"sail" Discusses the steps for continuity and stability of entrepreneurial projects "Entrepreneurs Forum"
Sharjah, April 28 / WAM / The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center “Sheraa” organized at its headquarters yesterday, the “Entrepreneurship Forum”, with the participation of 13 startup founders who exchanged ideas, visions, experiences and expertise related to building and sustaining businesses, in addition to reviewing ways for companies to continue to adapt, develop and grow in light of the changes taking place in the markets.
The forum comes as a continuation of the vision of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairwoman of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), to launch the “Al-Thābah Fund for Entrepreneurs” dedicated to supporting emerging companies and small and medium enterprises, ensuring the continuity of their business and enhancing their stability in the long term.
Participants in the forum stressed that the continuity and stability of entrepreneurial projects requires a set of steps and factors that include maintaining a close relationship with customers and distribution channels, establishing clear foundations that guide the decision-making process, in addition to accelerating innovation by engaging users in the early stages to enhance the use of technology on the ground, as well as investing in emerging competencies and benefiting from supportive systems that contribute to empowering companies and enhancing their confidence.
The forum was attended by His Excellency Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Entrepreneurship and Economic Affairs Sector at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, His Excellency Khaled Al Huraimel, CEO of the Sharjah Environmental Company (Be’ah), His Excellency Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Executive Director of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), and Majid Al Shamsi, Executive Director of Institutional Support at the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority.
Her Excellency Sarah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Executive Director of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), said that the flexibility of entrepreneurial ecosystems is evident in their ability to adapt to changes efficiently while maintaining business continuity and balance, noting that the “Entrepreneurship Stability Fund” plays a pivotal role in enhancing this flexibility by supporting emerging companies and small and medium enterprises in a way that enables them to deal with operational pressures and continue their growth with confidence in the long term.
She stressed the keenness of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) to provide practical support that enhances the ability of entrepreneurs to manage their businesses more efficiently within an integrated environment that establishes continuity and enhances the development of companies and their contribution to the local economy of the Emirate of Sharjah and the system of innovation and entrepreneurship in the United Arab Emirates.
Wijdan Gul, co-founder of “Squatwolf”, discussed during the forum the development of business models, pointing out that each stage of the business contributes to shaping the way of working, which requires entrepreneurs to be able to respond and make appropriate decisions according to the reality of the business at each stage.
For her part, Sahar Karroubi, founder of “Bambuyu”, stressed the importance of maintaining a close connection with customers and distribution channels, noting that understanding the customer constitutes one of the most important factors for business continuity.
Ali Al Bastaki, founder of Racks, said that a clear foundation is an essential factor in facilitating and enhancing the growth process, pointing out that values form the basis on which decisions are built and through which the process of business development and consolidating its growth continues.
Fayza Bouguessa, founder of Bouguessa, explained that the company’s management rethought its way of working, temporarily halted new collections, and focused on the most in-demand products. It also transferred production to its local workshop to ensure business continuity. At the same time, it benefited from its available stock by reintroducing previous pieces into a more sustainable collection, in addition to organizing archive sales to support revenues. It focused primarily on preserving the essence of the work and ensuring the team felt safe and supported.
William White, Head of Developer Relations at AiREV, highlighted how to accelerate innovation in its early stages by directly engaging future users, explaining that the artificial intelligence-based operating system developed by the company has been in operation since June 2024, pointing to cooperation with universities across the region in building and developing it.
Discussions also highlighted the role of strong ecosystems in shaping how entrepreneurs respond to periods of uncertainty; Ghazlan Qanz, founder of F-Force, explained that flexibility is often considered a fundamental characteristic of entrepreneurs, but it is not the only factor that enables companies to deal effectively with challenges, while Ruba Nashash, co-founder of Pulse IoT, stressed the importance of organized and directed cooperation for each sector as one of the practical possibilities for enhancing flexibility, especially in the fields of construction and infrastructure.
The “Al-Thābah Fund for Entrepreneurs” is an initiative dedicated to supporting startups and small and medium-sized enterprises and meeting their needs in a way that contributes to ensuring the continuity of their businesses and enhancing their stability in the long term.
The value of the fund amounts to 5 million dirhams and focuses on companies operating in the sectors of manufacturing, food security, health care and basic supply chains. It provides financial support in addition to operational guidance, facilitating market access opportunities, and linking companies to the “Sheraa” system of mentors and partners.
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