Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival Returns January 30–31, 2027 for Landmark 10th Edition

Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) will return for its 10th anniversary edition on January 30–31, 2027, at the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK).

Marking a decade since its launch, SEF has grown into one of the Middle East’s leading entrepreneurship platforms, fostering dialogue, investment opportunities, and cross-sector collaboration. Organised by Sheraa, the upcoming edition will bring together founders, investors, policymakers, creatives, and industry leaders from around the world to explore the ideas, industries, and partnerships shaping the future economy.

Since launching in 2016, SEF has evolved into a platform that enables strategic collaborations, including public-private partnerships, while supporting startups in gaining access to markets and growth opportunities. The festival regularly convenes government officials, CEOs, entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors, creating connections that extend well beyond the event itself.

Over the years, SEF has welcomed globally recognised figures from business, sports, technology, and personal development, including Emaar and Noon.com founder Mohamed Alabbar, Richard Branson, four-time Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel, UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, bestselling author Lewis Howes, and Vishen Lakhiani. Their participation has reinforced SEF’s growing international profile as a platform for conversations shaping the future of business, technology, creativity, and human potential.

Commenting on the milestone, H.E. Najla Al Midfa, Vice Chairperson of Sheraa, said: “The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival’s tenth anniversary is not only a celebration of how far SEF has come. It is a reflection of Sharjah’s belief in what entrepreneurship can do for a city, and for the people who choose to build from here.

When SEF first began, our ambition was to create a space where founders could find inspiration, connection, and the support to take their next step. Nine years later, that space has grown into one of the region’s most meaningful gatherings for the entrepreneurial ecosystem. We have welcomed more than 60,000 changemakers, featuring over 1,400 global and regional speakers. But the numbers only tell part of the story.

The real story is in the founders who found their first community here, the partnerships that began through a conversation, and the youth who left believing that building something of their own was possible. It is the story of Sharjah itself: an emirate that has always invested in people, culture, and knowledge as the foundations of lasting progress.”

She added: “As we mark this decade-long journey, we are not only celebrating SEF as a festival. We are celebrating the ecosystem that Sharjah has built around it, one that gives entrepreneurs the confidence to build for the long term.

The next chapter of SEF will be guided by the same belief that shaped its beginning: that the most meaningful gatherings are not defined by what happens over two days, but by what they make possible long after.”

The growth of the festival reflects the increasing role of entrepreneurship in the region’s economic development. Across its first nine editions, SEF has featured more than 500 startups, partnered with over 100 strategic organisations, hosted more than 450 sessions and activities, and collaborated with over 195 retail and F&B partners. Together, these efforts have created opportunities for founders, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders to connect, exchange ideas, and grow ventures.

SEF 2027 will continue to explore the trends and opportunities shaping the future economy, with discussions centred on innovation, technology, investment, sustainability, creative industries, and entrepreneurship’s evolving role in driving long-term and inclusive economic growth.

H.E. Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi, CEO of Sheraa, said: “Over the past decade, Sheraa has worked to build an entrepreneurship ecosystem that supports founders at every stage of their journey, while creating meaningful opportunities for growth. As one of Sheraa’s flagship platforms, SEF has evolved from a local entrepreneurship gathering into a globally recognised platform that brings together founders, investors, creatives, policymakers, and industry leaders to exchange ideas and shape new opportunities for innovation.

The scale of SEF’s growth since its inaugural edition reflects the strength of the entrepreneurial community in the UAE and the wider region, alongside the increasing importance of spaces that enable ecosystem-building. SEF 2027 will build on that momentum by exploring the opportunities that will shape the next decade of entrepreneurship and future industries.”

Building on the momentum of previous editions and long-standing strategic partnerships, SEF 2027 is set to deliver another edition focused on connection, knowledge-sharing, and ecosystem growth.

For more information and updates on SEF 2027, visit the official website.