Sheraa unveils 7th edition of Access Sharjah Challenge

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) announced the opening of applications for the seventh edition of the Access Sharjah Challenge on July 7th, 2025, with this year’s focus on the education sector.

The challenge seeks to empower innovative solutions that leverage the transformative power of education to tackle key challenges in learning. This aligns with the UAE’s National Strategy for Higher Education 2030, which aims to build an education system that nurtures knowledge, creativity, and future-ready skills.

With a total prize value of Dhs500,000, the Access Sharjah Challenge is now open for applications from education-focused startups around the world that have validated prototypes and are looking to scale internationally. Applications will be accepted until August 17.

The challenge is being held in collaboration with the Sharjah Private Education Authority and the Sharjah Education Academy. The prize money will be divided equally between two winners, enabling them to test and implement their solutions at Alsedra Private School, Khalifah Al Hamzah American School, Pakistan Islamia Higher Secondary School and Al Badee Nursery.

The upcoming edition, organised by Sheraa in collaboration with key implementation partners, the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) and the Sharjah Education Academy (SEA), invites leading global education startups at the Pre-Series A, Series A, B, and C+ stage to submit innovative solutions addressing two priority education challenges: Future-Ready Skills Challenge, which focuses on equipping students with foundational and digital skills to keep pace with a rapidly evolving world and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow and Arabic in Early Childhood Challenge, which emphasises the importance of nurturing a sense of belonging to the Arabic language and embedding it as a core part of a child’s identity from an early age.

This collaborative approach ensures that all challenge statements reflect real-world needs and that submitted solutions are positioned for meaningful and scalable impact across Sharjah’s education ecosystem.

Sharjah leads the future of education: Commenting on the launch, Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, said: “We believe that meaningful innovation is defined by its ability to create real impact and expand access to learning. The Access Sharjah Challenge 2025 offers a dynamic platform where forward-thinking ideas converge with strategic ambition, enabling the transformation of promising concepts into scalable, real-world educational solutions. Through this initiative, we aim to enrich an already vibrant learning ecosystem, offering educators and students renewed opportunities to embrace tools and technologies that nurture lifelong learning and spark intellectual curiosity.”

She added: “Sharjah today stands out for its thriving educational ecosystem, backed by advanced digital infrastructure and strong collaboration between government and private sectors. This solid foundation positions the emirate as a leader in reimagining the future of education. The Access Sharjah Challenge is an open invitation to the world’s most innovative education startups to help shape an inclusive, agile, and future-ready learning model, built from within a community that champions creativity and innovation.”

Ali Al Hosani, Director General of the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), emphasised the importance of the Authority’s participation in the Sharjah Gateway Challenge. Through its presence, the Authority seeks to contribute to building an informed and empowered society grounded in knowledge and science. He noted that innovation is no longer an option; it has become the cornerstone of supporting sustainable development, shaping the future, and strengthening the country’s competitive position on the global stage.

Professor Pauline Taylor-Guy, the Chancellor of Sharjah Education Academy, expressed: “We are proud to partner with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) through the ‘Access Sharjah’ Challenge by launching our unique challenge, ‘Arabic Language in Early Childhood’.