30-07-2025
Sharjah offers Dh500,000 award to two tech startups to help innovate schools
The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) is calling on innovators from around the world to help shape the future of learning through its 7th edition Access Sharjah Challenge (ASC). The competition will award two winning startups an equity-free grant of Dh250,000 each with the invaluable opportunity to pilot their solutions in four leading educational institutions in Sharjah.
With the UAE's EdTech sector projected to grow at six per cent annually through 2030, fuelled by the nation's drive to build a knowledge-focused society and to advance skills in the age of AI and technological progress, strategic and purpose-driven support for innovators within this important industry is essential for the future.
Two key challenges identified
The first, the 'Future-Ready Skills Challenge', seeks innovative solutions to equip students with essential digital literacy, computational thinking, critical analysis, and foundational soft skills. This addresses the pressing need highlighted by the World Economic Forum, which predicts that 85 per cent of the jobs in 2030 haven't been invented yet, demanding adaptability far beyond rote learning.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
The second, the 'Arabic in Early Childhood Challenge', focuses on instilling a deep, meaningful connection with the Arabic language during the critical nursery and early primary years. It calls for engaging, age-appropriate solutions that foster fluency, cultural appreciation, and a genuine love for the language.
The challenge offers a compelling proposition for serious education innovators with a total equity-free grant pool of Dh500,000.
Two winning startups will each receive Dh250,000, coupled with the invaluable opportunity to pilot their proven solutions across four leading institutions — Alsedra Private School, Khalifah Al Hamzah American School, Pakistan Islamia Higher Secondary School, and Al Badee Nursery.
At its core, ASC 2025 is a powerful engine for multi-directional knowledge exchange and skill development, and as global entrepreneurs prepare to present their cutting-edge technology and fresh perspectives to be implemented within Sharjah's diverse educational landscape, Sheraa will be there to guide them on every step of the journey.
Strategic investment in education technology
ASC 2025 represents a strategic investment in knowledge exchange, skill development, and the co-creation of future-ready learning environments, and invites both local and global innovators to partner with Sharjah's educational ecosystem and propel this legacy further.
Sheraa, established to empower entrepreneurs and position Sharjah as a hub for meaningful innovation, has strategically designated Education Technology (EdTech) as one of its core Centres of Excellence.
This focus directly addresses the emirate's commitment to enhancing learning outcomes, equipping students for an uncertain future shaped by rapid technological change, and nurturing cultural identity and pride.
Building on Sharjah's strong educational foundation which encompasses some of the leading universities and institutions in the region, and also evidenced by its private schools achieving an average score of 519 in the 2021 'Progress in International Reading Literacy Study' (PIRLS), exceeding international benchmarks, ASC 2025 zeroes in on two critical and co-defined priorities in collaboration with the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) and Sharjah Education Academy (SEA).
