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Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) has announced that their eagerly awaited Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) will be back for its 7th annual edition on February 3-4 next year at the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP).
With the theme ‘Our Shared Canvas’, SEF 2024 is an ode to the incredible shared impact entrepreneurs leave on communities worldwide. As we witness tumultuous times, the festival’s slogan is a reminder that it is through collaboration and a strong sense of community that we shape a bright, sustainable and community-driven future for all.
You can get your tickets at www.SharjahEF.com
‘SEF 2024 will be an even bigger celebration of fresh ideas, ingenuity & innovation’
Commenting on the upcoming edition of the festival, Najla Al Midfa, CEO at Sheraa, stated, “For six years, SEF has had a central place in Sheraa’s efforts to boost Sharjah’s contributions to the global entrepreneurship movement. The festival has become a mainstay for local and regional entrepreneurial communities, and thousands look forward to coming together on our platform to meet, reconnect and forge new friendships, as they partake in critical discussions on how they can fuel their entrepreneurial success and maximise their impact in the world. After hosting our biggest and most successful edition last year, we are gearing up to give our audiences an even bigger celebration of fresh ideas, ingenuity and innovation with the 7th annual edition.”
Sheraa has also revealed that the festival’s programme will be led by over 100 distinguished speakers from 15 countries. Industry luminaries who have given us unicorns and pioneering solutions in a diversity of sectors will be delving deep into their own journeys of successes and failures, offering festival attendees diverse, inspirational and practical insights into what it really means to be an entrepreneur.
SEF 2024 is gearing up to deliver an unprecedented content programme, which has been designed around key streams of ‘impact’, ‘founders’, ‘community’ and ‘creativity’. Each stream boasts a detailed agenda of a wide range of deep dives, hands-on workshops, masterclasses and more, to offer founders, VCs, tech leaders and ecosystem enablers a vibrant platform to connect, learn, ideate and scout the next big opportunity.
Attendees will have the unique opportunity to embark on an intimate journey with HE Mohammed Al Abbar, a visionary leader whose exceptional career as the founder of EMAAR Properties and Noon.com has not only earned him the reputation of being the region’s most renowned property developer but has also significantly elevated the UAE’s standing in the global arena.
Catch UAE’s pioneering female filmmaker, a top Saudi podcaster, and a renowned human rights advocate at SEF.
Internationally acclaimed human rights advocate and entrepreneur, Jessica Kahawaty, will tell the SEF 2024 audience how she uses her platform and her ambassadorship of the world’s most exclusive brands to make an impact on pressing global issues.
They will be joined by Saudi journalist, TV presenter and podcaster, Abdulrahman Abumalih He is the creator of Fenjan (or “coffee cup” in Arabic) – a Middle East and North Africa-based podcast that discusses a wide range of topics pertaining to Saudi Arabia and the region.
The UAE’s first female film writer, director, and producer, Nayla Al Khaja, whose films have screened at more than 42 film festivals worldwide, also features on SEF’s star-studded speaker and masterclass line-up. The founder of ‘The Scene Club,’ Dubai’s first film club, will be leading some of the masterclasses and workshops on the SEF 2024 agenda, delving into one of the festival’s key focus areas – the creative economy – exploring ways emerging founders can attain success in this fast-growing and rapidly transforming sector.
Registration for SEF 2024 is now open at https://sharjahef.com/ with an early bird offer available until December 19.
Dedicated stages to deliver an unprecedented content programme
The 7th annual edition of SEF is bringing a carefully curated festival experience with dedicated stages to deliver an unprecedented content programme. The SEF 2024 headliners will be hosted on the ‘Impact Stage’ Powered by Arada. The festival’s key speakers will be addressing their audiences and sharing their personal journeys and wisdom on this main festival platform. Sheraa’s ally in fostering the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Sharjah, Arada, has been supporting SEF as a legacy partner for several editions. Last year, the real estate developer made several meaningful contributions as SEF’s Impact Partner.
In the words of Arada’s CEO, Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, one of the UAE’s influential leaders in real estate, and a key personality to take the Impact Stage at SEF 2024: “As one of Sharjah’s and the UAE’s engines of sustainable progress, we are delighted to return to SEF to support its dynamic content programme and expand its outreach to emerging talents who rely on the emirate and its state-of-the-art startup ecosystem to help their dreams take flight”.
Most suitable for entrepreneurs, the ‘Founder Stage’ Powered By EMAAR is where aspiring or existing entrepreneurs as well as visionaries will have the opportunity to learn more about advanced tech, investment insights, capital, trends of today and the future in the areas entrepreneurship, investment and artificial intelligence.
The heart of SEF, the ‘Creative Stage’, will offer visitors a vibrant yet relaxing atmosphere where they will listen to insightful conversations and enjoy live entertainment from some of the region’s best talent. Finally, a ‘Community Stage’ has been designed by Sheraa to enable collaboration within the local and regional entrepreneurial community through dialogue and hands-on workshops led by speakers and workshop facilitators who are specialised in their respective fields including F&B, retail and more.
Through SEF 2024, Sheraa’s and Sharjah’s mission is to nurture entrepreneurship and innovation within a thriving ecosystem. Over the years, Sheraa has built an incredible community of like minded collaborators who come together to support the UAE’s and region’s fast-growing entrepreneurial community by partnering with SEF. This year, notable contributors include Arada as Impact Partner, EMAAR as Start Up Town Partner, Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park as Venue Partner. BEEAH Group and Sharjah Sustainable City have also joined as Sustainability Partners, alongside Sharjah Media City (Shams), Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), Al Marwan group, and Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC) as Empower Partners.
In the lead up to the 7th annual edition this vibrant and committed partner community will continue to grow, ensuring a multifaceted and memorable programme for speakers, guests and attendees alike.
The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) is one of the biggest ecosystem events in the region, which has hosted 20,000+ attendees and 460+ local and international speakers in six years. The 2022 edition of SEF was its largest yet. The two-day festival welcomed over 5,000 + founders, students and thought leaders who presented path breaking and socially conscious ideas that will shape a better future for humans as well as our planet.
