3rd edition of SBWC and AUS Roundtable ignites dialogue on UAE's social entrepreneurship ecosystem
Sharjah: The Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC) and the American University of Sharjah (AUS) convened their third roundtable in a proactive series aimed at empowering female entrepreneurs, this time focusing on the true potential of social entrepreneurship in Sharjah and the UAE. Held at AUS, the event hosted policymakers, academics, innovators, and founders to dissect challenges, celebrate progress, and chart a roadmap for a thriving social enterprise ecosystem.
The roundtable was led by H.E. Mariam Bin Al Shaikh, Director of SBWC; Dr. Narjess Boubakri, Dean of School of Business at AUS; and featured a diverse group of prominent leaders and business founders including Sheikha Dr. Alia Al Qassimi, Surgeon, SBWC member, entrepreneur and social development expert; Dr. Muna Al Suwaidi, Programs and Projects Advisor at the Ministry of Culture and Youth; Alya Saif Al Shamsi, Head of Marketing at Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa); Mourad Ben Ayed, Strategy Director at A&B Advisory and Adjunct Faculty at AUS; Dr Jamal Maalouf, Assistant Professor at AUS Management, Strategy and Entrepreneurship department; Hala Al Gergawi, Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO of Teabeforenoon & Elevenish; Gergana Abdulrahman, Co-founder & CEO of Wild Fabrik; and Sonali Oshin Chopra and Pulpit Chopra, founders of Happiness Redefined.
Bridging cultural and financial divides
H.E. Mariam Bin Al Shaikh, emphasised the council's role in bridging cultural and financial divides, saying 'Entrepreneurs must first invest in their vision to inspire others. Sharjah's ecosystem offers mentorship, investor readiness programs, and strategic partnerships to turn ideas into impact.' Her remarks underscored SBWC's mission to dismantle barriers through education and collaboration, aligning with initiatives like the NMU Initiative, which empowers women-led businesses through networking and market access.
Dr. Narjess Boubakri noted the importance of building a shared understanding of what defines a social entrepreneur, especially as the concept continues to evolve globally. She highlighted that while millions of social enterprises operate worldwide, the UAE now has a unique opportunity to shape its own definition and frameworks. 'With the nation's strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and impact, we are well-positioned to nurture a new generation of entrepreneurs who align business success with social value,' she said.
Sheikha Dr. Alia Al Qassimi, a surgeon and social development expert, advocated for embedding social entrepreneurship into education systems: 'We must identify and nurture this mindset as early as high school, creating pipelines that mentor young innovators.' This vision aligns with global trends, which equip educators and entrepreneurs with frameworks for impact-driven ventures.
People, planet and profit
Dr. Jamal Maalouf challenged misconceptions saying, 'Adding 'social' to entrepreneurship doesn't make it charity. We're solving market gaps with a triple bottom line; people, planet, and profit.' Her call for standardised KPIs to measure societal impact resonated with discussions on certification frameworks, which validate genuine social enterprises and build stakeholder trust.
Alya Saif Al Shamsi of Sheraa noted that impact is 'woven into every startup we support,' reflecting a broader corporate shift toward ethical business models, and described the efforts Sheraa has been taking through initiatives like the 'Sharjah Access Challenge' which uses challenge statements to motivate innovation and solutions that are focused and industry specific. Hala Al Gergawi, founder of luxury branding agency Teabeforenoon, urged cross-sector collaboration, saying 'Even 'non-social' businesses now prioritise sustainability. Let's leverage this momentum to co-create solutions.'
Mourad Ben Ayed, Strategy Director at A&B Advisory, revealed efforts to create the UAE's first social enterprise database, a necessary step toward policy advocacy and visibility. Meanwhile, Sonali and Pulpit Chopra of 'Happiness Redefined' highlighted legal ambiguities, stating, 'Licensing and banking barriers stall innovation. We need tailored frameworks to distinguish social ventures from traditional LLCs or NGOs.'
Gergana Abdulrahman, CEO of Wild Fabrik, spotlighted systemic hurdles through her experience saying, 'Funding designated for impact is scarce. Smaller businesses need accessible tools to measure sustainability and articulate their value.'. Participants echoed the need for hybrid financing models, moving beyond grants to embrace impact-linked loans and outcome-based contracts. Examples such as Abu Dhabi's Ma'an initiative were examined; offering grants up to AED 200,000; and were cited as benchmarks for scalable support.
Looking towards the future
The event culminated in a forward-looking dialogue on actionable strategies to strengthen the UAE's social entrepreneurship ecosystem. Key recommendations centered on establishing a unified certification framework to distinguish genuine social enterprises from conventional businesses, addressing concerns around 'social washing' while fostering credibility and investor trust.
Emphasis was also placed on integrating social entrepreneurship into national procurement processes, allowing these ventures to scale through government and corporate contracts. These discussions have set the stage for a formalised sector that harmonises profit and purpose, positioning the UAE as a pillar of impactful enterprise in line with its Vision 2031 and global SDG commitments.
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