Sharjah: The ninth edition of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) concluded with an unprecedented participation of 15,000 attendees, including 5,000 founders. The festival offered insightful experiences and inspiration from over 300 global speakers sharing success stories from entrepreneurial and innovative sectors across industries.
According to Emirates News Agency, SEF 2026 achieved a significant milestone with 17 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed at the festival's exclusive VIP lounge 'SEF Vault', powered by the Emirates Petroleum Company - Emarat. These agreements spanned sectors such as Manufacturing, Edtech, Creative Industries, and Sustainability, unlocking financing deals worth AED 100 million. The festival provided numerous opportunities for supporting startup growth, innovation, and scalability.
The event featured over 250 fireside conversations, panel discussions, presentations, workshops, and masterclasses across 10 curated zones. Additionally, the SEF Investor Lounge hosted 400 exclusive investor-founder meetings to explore funding and mentorship opportunities. SEF 2026 also showcased 150+ startup pods throughout the festival venue.
A remarkable initiative during the festival was the Business Kickstarter Package, launched in collaboration with Sheraa, Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK), Emirates NBD, and du. This initiative allowed 294 founders to apply for a business licensing package starting from AED1,000. The package offered a standard business licence for single-owner businesses and a multi-owner licence at AED3,000, with additional support from du and Emirates NBD for connectivity and banking services.
Sheraa CEO Sara Abdelaziz Al Nuaimi highlighted the festival's success and the visionary leadership of H.H. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi. She emphasized the role of SEF as a catalyst for ideas, talent, and opportunity in the region's entrepreneurial landscape.
The festival's closing evening included performances by leading music and comedy artists, with a standout performance by Saudi singer Tamtam.
SEF 2026 also celebrated innovation and leadership through the SEF — 1Tank Startup Pitch Competition and the SEFFY Awards, where startups won grants and potential investor funding. The event recognized individuals and organizations shaping the entrepreneurial ecosystem with awards such as the Rising Star Award, Outstanding Mentor Award, and others.
The SEF Reception Night honored partners and stakeholders, including ecosystem and government partners, who contributed to the festival's success.