahmoud, Chairman of the Sharjah Economic Development Department; Amina Mohammed, Director of the Training, Research, and Events Department; members of the organising committee; and a number of visitors who were keen to witness the launch of the initiative and explore the participating projects and their diverse products.

This year’s edition is unique in that it is being implemented for the first time in three consecutive phases. The participating projects, representing 120 male and female students from various schools, universities, and colleges across the UAE, are being distributed throughout the initiative.

The initiative’s activities are taking place daily from 16:00 to 22:00 from December 5th to 25th, coinciding with the first semester break. The organising committee allocated the period from December 5th to 11th for projects by primary school students (grades 1-6) aged 10 to 15, while the period from December 12th to 18th was designated for projects by secondary school and university students aged 16 to 21. The period from December 19th to 25th was reserved for students from all schools and universities, as well as members of the Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah.

In addition to student projects, the initiative includes entertainment, art workshops, and educational activities for visitors, in collaboration with a selection of entrepreneurial projects from the Foundation’s members and accredited licenses.

Hamad Al Mahmoud toured the participating student projects, viewing the displayed products and listening to the students’ entrepreneurial ideas, which they aim to transform into initial initiatives and small business models that will qualify them to embark on the world of entrepreneurship.

Al Mahmoud emphasised that the Business Stars initiative is a unique incubator and support platform for school and university students, providing a stimulating environment that helps them develop their skills, unleash their creative ambitions, and translate them into pioneering projects.

For her part, Fatima Al Ali, Acting Director of the Sharjah SME (Ruwad), said, “We look forward to organising a distinguished edition of the initiative that aligns with Ruwad’s vision and objectives of spreading the culture of entrepreneurship, promoting the concept of private business among students, developing their business acumen, and encouraging them to generate innovative ideas and refine their entrepreneurial skills and capabilities, as they are the generation that will lead the path of development and innovation in the future. The initiative also contributes to strengthening partnerships between schools, universities, families, and government institutions.”

Al Ali noted that the projects will undergo daily evaluation by specialised judges according to a set of evaluation criteria, including innovation, financial management, marketing, and adherence to the terms and conditions. She added that the participating students underwent a series of introductory workshops before the initiative was launched to ensure the success of their participation and enhance their marketing opportunities at the optimal level, stressing the institution’s keenness to provide all safety and security measures for participants and visitors, in addition to ensuring the safety of the kiosks and the goods and products they contain.

In October, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Foundation (Ruwad),affiliated with the Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD), has approved funding for three projects in the Emirate, totalling Dhs1.8 million.

This was announced during the 38th meeting of the Foundation’s Project Financing Committee, chaired by Hamad Ali Abdullah Al Mahmoud, Chairman of the SEDD.

The meeting agenda included reviewing project funding applications. The committee approved direct funding of Dhs400,000 for a professional project in Kalba, and Dhs400,000 for an industrial project in Sharjah under the direct funding scheme supporting the industrial sector. Another industrial project was approved for Dhs1 million through indirect financing via a bank.

By mid-October, the total number of projects approved by the Project Financing Committee in 2025 reached 19, with total funding of Dhs5.66 million.

Hamad Al Mahmoud highlighted that the new approvals reflect Ruwad’s commitment to empowering Emirati entrepreneurs and enhancing their role in supporting comprehensive economic development in the emirate by providing suitable financial solutions that sustain and expand their projects locally and internationally.

WAM