Global and regional entrepreneurs, creatives, business leaders and influential business coaches from around the world will gather to discuss the factors influencing the UAE’s start-up sector growth over the next 50 years at the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF 2021) on November 22 and 23.
Organised by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa), the fifth edition of SEF will be held under the theme #WhenStarsCollide.
The in-person two-day event will be held at the Sharjah Expo Centre.
SEF will bring leading global speakers to the UAE and provide a platform for local and regional success stories to inspire the next generation of change-makers, said the event’s website.
chief executive, Sheraa
“The world right now needs more entrepreneurs who think of the greater good of humanity,” Najla Al Midfa, chief executive of Sheraa, said.
Gulf countries are investing in growing their entrepreneurship ecosystem as they look to diversify their economies to fuel post-pandemic growth. Like its peers in the wider Gulf region, attracting foreign investment across sectors – including its start-up ecosystem – is a key priority for the Sharjah government, as it continues to diversify the emirate's economy.
In January last year, the Economist Intelligence Unit rated Sharjah among the top 10 fastest-growing urban areas in the world.
The SEF will see Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi lead a keynote discussion, which will be moderated by Magnus Olsson, co-founder of ride-hailing app Careem, on November 22, Sheraa said on Saturday.
The two will discuss the increasing role and impact of the start-ups on the UAE’s growth and the importance of creating the entrepreneurs of tomorrow through adapting the education system of today, Sheraa added.
They will be joined by more than 50 leaders and entrepreneurs who will engage with 4,000 established and aspiring founders.
The festival seeks to drive meaningful impact and foster positive change in the UAE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, said Sheraa.
Speaks at the event include: Nisreen Shocair, chief executive of the Middle East for YOOX Net-a-Porter; Amir Farha, founder of venture capital firm COTU Ventures; adventurer and entrepreneur Omar Samra; actor and singer Rashed Al Nuaimi; Amna Al Haddad, UAE Olympic weightlifter and entrepreneur; and business coach Lewis Howes, among others.
Sheraa – which means to sail in Arabic – is Sharjah’s initiative to build a start-up ecosystem in the emirate. It is headquartered at the American University of Sharjah and its hub, launched in September 2018, is based at the University of Sharjah.
It has helped founders scale their businesses through workshops, mentorships, introductions to investors, government partners and corporate entities to help them secure access to growth capital.
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SPEC%20SHEET
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
Tomorrow 2021
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The five pillars of Islam
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
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Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
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Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
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Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
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If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
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About RuPay
A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank
RuPay process payments between banks and merchants for purchases made with credit or debit cards
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In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments
The name blends two words rupee and payment
Some advantages of the network include lower processing fees and transaction costs
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Looking for a new family pet? Here are the links to visit when it comes to adopting...
Arabian Saluki Center of Dubai (Ascod)
Emirates Animal Welfare Society
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25%20Days%20to%20Aden
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
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The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
