Latest news with #AccessSharjahChallenge
Sharjah 24
22-05-2025
- Business
- Sharjah 24
Sheraa and HORIVISTA forge strategic partnership
The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration aimed at supporting the growth of startups between the United Arab Emirates and China, leveraging HORIVISTA's deep expertise in bridging both markets to create long-term impact. The MoU was signed by Her Excellency Sara Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa and Sam Sun, Managing Director of HORIVISTA and Sheraa alum. Under this agreement, Sheraa shall extend support to eligible Chinese startups referred by HORIVISTA by facilitating their expansion in the UAE through setting up in Sharjah, as well as participation in Sheraa's programs, including the Sharjah Startup Studio (S3) and the Access Sharjah Challenge, in accordance with Sheraa's prevailing eligibility and selection criteria. Where such startups seek to establish a presence in the United Arab Emirates, Sheraa shall provide access to subsidised business licensing, coworking facilities, and tailored advisory services to support their market entry and operational setup. In turn, HORIVISTA will support Sheraa-backed startups to scale their ventures to the Chinese market. This agreement reflects the shared commitment of both parties to fostering cross-border collaboration and supporting startups in accessing new markets. Startups seeking to enter the Chinese market will receive support that includes market insights, introductions to local business networks, and guidance on navigating China's regulatory landscape, enabling a smooth market entry. Sara Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, said: "At Sheraa, we believe that enabling startups to scale beyond borders is key to building resilient, future-ready economies. Our partnership with HORIVISTA is a powerful step in this direction, opening new doors for entrepreneurs from both the UAE and China to collaborate, innovate, and tap into dynamic markets. By combining our ecosystems, we can accelerate growth opportunities and create lasting impact.' Sam Sun, Managing Director of HORIVISTA and Sheraa alum said: "This MoU marks a significant milestone in bridging two vibrant startup ecosystems. Through our collaboration with Sheraa, we look forward to supporting Chinese startups in navigating the UAE's thriving business landscape, while also offering a gateway for Sheraa-backed entrepreneurs into China. Together, we aim to foster a two-way flow of innovation, talent, and investment that drives meaningful cross-border growth.' Sheraa's Programmes Build the Foundations for Startups Success During the "Make it in the Emirates 2025" forum, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) is showcasing its range of programs that support founders at every stage of their journey. These programs include Startup Blueprint, a self-paced online course introducing aspiring founders to fundamental entrepreneurial skills. Startup Dojo helps turn early ideas into viable business models while building strong team dynamics. Its follow-on program, Startup Dojo+, supports founders in validating their solutions, developing MVPs, and preparing for market entry. Among Sheraa's key offerings is the Sharjah Startup Studio (S3), its flagship incubator program, which enables early-stage startups to grow, acquire customers, and become investor-ready. The Access Sharjah Challenge (ASC) rounds out the journey by helping growth-stage startups co-create pilot projects with local partners and enter new markets. Driven by its programmes and strategic partnerships, Sheraa continues to empower founders at every stage of their journey, turning ambitious ideas into scalable ventures that grow from the UAE and expand to global markets.
