The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) held discussions with a delegation from the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center – Sheraa to help develop avenues of joint cooperation and coordination in order to support initiatives that encourage and motivate entrepreneurs, as well as empower young adults that are looking to launch their own economic projects.

During the meeting that was held between HE Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI); and HE Najla Al Midfa, CEO of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center – Sheraa; the two sides discussed signing a memorandum of understanding to support business incubators that fall under the umbrella of the chamber.

The meeting, which recently took place at the SCCI’s headquarters, was also attended by HE Waleed AbdelRahman BuKhatir, Second Vice Chairman of the SCCI; and HE Mohamed Rashid Ali Demas, Board Member of the SCCI. The meeting reviewed a number of topics that are important to both sides, which included ways to cooperate in order to support the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2018, which will launch its 2nd edition on November 20 at the Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club.

HE Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), stressed the chamber’s keenness to develop and support the entrepreneurship sector in Sharjah, as well as enhance its strategic partnership with the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center – Sheraa in order to support the next generation of entrepreneurs in developing their innovative start-ups that contribute to the economy of both the emirate and the country. He also highlighted the importance of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, and stressed the efforts of the chamber in encouraging entrepreneurs under its umbrella to participate in this important event.

HE Najla Al Midfa, CEO of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center – Sheraa, stressed the keenness of the center to develop its cooperation with the chamber in order to support new projects in the emirate. She remarked that the meeting represented an opportunity to discuss the chamber’s participation in supporting the success of the 2nd edition of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2018, which comes as a translation of the vision of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah to support entrepreneurs both locally and globally. She added that the festival will also be held under the patronage of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre - Sheraa.

Al Midfa gave a presentation on the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, which will witness the participation of more than 100 speakers from around the world. The festival aims to offer a platform to entrepreneurs that helps to launch their projects to new heights. The festival will also aim to put Sharjah on the global entrepreneurship map, where it will include the participation of entrepreneurs from some of the biggest companies, as well as investors and representatives of public institutions.

The chamber has recently announced the launch of a new award category to the Sharjah Economic Excellence Network Award entitled the “Sharjah Entrepreneurial Award for people with Disabilities,” which will raise the number of categories of the award to 8, beginning with next year. The chamber also announced its intention of organizing an annual entrepreneur forum that aims to support and develop the entrepreneurship sector in Sharjah, as well as pay special attention to supporting people with disabilities.