MoU to transform Sharjah into a hub for women’s businesses

The Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), a NAMA Women Advancement affiliate, and Sharjah Entrepreneurship centre (Sheraa), have reinforced their commitment to the shared vision of transforming Sharjah into a global hub of female talent and entrepreneurship with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that further consolidates the goals of fostering and empowering women business owners in the UAE.

The MoU builds on the joint vision of the two entities in attracting top tier businesses to Sharjah and strengthening the status of the emirate as a fertile ground for businesses to thrive and scale.

As strategic partners, SBWC and Sheraa aim to boost the ecosystem by jointly executing high-impact programmes and initiatives to support women-led startups through greater access to business-building resources. Together, both entities will offer an inclusive community that female founders can tap into through support programmes, competitions and networking events.

Sheikha Hind Bint Majid Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBWC, and Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa, signed the MoU, in commemoration of International Women’s Day, at the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP).

In line with SBWC’s vision of driving full integration of women in the local economy, the MoU aims to help unlock the female entrepreneurial potential that exists within the UAE with tailored support from Sheraa.

The MoU reflects SBWC’s holistic sustainable approach in supporting businesswomen at different stages of their careers and builds upon Sheraa’s mission to cultivate a world-class entrepreneurship ecosystem in Sharjah and the UAE. Under the terms of the MoU, women business owners at SBWC and Sheraa will have access to a range of tailor-made services to develop globally competitive, sustainable companies. By collaborating on mutually relevant events, programmes and competitions and facilitating speaking opportunities for both partners, amongst others, the MoU will further strengthen efforts to provide women a strong platform to nurture and grow their entrepreneurial skills.

Sheikha Hind Bint Majid Al Qasimi said: “In line with the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah and Founder and patron of SBWC, the MoU underpins our role in empowering women through business and entrepreneurship. By tapping into the capabilities and expertise of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship centre, the MoU will pave the way for female entrepreneurs to aspire to new heights of development and positively impact the business landscape of Sharjah and the UAE. The MoU further builds on our endeavour to broaden our strategic network and partnership with organisations who share the same mission and objectives.”

Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa, said: “We believe that female entrepreneurship is a key driver of our nation’s prosperity and competitiveness. Building an ecosystem that is connected, supportive and inclusive serves as a catalyst for more women entrepreneurs to scale their ambitions in Sharjah’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our partnership with SBWC will enable us to collectively unlock the potential of women entrepreneurs, empowering them to use technology to spur innovation, create more jobs of the future, and ultimately boost economic growth in the UAE and the wider region.

In line with its commitment to empower businesswomen across all sectors with practical strategies and tools to enhance their professional excellence, Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), a NAMA Women Advancement affiliate, has recently launched ‘Mentor Monday’, a new initiative that aims to provide members with expert insights and business advice from well-established entrepreneurs in a wide range of industries.

The initiative builds on SBWC’s holistic sustainable approach in supporting businesswomen at different stages of their careers, and members will benefit from expert-led hands-on guidance to realise their ambitions and grow their business ventures. ‘Mentor Monday’ consists of a series of one-to-one sessions, held on the last Monday of each month in SBWC’s offices.

SBWC members will receive personalised advice for their individual queries based on the area of expertise of the chosen mentors of the month. SBWC members can pre-book their preferred time slot for each ‘Mentor Monday’ session lasting for three hours. SBWC’s registered members can also access more than 20 inspiring and well-established mentors for consulting sessions through chat and video calls via the SBWC App. The ‘Mentor Monday’ initiative will debut on Feb.28 with two seasoned business leaders, Peggy Li and Akhilesh Bal, who will share strategies for business and leadership excellence, brainstorm solutions, and offer guidance in their respective areas of expertise.