New strategic agreement bridges academic research and commercial markets, granting students access to business incubation, industry networks, and the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival
SHARJAH : The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) has entered into a strategic partnership with the University of Al Dhaid to establish direct commercial pathways for students and alumni looking to convert campus research into high-growth businesses.
The Memorandum of Understanding, signed at the university’s campus, links academic talent directly with Sharjah’s broader innovation economy. Under the framework, students and recent graduates gain entry into Sheraa’s structured incubation programs, mentorship pipelines, and investor networks.
Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, Chief Executive Officer of Sheraa, and Prof. Aisha Bushelaibi, Chancellor of the University of Al Dhaid, finalized the agreement on Thursday.
Central to the initiative is a shared mandate to cultivate business ventures aligned with the UAE’s targeted economic sectors, specifically in agriculture, environmental sustainability, and regional industry. Students securing Sheraa membership can validate product-market fit, refine viable financial models, and pitch to regional venture partners.
The partnership embeds venture-building directly into the academic curriculum. Industry practitioners and seasoned founders will lead classroom seminars, case studies, and hands-on workshops across the university’s entrepreneurship coursework.
University innovators will also receive dedicated pathways to showcase their ventures at flagship regional platforms, including the annual Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF), specialized hackathons, and corporate matchmaking forums.
Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi emphasized the strategic necessity of grounding startup ecosystems in local universities. She stated that academic centers remain fundamental to cultivating early-stage founders, noting that combining Al Dhaid’s research infrastructure with Sheraa’s commercial ecosystem gives emerging talent a practical, structured bridge from initial concept to market expansion.
Prof. Aisha Bushelaibi highlighted the deal’s operational impact on academic output. She explained that the collaboration focuses on moving scientific research and student thesis projects out of lecture halls and into active commercial markets, addressing tangible economic needs while arming graduates with practical business skills.
Beyond incubation, both institutions plan to run joint startup competitions, founder clinics, and awareness campaigns across Sharjah’s central region, targeting commercially viable ventures in emerging knowledge sectors.