Sharjah 24
08-05-2025
- Business
- Sharjah 24
NoorNation, Faunatech win Sheraa's 2024 Challenge, share AED 500K
Organised annually by Sheraa, ASC is a corporate innovation programme that witnesses growth-stage startups tackle themed challenges. The 2024 edition's themes were agritech and livestock health. With collaboration being integral to the initiative's year-on-year success, key partners for the 6th edition of ASC included the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) as the challenge partner; endorsement from the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), and financial contribution from the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Sultan bin Ali Al Owais Real Estate, and Ghanim Al Suwaidi Holdings to support the implementation of the solutions. Celebrating its 6th edition, the annual challenge witnessed an overwhelming response, with 2,207 applications from 24 countries, including the USA, Canada, Egypt, France, Argentina, New Zealand, India, UK, Italy, Turkey Oman, Germany, Netherlands, Qatar, Brazil, and Palestine. From this impressive pool, 11 startups were shortlisted with two standout winners securing the top prize. Commenting on the announcement of the winners, H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, stated: 'The Access Sharjah Challenge serves to address current challenges but also reimagines possibilities in the future. By empowering innovators to tackle water scarcity and livestock health for this past edition, we're enhancing an innovation ecosystem that aligns with Sharjah's vision for a sustainable, food-secure future.' 'Our partnership in the Access Sharjah Challenge reflects our commitment to positioning innovation as a central pillar in advancing the agriculture and livestock sectors, by supporting practical solutions grounded in a deep understanding of real-world challenges,' H.E. Salem Abdullah Al Kaabi, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock said. 'The winning solutions have proven the potential of modern technologies to create a step-change in resource management, enhance livestock productivity, and strengthen sustainable food security. Working alongside our strategic partners to activate these solutions will help shape a smart and resilient agricultural model that aligns with the UAE's aspirations for a more innovative and sustainable economy,' added. Al Kaabi further explained that the department continues to implement its strategy to support small and medium-sized farms with modern technologies, guided by long-term planning frameworks aimed at boosting sector sustainability and productivity, contributing to Sharjah's vision of building a competitive and future-ready economy. Setting the focus of the challenge Within the agritech track, Sheraa welcomed startups to address challenges related to sustainable irrigation amid water scarcity with the statement: 'How might we source water affordably and scalably without burdening farmers?'. For the livestock health track, startups were invited to focus on innovations in monitoring, predictive care, and medicine delivery, with the statement: 'How might we maintain the health of livestock?'. Cost-effective water solutions NoorNation emerged as the winner in the AgriTech track with their revolutionary solution - LifeBox, a solar-powered, self-contained water desalination and pumping system designed to provide clean water for irrigation, drinking, and livestock support, ensuring sustainable and cost-effective water solutions for farmers and rural communities. LifeBox is equipped with advanced remote monitoring and control technology, enabling real-time water management. With plans to deploy the solution across the MENA region, NoorNation aims to tackle water scarcity and high energy costs while reducing CO2 emissions by eliminating reliance on diesel-powered irrigation systems. Their innovation will allow farmers to diversify their crops and improve agricultural productivity in arid regions. On the news of their success, Ragy Ramadan, Founder & CEO NoorNation said, 'We're incredibly grateful and proud to have won the Access Sharjah Challenge 2024. The journey wasn't always easy, but the growth was exponential. Sharjah welcomed us with energy and opportunity, and working with Sheraa and DAL pushed us to evolve as a team and a company. We're now more excited than ever to see the real-world impact LifeBox can create bringing fresh water, food security, and resilience to farms, communities, and industries in Sharjah and beyond. This milestone is not the end but a solid launchpad for NoorNation's regional growth, from product development and local partnerships to international sales and fundraising.' Improving animal health Faunatech, the Livestock Health track winner, introduced a smartphone-based handheld diagnostics platform that ensures early detection of critical livestock diseases, particularly mastitis, which affects nearly 30% of milking cows and buffaloes worldwide. Their Fauna SCC Test, connected to a smartphone, quantifies Somatic Cell Count (SCC) in raw cow milk, allowing on-farm diagnosis, improved milk quality, and reduced antibiotic residues. By improving animal health, increasing dairy productivity, and enhancing milk traceability, Faunatech is set to make a great impact in the UAE's agricultural sector and beyond. The company's long-term vision includes expanding into new markets across Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Commenting on their achievement, Rajat Pandya, Co-founder & CEO of Faunatech said, 'Winning the Access Sharjah Challenge has been an incredible milestone for FaunaTech. This programme provides us with a fantastic platform to launch our innovative animal health diagnostics across the UAE and the expansive Middle East dairy market. We're excited to bring our early mastitis detection technology to this vital region. Our vision is to establish our central hub for the Middle East here in Sharjah, and using our success as a springboard, we will hopefully expand into markets across the region. Solving industry-specific challenges The Access Sharjah Challenge is an annual competition that invites international growth-stage startups to solve industry-specific challenges determined by a chosen theme in collaboration with the challenge partner. In past iterations, ASC focused on sectors such as publishing and digital content; healthtech and foodtech; creative economy; F&B and retail; and sustainability. As a launchpad within the emirate's market, the challenge empowers startups to test and scale their solutions in Sharjah. Since its inception in 2019, ASC has provided over AED 3 million in total funding to support visionary entrepreneurs.
